Workshop Pine. Drill, Strap & Bend

[Tony Bebb]

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I came across this nice pine in a private workshop last month that the owner had recently purchased. She was keen to develop the tree as a classical informal upright and was prepared to prune to achieve her outcome over the next few years.

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With top of the tree being very heavy with thick branches, and no suitable alternative apex low down, the tree was thinned and reduced to this new apex. The positives are a nice base and first bend with good branching for a nursery pine. The negatives are still a little tall, the first branch is quite thick and messy, and the trunk is too straight after the first bend.

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The decision was made to put a bend in the trunk at the second left branch. As a bend in the trunk was wanted, not a curve, some scaffold would be required. Hubby had a good workshop of supplies and tools so we went scrounging and foung this stainless steel bar that was positioned between surface roots and hammered to the base of the pot for stability.

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The trunk was then drilled in a few points on the inside of where the bend was required. I drill at a few different angles through the same entry hole and then rotate the drill inside to keep the entry hole as small as possible.

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A block of wood was cut to length and cut with a concave cut one end to go around the trunk, and a groove at the other to go around the bar.

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I am a bit old school and prefer to use raffia when strapping a tree but we did not have any at hand, so electrical tape was used instead. Particular attention was paid to the junction of the branch and trunk to prevent splitting at the top of the branch. This is the area most likely to split when bending at a branch, and care should be taken in applying too much pressure.
"Bending should be done with maximum force but minimum velocity."

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The wood was positioned at the point of the lowest drill hole so the bend would occur above that point. Some fencing wire was doubled around the stump and the bar and an extra pair of hands was used to tension the wire as the trunk was bent.

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The wire was hitched and can be tensioned further if required.

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Some wire was applied to the branches to get some basic shape, and to the new apex to get it into its new position. The stump has been covered to show the trunk line.

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The tree will be left to rest and grow freely untill Autumn at least. The new apex and top branches will need to grow and develop and the second left branch will be further reduced when a small branch develops at its base.

I will get the owner to send some update photos untill I see it again.

Tony

[Handy Mick]

Hey Tony, nice progression.
I hope the owner likes what they see.

Mick

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Tony,

Thank you for the post. It does look more interesting after the bending was carried out.

"Bending should be done with maximum force but minimum velocity." Is "Minimum velocity" for the wood has time to rest?

Thank you Tony, and best regards.

[Chris Di Nola]

hey mate nicely done, now get your arse down to my place for another bending job and we will also have a bender

[adi21]

Thanks you very much share with us nice post!!!

[Tony Bebb]

Hi Tony,

"Bending should be done with maximum force but minimum velocity." Is "Minimum velocity" for the wood has time to rest?

Thank you Tony, and best regards.

Minimum velocity simply meaning to bend slowly. The wood has time to rest but also has time to stretch. Before bending heavier material it is good to flex the tree with repeated bends first to stretch the fibres before wiring. This makes the tree more supple just like a physio would stretch tendons and muscles for better flexibility.

Tony