You showed me yours, I'll show you mine!

The last Elm with the bark entire. Those pesky vine weevils were probably going at the roots as this pic was taken.

will baddeley wrote:
Waway. This tree collapsed on me a year after collection. It was originally alive, all the way round but slowly died off. On inspection, I found a heavy infestation of vine weevil [ a root eating grub ] that had left me with two tiny roots. I was left with an inch [2.5cm ] of live vein. The tree was naturally hollow but the outside is carved. Makita and Dremmel and fine detail picked out with a scalpel.

You and this tree are really meant to be. This will definitely go a long way.

Wow such a very nice tree just watching it makes me drool . I like it more with leaves on it, sorry but can't really appreciate a "winter look" as we don't experience that season here in the tropics. I love the colors of the trees in autumn especially the acer palmatum.

Nice job Will.

Warren

will baddeley wrote:Close up of the carving.

WOW WOW WOW

Just love to see a deadwood. How do you do the "wrinkles" on the wood? And what did you do for the colors to blend with the old deadwood?

Warren

Warren. The wrinckles were made with a surgeons scalpel. Push the blade in at a slight angle and draw it down the wood. repeat this action but come in from the other side and a tiny v shaped piece of wood comes out. Then soften the edges with a wire brush.

will baddeley wrote:Warren. The wrinkles were made with a surgeons scalpel.

Will You fibber... this looks way to natural

I want to see the video of you doing it

Tony

some of the best stuff I've seen on here. Truly lovely. good work man.

How very dare you sir! I've been riding Harley's for nigh on 15 years now, and I've never had one break down on me yet! The only Japanese bike I had, however, was a different story!

Hhhmm, not the first time I've had the 'ink for trees' offer, Will. Unfortunately for the previous requestee, I've given up tattooing due to a bad back and an increasing inability to cope with artificial light. However, if it's designs you want, that's a different story. PM me with some ideas of what you want, and I'll see what I can come up with.

Are you sure you'd want to part with one of these beautiful Elms for a few doodles?

Harleyrider wrote:

How very dare you sir! I've been riding Harley's for nigh on 15 years now, and I've never had one break down on me yet! The only Japanese bike I had, however, was a different story!

Hhhmm, not the first time I've had the 'ink for trees' offer, Will. Unfortunately for the previous requestee, I've given up tattooing due to a bad back and an increasing inability to cope with artificial light. However, if it's designs you want, that's a different story. PM me with some ideas of what you want, and I'll see what I can come up with.

Are you sure you'd want to part with one of these beautiful Elms for a few doodles?

hey, if you want to get some good exercise for your back, you're in the best city in the uk for t'ai chi training. there's a chap there name of Wang Hiajun who is one of the best in the world - all china champion three times. That'll do wonders for your back. check him out. he a monster killing machine of a man.

Tony. Not sure if your comment is a compliment, or a slur. If its a pat on the back then thanks, if not I'm more than willing to give you a few carving lessons.There is one person who can verify my work. I showed the tree to Kevin Willson, just after I carved it. The best compliment, I have ever had for this carving, was Danny Use. After selection, for Ginkgo, at the Spirit of bonsai, Danny did a critique on the trees he had chosen. When he got to mine he mentioned the lovely "natural deadwood" I looked at Kevin with a smile and Kev gave me a knowing wink. Its moments like that, that stay with you. This work is nearly 10 years old now and with the lateral cracks, looks more natural every day.

Hi Will. Very, very beautiful work. Congratulations. Best regards Pavel S.

Tony. Here's a close up of some carving done on a Yew a couple of years ago, using the same method.

will baddeley wrote:Here's a close up of some carving done on a Yew a couple of years ago, using the same method.

This is a magnificent, respect for your work. I pray more of these photo, very educational!

Hi Will.... oh how the web can deliver the wrong message... I think the work is fantastic... really natural.. something hard to do on a deciduous tree. You have executed the technique well and belive me when I say that I will be copying you!

Tony

Thanks Tony I'm glad you cleared that one up. This method is very time consuming but well worth it.

very masterful technique for making the most natural looking deadwood I have seen

Thanks to Bobby, Pavel,Mario and Seth. Your comments are greatly appreciated.

Harleyrider. I did'nt mean these three buy I have many more that will make equally good bonsai. Im sure you'd want to train it yourself anyway.

Will
what i really like is the natural colour , especially on decidious trees, but even on some conifers the grain and detail is lost under white artificial lime sulphur - nice one.

Steve. I did try lime sulphur on the Elm years ago, looked bloody awful!!! Tried toning it down with a drop of black ink, and turned the whole thing a beautiful shade of battleship grey. Bloody awful again. Scraped the whole lot off and only treat with Ronseal clear wet rot wood hardener and this is the effect it gives.
Steve.... Have you a softer avatar... nearly scared me to death!!!!

Great work, truly an inspiration!!!

Newt

Thanks Newt and to everyone who's posted. I never imagined this post would get such a responce. Thanks again.

will baddeley wrote:Steve. I did try lime sulphur on the Elm years ago, looked bloody awful!!! Tried toning it down with a drop of black ink, and turned the whole thing a beautiful shade of battleship grey. Bloody awful again. Scraped the whole lot off and only treat with Ronseal clear wet rot wood hardener and this is the effect it gives.
Steve.... Have you a softer avatar... nearly scared me to death!!!!

thanks i use it for halloween and it scares the cats from the garden

I pity any criminals on your beat if thats how you look at them!!!

will baddeley wrote:I pity any criminals on your beat if thats how you look at them!!!

thanks will
seriously though did they dig up easily?

Steve. You can dig Elms up quite easily. Dont be worried if their is'nt much root either. They make roots very quickly. Sometimes with a sucker, you'll find a few small roots and one enormous root, where it came from the mother tree. Dont cut the very large root back to the trunk on collection. Leave it longer to start with and pot it up. this large root will help the new tree get established. You can cut it away or make a feature out of it in the future.

Steve.
Will is right on.
As for roots and collecting elm. The winged elm we collect here in the Tulsa area have but a few stringy meager little feeder roots that grow among the duff & debris near the surface. We dig toward the tap root and chop it a few inches below the crown.

This is done in late winter (February). The trees are allowed to push new growth freely with no pruning or pinching until June. By June the nursery pots are full of new fine roots.

They are programed to survive.

Neil