Bending a trunk on a Hawthorn Raft.

At the last re-potting of the Raft hawthorn I change the angle of the tree by rotating the tree anti clockwise by approx 15 degrees to improve the ‘depth’ and to bring the low left hand branch forward. However in bringing this forward meant that the far right ‘trunk’ moved away from the viewer. This needed to be rectified by bringing the trunk forward so that the tree ‘embraced’ the viewer.

The branch that is being bent is shown in the first photo from Swindon last weekend

The problem was that the trunk is very old and stiff (a bit like me) below is shown how I overcame this. The photos speak for themselves. The final photo shows the wire brace that ‘pulls’ the trunk towards the front by being anchored to the front trunk.

When the tree is viewed as a photo you will see little difference as the image is ‘flat’ but when the tree is in exhibition it is much improved





















And that's how you do it!

Hi Tony

A great way to creative technique, great job.

Pavel

Tony,

I've never drilled through the branches before, but that's about the same technique I use to move the branches on my cedar elm. That wood is as hard as a rock, wire alone could never do it.

R

You said several years ago that you were going to do that with the Main Trunk to make the tree viewable from both sides.
Did you also do this process then ?.

Peter E. wrote:You said several years ago that you were going to do that with the Main Trunk to make the tree viewable from both sides. Did you also do this process then ?.

Hi Peter... several years ago is some time now... I did the same technique with the left hand branch about 5 years after I collected the tree.

You were talking of turning the apex.

Peter E. wrote:You were talking of turning the apex.

Hi Peter, NO I decided that I like just the one front... well remembered

i love this tree, bet it looks great in flower.
i'm a cabinet maker and seeing techniques like this makes me wonder how many other seasoned wood techniques could be applied to live wood. food for thought.
cheers, jim.

Great technique Tony. I would like to see more of this type of work. Its all well and good seeing the end result but it's also important to see how it's achieved.

good job tony. I'll remember this one.

best wishes, sam

Great Tony.

I have seen a similar technique described, but newer with the drilling. Great technique. May make it possible to bend harder wood than normally without breaking the outside - also on Yews I presume???

Reagards
Morten

Very technical work Tony, I love it. A combination of a kerf technique with hole to reduce the area moment of inertia. Did you fill in the hole with some modern resin? It would give the branch more strength. How long under your growing conditions will it take to reconnect over the cut?

Wow!!!
Thanks Tony for showing and sharing a wonderful technic I never thought of.

Xuan

Rob Kempinski wrote:Very technical work Tony, I love it. A combination of a kerf technique with hole to reduce the area moment of inertia. Did you fill in the hole with some modern resin? It would give the branch more strength. How long under your growing conditions will it take to reconnect over the cut?

Hi Rob... you are on the money the Kerf Technique is great because the moment of inertia is eased... the hole has removed the wood that would cause the friction/compression, and therefore stop the remaining wood from splitting by being forced against itself... this is why cracking normally occurs when a thick branch is bent.

I will be filling the hole with resin when the tree is drying out... is simply too wet at the moment.

Fantastic Technique Tony
One question !
How long will the branch need to be held in position with the wire?

Regards Bob

interesting technology ...thanks for posting

Nice move Tony

Having had Tony describe to me a couple of weeks ago just how he was going to achieve the desired movement in the branch, I must confess to my stomach flipping at the thought of such drastic remodelling. However, within the space of just a few very descriptive images, I can now see why he found my shock so amusing!

Nice one Mr T, I'm suitably impressed sir.