Category: Bonsai

After straightening used wire pieces I store them on my outdoor bonsai work bench using a short length of 2″ PVC pipe that has three 1- 1/2″ holes and a smaller hole to hang it from using a 4″ deck screw. The bottom is covered using a discarded container cap that is epoxied in place. A standard PVC cap could also be used. Drill a small weep hole in the bottom to drain away any water.

I just made the rock composition as a gift for a family friend who will be graduating medical school in June. Congratulations Shawon!!!

The composition is made from a hand cut piece of Schist and an established Procumbens Nana Juniper cutting.

I mounted my Bench Mounted Wire Straightener on the left side because I’m left handed. It is made from a 10″ gate hinge, a couple of 1″ x 3/8″-16 hex head bolts, 3/8″-16 threaded knob, an aluminum flat bar spacer and high strength double sided adhesive rubber tape. The hinge is mounted to the bench top with 1″ flat head screws.

This has been my go-to heavy duty straightener/ bender for both small and large wire sizes. I simply swing it over the side when not in use. This device provides significant wire shaping and gripping strength! Make your own!

To increase the versatility you can add a beam clamp to hold locking pliers to cut wire or to firmly hold objects and free up your hands. Beam clamps are used to attach threaded rod to steel ceiling beams to in turn suspend conduit/piping and apparatus from building ceilings. You can find them in the electrical department at your hardware supplier. You’ll want one with 3/8″ threaded mounting holes. The beam clamp attaches to the Bench Mounted Wire Straightener with a 1″ x 3/8″-16 bolt. Use the existing middle hole in the hinge. I used an older pair of locking pliers which I’ll leave outdoors. You’ll want to use locking pliers that have a built-in wire cutter.

You can also mount the beam clamp directly to the bench top. Note the bolt protruding through the bench top in the upper right of the picture.

An Oriole fruit feeder doubles a convenient outdoor wire hanger for my recycled annealed copper electrical wire.

I thought I’d share an easy to make version of the Bonsai Wire Bending Grip. While not as versatile or durable as the original Bonsai Wire Bending Grip, the junior version will make equally well formed looped drainage screen retainers of different sizes and wire gauges. A piece of 1/2 ” thick by 3- 3/4″ square plywood, a 3/8″ diameter wood dowel or bolt and some epoxy is all that is needed. Dimensions are not critical and can be sized for the comfort of your hand and the diameter of the loops you prefer to use.

The concept of the design is the same. A calibrated scale referenced to the edge of the post that allows you to make accurately sized drainage screen retainers, fast. Use the scale (as shown below) to determine the diameter of your pot drainage opening(s) and the length of the wire legs and the spacing set between the wire legs. Refer to the instructional YouTube video on page 3 of this website for the basic procedure.

If you have any questions or would like to request a free template, feel free to email us at graciebonsai4@gmail.com.

Secure, tilt, elevate and rotate your miniature bonsai with this unique setup. It gives you plenty of room for your hands to get close in for pruning and wiring. Turn it like a turntable and lock it in place by tightening the wingnut under the cap.

Here’s how to make it:

Using the small bonsai wire straightener design in the previous post below, remove the knob and replace it with a flat 3″ PVC pipe cap that has been drilled with four 1/2″ holes equally spaced around the circumference and a smaller hole in the center bottom of the cap to use a small carriage bolt, washer and wingnut to attach to the hinge. The large 1/2″ holes allow routing mini bungee cords in and out to create taut hold down cords. Rubber bands or wire can also be used. Line the inside of the cap with a piece of round gap sealing poly foam, a sponge or cloth. This allows you to place the pot in any position while being firmly secured by the hold down cord(s).

Use a chopstick, dowel or long threaded bolt to adjust the elevation of the hinge as shown below. Use a 4″ cap for larger bonsai or a 2″ cap for the smallest bonsai.

Here’s a way to straighten short, used pieces of bonsai wire using a hinge. The material consists of a 7″ long, heavy duty gate hinge mounted to a piece of 3/4″ X 5″ X 10″ cabinet grade hardwood plywood using five #12-3/4″ flat head wood screws. A wooden cabinet knob is attached to the end of the hinge with a screw.

How to use it:

Place the kinked wire under the hinge parallel and close to the hinge pin. Press down on the lever knob then release pressure and rotate the wire. Do this repeatedly moving up and down the length of the wire until it is straightened. For the greatest compression strength place the wire against the hinge pin joint.

Use it as a quick release vise to quickly grip the wire end letting you pull and manipulate the other end of the wire with pliers.

Let’s take it up a notch for big wire!

Use a 10″ heavy duty gate hinge, an aluminum or steel bar stock spacer and a knob of your choice. Attach the spacer to the hinge with double sided tape. Temporarily mount the straightener to your work surface with a clamp or mount it permanently with screws.

Make a large, adjustable branch bender with a 2 foot section of 1-5/8″ x 13/64″ Unistrut (aka Superstrut), two long 1/2″ bolts or threaded rod, four 1/2″ washers, four 1/2″ nuts and 1/2″ id automotive heater hose. You can also use this tool to bend, shape and straighten very large diameter wire.

The outer braided sheath of Paracord works great to cover bonsai wire used on trees with fragile bark. Just pull out the inner strands. It is breathable, reusable and comes in a variety of diameters and colors including camouflage patterns. A piece of #10 AWG copper wire is used in this example followed by a camouflage paracord sleeve over 3mm aluminum wire.

How to straighten used aluminum and copper bonsai wire pieces (up to 4mm diameter) for re-use.

The Gracie Bonsai wire straightening device consists of a section of 1-5/8″ x 1-5/8″ or 1-5/8″ x 13/16″ steel Unistrut, One 1/2″ x 2″ hex head bolt and one 1/2″ x 1″ hex head bolt with 7/32″ holes drilled and chamfered in each (grade 5). One 1/2″ locking nylon nut, one 1/2″ standard nut, one 1/2″ threaded rod coupler(optional, or use a standard nut) and four 1/2″ washers. A 3/4″ box end or socket wrench is required to turn the capstan bolt. The operating length is adjustable by a movable bolt that clamps the wire in the Unistrut slots. Practically any length of Unistrut can be used. See a longer version below.

How to use:

Using a wrench tighten down one end of the wire under the movable clamping bolt and then place the other end of the wire through the hole in the rotating capstan bolt. Turn the capstan bolt slowly with a wrench. A significant amount of tension is applied to the wire by turning the capstan bolt. Once the wire is straightened cut out the straight section and remove and discard the end pieces.

Here is longer version using a 2 foot length of lower profile 13/16″ Unistrut. The wire shown here is 10 AWG non-annealed copper wire. Because of the lower, flatter profile I changed the threaded rod coupler nut to a standard nut.

To purchase a pre-drilled hardware kit (not including the Unistrut or wrench), or, a complete kit contact us for ordering information.

I was about to discard a used folding plastic step stool when I realized it could be used together with a plastic turntable to make an inexpensive indoor/outdoor elevated turntable that is easy to store when not in use. It shouldn’t cost too much to buy the items. The turntable is 10″ in diameter and its rated capacity is 65 lbs.