Wire Caddies and Farming in The Valley of Heart’s Delight
DIY Wire Caddy
By Tung X. Dao
What do you do with some scrap wood? Make a wire caddy, of course!
One thing I’ve realized very recently is the importance of wire. Sure, I’ve realized that it was important in the past—I bought a complete set of copper wire from our very own JT a few years back. However, I never used it enough. And it occurred to me that keeping it in a cardboard box in the closet doesn’t help with using it. The activation barrier is way too high. As a result my trees weren’t progressing as much as they could have.
I realized at one of our meetings at Marin Bonsai that we always have a club supply of bonsai wire at our open workshops. One of our members brings it each time in a little wire caddy and places it conveniently at the center of the room for us to use. I put two and two together and realized, “I need a wire caddy.”
I ventured out to design a wire caddy to solve this problem, as well as to improve my woodworking skills.
Design
There were some design considerations. The copper wire set came in rolls of two sizes (small and large) without spools. That means it needed a bit of height. It also meant that certain traditional designs wouldn’t work. I found a wire caddy for industrial purposes online for about $55 dollars that had a design that would work well. I wanted to see if I could beat that price with scrap wood I had laying around. In addition, I also intended to keep it outdoors, so an exterior finish and sealer would be necessary.
THE BUILD
Luckily, I had some wood left-over from a recent project. My friend Kai came over to learn some basic woodworking skills and we worked together to make the cuts required. The caddy consists of two frames held together by a dowel. Some bonsai wire at the feet keeps the frame from opening too far. After making it, a suggestion to use large washers to keep the spools separated turned out to be a great idea. I stained the caddy black and applied a waterproof finish since I intend to keep it outdoors for easy access instead of hidden away in a closet in the house.
For those of you interested in the woodworking details, the bevel cuts were necessary because the wood did not have a rectangular cross section. If I had some one by twos I would have done something a little faster and easier than a bevel cut.
A later addition was to drill a hole in the top of the smaller frame to keep a short length of dowel handy. This prevents the frame from folding backwards and allows you to hammer the dowel out while keeping the frame and washer together to change wire.
The end price for the parts was about three or four dollars, I think, not counting the scrap wood and finish. This includes the dowel, cotter pins and washers. If I didn’t have scrap wood, two eight foot long one by two furring strip boards would only add another three dollars to the price. You can always use a better wood, of course. Not bad for a weekend project.
Closing thoughts
It’s a really good design, but not a perfect one. One issue with this design I’m still debating is if I want to drill some holes in the smaller frame to thread the wire through or not. Because there’s no spool, the wire doesn’t unwind as nicely as I would like, especially for the smaller gauges.
That said, I’ve used it to wire a lot more since having it. It lives outside next to my trees. They are improving more than before, so I’m glad to have built this. Woodworking is so much fun, and this is a wonderful project for a beginning woodworker.
The Marin Bonsai Club decided to host a Build Your Own Wire Caddy workshop early next year. Perhaps we can have one here at Midori as well? 🌳
Trees in the Wild
Photo by Jeff Lewis
A bunjin style juniper in the North Bay mountains over summer fog.🌳
Olson and Mariani:
Farming in The Valley of Heart’s Delight
In Conversation with Robin Chapman
Western Horticultural Society is hosting a special event on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 in Los Altos. We would like to extend an invitation for you to join with us to listen to a conversation between Andy Mariani and Charlie Olson with Robin Chapman moderating.
Change is inevitable. But despite the paving over of The Valley of Heart’s Delight, many of us still cherish the legacy of the farmers and bounty of the harvest of Santa Clara Valley. This is still one of the best climates on earth for growing an amazing variety of fruit. Between the two of them, Charlie Olson (in Sunnyvale) and Andy Mariani (in Morgan Hill) have spent over a century tending family orchards and growing some of the best tasting fruit there is.
Journalist and author Robin Chapman will be moderating this conversation “between two local growers whose skill, knowledge and passion has kept some precious acres of trees growing and producing fruit with the flavor they were meant to have.” 🌳
Due to anticipated interest in this meeting, we are asking attendees to register, allowing us to monitor capacity.
Western Horticultural Society members are free. $10 for Guests, payable at the door. (Please bring cash)
To register, please fill out this Google Form
https://forms.gle/VczAhQ4eKdtLtFPk9
Each attendee must fill in an individual form.
Olson and Mariani: Farming in The Valley of Heart’s Delight, In Conversation with Robin Chapman
October 12th 2022, Doors open at 7pm
Meeting location: The Garden House at Shoup Park, 400 University Ave, Los Altos
This will be a live, in-person meeting. We will not be doing a live zoom.
COVID Restrictions: Proof of vaccination required. Please use common sense in attending this event, if you are showing any symptoms of cold, flu, fever or cough, please test for COVID before coming. Masks must be worn while inside. We want to keep our speakers as safe as we can.
If the Google Form link will not work for you, please visit the Western Hort website: www.westernhort.org under “Upcoming Speakers” for the registration form.
This event provided courtesy of Nancy Schramm.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS
MIDORI BONSAI SHOW
Saturday October 1, 2022 at the Quinlan Community Center in Cupertino
Our annual show is back! Please sign up to volunteer for this event. We will need everyone’s help in making this show happen again.
Show preparation is the Friday night before at 7pm. The final show preparation starts at 8am on Saturday, and the show starts at 10am. 🌳
Steve Iwaki Juniperus procumbens Demonstration
Thursday October 6, 2022 at Midori Bonsai Club
Steve Iwaki, a Bay Area bonsai practitioner will be sharing his bonsai talents with us. Steve has chosen to work on a smaller Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’, a tree that Jack Christiansen purchased this past year. It has overgrown foliage and a nice size trunk and dead wood features on which to work. Steve is a joy to watch create bonsai, and has many ways to bring out the best in the trees he takes on.
Steve is the President of Sei Boku Bonsai Kai, up in the San Mateo area, and has been a major contributor to his club, displaying his wonderful trees at their yearly shows. We hope that everyone will be present for our meeting the evening of October 6th.
Open Workshop
Thursday October 20, 2022 at Midori Bonsai Club
Our usual third Thursday workshop will be at 7:30pm with a board meeting the hour prior.
Bonsai Mike Pistello Demonstration
Thursday November 3, 2022 at Midori Bonsai Club
Meeting topic to be announced.
UPCOMING BONSAI EVENTS
CHINO BONSAI CLUB 52ND ANNUAL EXHIBIT
Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2, 2022
9am-5pm
261 S Junipero Serra Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776
Bonsai Exhibit with Demos, Auction, Raffle and Sales
Free Admission • Bonsai Styling Demos • Sales • Auctions • Raffles • Reception • Vendor & Club Sales with a 5:30pm dinner reception Saturday evening.
More info: David Nguy 323-842-6188 or Jerry Garcia 909-270-7776
EAST BAY BONSAI SOCIETY'S ANNUAL SHOW
October 1 and 2, 2022
Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm
Lakeside Park Garden Center
666 Bellevue Ave
Oakland, CA 94610
The show features an impressive exhibit of quality bonsai as well as a demonstration by Andrew Robson, a deciduous artist in the American bonsai community and the President of the Bonsai Society of Portland, Oregon, the largest bonsai club in the United States.
There will also be a benefit drawing and a sale of bonsai and related materials. For information, visit eastbaybonsai.org.
GSBF BONSAI RENDEZVOUS 2022
October 8 & 9
Hotel Mission de Oro
13070 S. Highway 33
Santa Nella, CA 95332
Annual GSBF event held at Hotel Mission de Oro, 13070 S. Highway 33, Santa Nella, CA 95322. Free and open to the public. 30+ vendors from northern and southern California as well as several out of state vendors will be on hand both days. Admission is free, donations are appreciated. Free demonstrations throughout the days. Bring-your-own bonsai work area. Mel Ikeda and his tomodachi group will demonstrate the art of creating bonsai amongst friends. Silent auctions of bonsai trees and related material will be held both days. Consignment silent auction sells opportunities are available. Rendezvous hotel room rate $155 two-night minimum. For more information contact Rich Guillen at richguillen@att.net or (831) 348-5015.
YAMATO BONSAI KAI'S 51ST ANNUAL EXHIBIT
October 22-23, 2022
10am-5pm
32975 Alvarado-Niles Rd
Union City, CA 94587
Demonstrations on both days at 1:30 pm, featuring David Nguy on Saturday and Yamato Bonsai Kai Club demonstrator Howard Correa on Sunday.
Demonstration trees will be raffled off as grand prize each day. Exhibition of Bonsai trees, plant sales, and vendors. Free admission and free parking. For more info and updates find us on Facebook by searching "Yamato Bonsai Kai".
PACIFIC BONSAI EXPO
November 12-13, 2022
The Bridge Yard
Oakland, CA
The Pacific Bonsai Expo is a juried exhibition featuring 70 outstanding bonsai displays and a selection of the community’s top vendors. Jurors Bjorn Bjorholm, Ryan Neil, and William N. Valavanis will select the trees. The exhibitors are the judges. Your trees are the stars. It’s an event not to be missed.
THE CAPITAL CITY BONSAI ASSOCIATION SHOW
January 21 & 22, 2023
10AM-430PM
Temple City Live Oak Park Community Center
Live Oak Room
10144 Bogue St
Temple City, CA 91780
The Capital City Bonsai Association Show will be held at The Shepard Garden and Arts Center (in McKinley Park), 3330 McKinley Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95816. Show hours are 10 am - 4 pm both days. The show is a benefit to raise funds for the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt and will feature trees from American Bonsai Association, Sacramento; Bonsai Sekiyu Kai Sacramento Bonsai Club; and the Satsuki Aikokai Association
The sale will include established and starter bonsai, pots, tools etc. Admission is free. Contact Paul Holtzen for more information at pbholtzen@sbcglobal.net. 🌳
Special thanks to Nancy Schramm for copy editing these newsletters. ♥
