Shaping Your Bonsai - Wiring and Anchoring Techniques

An important part of the art of Bonsai is guiding the tree into the desired shape. If you follow the traditional Japanese style of Bonsai you will try to create a tree like one that can be found in nature, but you may exaggerate some of the elements for style purposes.

You will have to know what you want your tree to look like before you can start shaping it. You should be able create an image in your mind of exactly how you want your tree to appear. Once you have decided on the style and shape there are several methods used to guide your bonsai into the shape you desire.

Two very common and basic methods of shaping the tree are wiring and anchoring.

Wiring

When you wire a tree you use a metal wire to hold a section of the tree into the shape that you want. Wiring has the advantage of training the tree to the desired shape quicker than most other methods.

Since it is softer aluminum wire is used to wire most branches. When using aluminum wire you will need to use a thicker wire to hold the branch in place. The thicker wire is less likely to cut into the bark, which greatly reduces the risk of scarring. When training heavier branches or changing the shape of the trunk a stronger wire will be needed. In this case you will probably need to use copper or even steel wire.

To wire a branch you simply wrap the branch with wire and then gently bend it into the position that you want. You leave the wire in place to hold the branch until it is capable of holding that shape unassisted. Once you wire a branch you will need to watch it closely to be sure that the branch has not thickened to the point that the wire is cutting into the bark. You need to be especially vigilant with deciduous trees because they tend to thicken in spurts.

You should always start your wire on thicker branches and work your way up to the thinner ones.

Your wiring job will be more stable if you use one wire to wire two branches.

If you notice your wire getting tight remove it to avoid scarring. If the branch still will not stay in position you can re-wrap it to accommodate its new size. Anchoring

Frequently a branch that is several years old will be too thick, in this case wiring the branch will not be very effective. For branches like this anchoring will probably work better. Anchoring works by pulling the branch into the position you want and keeping it there.

You start by looping a wire or string over the branch you want to anchor. Any place that the string or wire touches the tree you will need to protect the bark by covering the wire or string with a soft rubber tube. The other end is secured to the container or another branch to hold the limb in the position you want. If you secure it to another branch be sure to use the protective tubing on this end as well, you also need to be sure that you do not pull the anchor limb out of it's position.

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Low Voltage System Wiring

Low voltage systems include but are not limited to: access control, security, CCTV, burglary, fire, PA, intercom, nurse call, network, phone, data, and other local and remote notification systems. While progress has been made in wireless technologies, the primary, and most secure, and reliable installations, if not the most economical, are hard wired systems.

For commercial and industrial low voltage installations, the field wiring, device mounting, and panel installations are a major portion of the installation. While these tasks are required to be completed in accordance with customer specifications, local building, fire, electrical, and other codes, they are typically pretty standard and require little technical knowledge of the specific system terminations, power, testing and operation.

Most commercial and industrial low voltage system dealers, vendors and integrators have invested substantially in training their technicians on the technical aspects of installing, maintaining and operating the systems they promote. Depending on the work schedule, including service calls and maintenance contracts, using technicians for the basic wiring tasks may not be the best scheduling, financial and customer relations option. Unless business is in a slow period, and technicians need to be gainfully employed rather than not working, keep them scheduled on tasks that require their technical abilities and challenges their abilities.

The options for completing the routine wire and field device installation and mounting include hiring skilled but non-technical employees, using electrical contractors, hiring from a temp agency or finding a sub-contractor that knows and understands low voltage systems that can be trusted to install the systems when and the way you want them installed.

As low voltage system technician, project manager, project engineer and finally area manager, I know the importance of the installation of the basics and how it can and will have an impact on the system operation. While hiring general skilled labor for the basic is a good option because it affords the opportunity to control the entire installation, this option drives up the overall cost of labor that can't be recovered when business is slow and these employees have limited project tasks.

Temporary agencies can provide the help required when business is brisk, but this is a crap shoot. You can provide the required abilities you are looking for, but what you get may or may not be able or willing to provide the services you need to accomplish the installation.

Electrical contractors have the knowledge, experience; know the codes, and wiring methods. They can provide the services you need but they may or may not be reasonably priced, provide their best people for your projects, or be able to meet your schedule.

The last and best alternative is to sub-contract with a company that has experience with low voltage systems, knows the requirements of customer satisfaction, building codes, installation methods, understands the relationship you have with your customers and the only cost is for actual services performed and has no additional costs when business is slow. This solution provides the best options of the electrical contractor, temporary agency, and non-technical employees.

While these companies are hard to find, very few exist, one that should be looked at for measuring your local companies is CCW Services. This company provides low voltage services in and around Ohio, and can be reached at:

http://ccwservices.com 20 years experience with low voltage system design, integration, installation and subcontracting prior to starting a new wire and cable venture

Electrical Jobs: Lineman or Line Technician Jobs

Whether you live in a city or in the countryside, you may see everyday the work done by linemen or line technicians. Linemen or line technicians are the people who install, maintain and repair the networks of electrical power lines which deliver electricity from generating plants to customers. Electrical linemen are often assimilated with their close colleagues who are the telecommunications linemen. Despite with electricity lines requires different and specialized knowledge of transformers, electrical power distribution systems, and substations, the procedures for installing electrical and telecommunication lines are quite identical.

Lineman and line technician jobs often consists of installing new lines by constructing utility poles, towers, and underground trenches to carry the wires and cables. While working on poles and towers, installers first use truck-mounted buckets to reach the top of the structure or physically climb the pole or tower. That?s why Linemen?s work conditions are considered to be hazardous. Linemen also implement new service for customers and installing network equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, switches, fuses, and other equipment to control and direct the electrical current.

How to become a lineman or line technician? If you want to embrace a career in the lineman or line technician field, you will be required to have a high school diploma and to have completed an apprenticeship program in electricity or electronics, or to have obtained experience through vocational/technical programs, community colleges, or the Armed Forces. Most community or technical colleges offer electronics or master electrician exam training which are sponsored by local employers and unions. Such programs last between one year and two years depending on the level of expertise acquired. But whether it is a short or long program, graduates will get a preferential treatment in the hiring process. Most recruiters also expect their linemen or line technician to have basic knowledge of algebra and trigonometry, mechanical ability, to be customer service oriented and to have good interpersonal skills in order to be able to deal with customers.

In the U.S., there were about 104,000 electrical linemen or line technicians in 2004. Most of them worked for construction, or electric power generation, transmission, and distribution companies. However prospects for electrical linemen should not be quite good in the near future with the overall employment growing more slowly than the average for all occupations through 2014. But the increasing number of retirements may create new job opportunities for new workers in the linemen and line technician field.

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Electrical Engineering Training

Interested in acquiring electrical engineering training at a vocational or trade school? An electrical engineering course will help you to understand and apply the versatile skills of design, development, analytics and maintenance of electrical equipment.

While many employers require a Bachelor Degree for entry-level positions of the field, the electrical engineering training programs offered at vocational schools usually consist of a two-year program, allowing the student to gain valuable credits that can later be transferred to a college or university.

In addition to electronics and electronic systems technology, training will often integrate additional vocational coursework in life and physical sciences, humanities, and mathematics. What's more, students of electrical engineering training courses may also opt to choose from a variety of certification programs geared toward select fields of engineering.

Those interested in becoming electrical engineers will learn that, in order to offer services to the public, one must become licensed to do so. (A license is required for engineers in ALL 50 states.) Students who have successfully graduated from an electrical engineering course, and have attained their degree from an accredited electrical engineering school, must also complete 4 years of associated work experience in addition to passing individual state exams to acquire full licensure.

Typically, training provided at electrical engineering schools will help graduates to increase employment opportunities and earning potential. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, those who have gained a minimal Bachelor Degree (and related work experience) can begin earning as much as $51,000 annually.

If you would like to learn more about Electrical Engineering Training, or even Online Electrical Engineering Schools, you can find more in-depth information and resources on SchoolsGalore.com.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Electrical Engineering Schools, Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.