by George Buehler

Last month we began this series with the tools that were "absolutely needed" - the concave cutter, shears, bonsai wire cutter, knob cutter, and chopsticks. This month we will list some of the other tools that a person new to the hobby should put on his list for Santa as you obtain more trees that need trimming. The bonsai hobby can be practiced without these tools but the ones listed below make the various jobs easier.

NICE TO HAVE TOOLS

There are a number of tasks that will need to be done as the trees grow - they will need to be transplanted, pruned, wired, unwired, trimmed, 'de-flowered', and a number of other tasks. I have listed the 'nice to have' tools that I use the most first. Do you need these tools? Not necessarily! I have obtained these tools over a period of years. Some I got when I needed them at a workshop - which you could also do. Others I put on my list when I tried to do some task that would have been much easier if I had had the proper tool. When you go to a workshop, watch other members to see what tools they use. As you participate in a workshop, you might consider borrowing a different tool to see how it works for the task you are doing. Most bonsai hobbyist are willing to let you borrow their tool if you are careful and return it to them clean. You also can ask the more experienced members in your club what they think about a particular tool and what quality they purchase.

• Turntable - I almost put this in the absolutely needed category, but decided that if I had to, I could get by without it, so it ended up in this category. Turntables, like tools, come in several grades (and of course price). I use a simple (read cheap) turntable that is just two plastic coated circles covering the lazy susan mechanism. These guys also come with brakes - to prevent turning when locked down - with a drawer underneath, or with a raising mechanism. The one I use cost about $25 many years ago, and I saw the same thing recently for $19. This 'tool' allows the artist to rotate his trees so that he can view the tree in all directions. Although it is a simple turntable, it has handled my biggest pot even though the pot was much larger than the turntable. This was accomplished by putting a piece of plywood on the turntable that was large enough to handle the large pot. After I use the turntable, I always make sure all soil is out of the mechanism and both the top and bottom are dry before I put it away. You can of course build your own if you have the ability. A lazy susan mechanism can be purchased at a number of places, and a plywood top and bottom can be screwed onto the mechanism. The mechanism costs about $10. The plywood can be obtained free from a building site where they throw away the size you need - about 10" square. The plywood can be left square or rounded off, depending on your desire. Round makes it more convenient. If you go this route, you should seal the plywood with a good coat of enamel paint to facilitate cleaning and to lengthen the life of the plywood.
• Pliers - Bonsai pliers are just what the name implies. They sometimes are called Jin pliers. They are used for wire bending during installation as well as removal of the wire, and for removing the bark from a branch stump that is destined to be a Jin. They come in several lengths, with the 8" being the most versatile. This tool also comes in regular steel, coated steel and stainless. I purchased the "beginner" model about 15 years ago, and it is still completely functional. I don't know why anybody would purchase the stainless steel version for 4 to 5 times more than the beginner model.
• Tweezers - I think everybody knows what tweezers are so there is no need to explain them. They are used to pick up small wires off the top of soil, fallen leaves, cut branches that are caught in the tree, etc. They come in a straight form, curved form, angled form, and what are called pine needle tweezers. Of course they are available in regular steel, coated steel and stainless steel. Most are about 8 to 10" long. The angled form, I believe, is the most useful since it can be manipulated into various areas to remove materials. A number of bonsai hobbyists prefer the straight tweezers, so I would suggest that you borrow the various types at a workshop to determine which type you like the best. The pine needle tweezers need a little explanation. These tweezers have a larger mating surface than normal tweezers. In addition, the mating surface has a serrated surface. It enables the hobbyist to pluck needles from a pine tree with minimal damage to the surrounding needles. Needless to say, if you don't have pines, you don't need this type tweezers.
• Trimming/Bud Shears - These are somewhat different from the shears listed last month. These have longer handles and typically shorter blades. I often use these on the inside of the tree canopy. Mine are the 8" variety which allows me to get into the interior quite easily. I also use them for removing the spent flowers from my flowering trees. Remember, these are for trimming "small" things and shouldn't be used for branch cutting or (heaven forbid) wire cutting. When looking at shears in general, think about what they will be used for before purchasing. Some are more delicate than others, and, as such, should be used only for fine trimming.
• Root Cutter - When repotting a tree, invariably large roots will need to be removed or shortened. The root cutter has a thicker and a coarser blade construction than the knob or concave cutter. There is still the risk of damaging the blade if a stone is severed with the root cutter but it is less likely. This tool can also be used for pruning branches that are too thick for the concave cutter. The branch is cut at a safe distance from the trunk and then nibbled down with a knob or concave cutter. This tool is used much less frequently than the concave cutter but is quite helpful when needed.
• Small Bonsai Wire Cutters - These look like scissors (with finger holes) but the blade is heavier than a pair of scissors and shorter. They are designed to remove wire less than 2 mm. For shohin trees, these are almost mandatory because you will need to remove a lot of fine wires from the delicate branches.
• Root Hook - This tool is used to aid the removal of a bonsai from a pot as well as removal of soil from around roots. This tool has to be used with caution when removing soil from around the roots since it will damage the tangled fine roots. I find that I use my chopsticks more than the root hook since the chopstick is easier to get into the tangled root mass and straighten them out with less damage. When I have a tree 'stuck' in a pot, I often use the root hook, working it around the pot edge to loosen it.
• Saw - I purchased what is called a "root saw". This is a short, slightly curved saw with a rather course tooth pattern (about 8 teeth per inch). I have never used this saw to cut off a branch (I either use a large concave cutter to remove a branch or use my root cutter to shorten the branch and then bring it back to the trunk with the concave cutter). I do use the saw mostly for help in removing tree from the pot. I simply 'saw' around the edge of the pot to loosen the soil and to break the bond with the pot. I use this with caution as it will also damage the fine roots.
• Soil Sifting Screen - As you get more trees, you will start purchasing soil in larger quantities or start making your own combinations. Either way, you will need to sift the soil to remove the fine dust before you put it in the pot. The set of screens I have has three screens with openings of 1/8", 3/16" and ¼". I also have a home made screen that has an opening of about 1/16". I made this out of window screen and use it to ensure I have removed the fine dust in my soil. I know a lot of bonsai people use their soil as is, without screening, but I prefer to make sure I have a good free-draining mix by screening it prior to use. It is interesting how much dust is in some soil. If the dust is left, it may be washed out with the constant watering, but often it just collects in the bottom of the pot. You will have to make your own decision on whether you need to sift or not.
• Leaf Trimmers - Leaf trimmers are small scissors. They are in the shape of a 'U' and don't have a rivet for a pivot point. They are about 4 to 5" long. If you are going to do leaf pruning, this is the tool. A regular shear will also work, so this is low on the list of thing needed.

MISCELLANEOUS

There are a number of tools and other items in the miscellaneous category. These are not all tools in the regular sense but are things that you may want in your tool roll.

• Disinfectant - Although not a tool, this is something you should have handy if you have more than one tree. Disease can be transferred from one tree to another quite easily if you cut on one tree then move to another without taking the proper precautions. I use Lysol lemon scented cleaner/disinfectant diluted about equal portions with water. I try to make a cut, and then dip the tool in the solution before making another cut, even on the same tree. When I am through with the tool for the day, I dip it in the solution, dry it off and then put a few drops of oil on it, wiping it with a rag to distribute it over the tool. I have seen one bonsai master use a can of Lysol spray disinfectant to clean her tools between cuts on the same tree.
• Raffia - I like to wrap tender limbs with raffia before I apply wire to them to reduce the possibility of scarring them. I must admit that I don't always do this, especially when I have a lot of wiring to do. If I am bending a large limb or trunk, I put several layers of wet raffia on it before I apply the wire. This is especially important if you are making a drastic bend.
• Rake - A bonsai rake is a three pronged tool that is used to spread the soil on top of the pot. I also use it to loosen soil from roots when I transplant. If I didn't have one, I probably would put it far down on my list of things to buy.
• Grafting Knife - I recently purchased one of these when I attended a workshop and the master showed how to trim the cambium on a cut branch to shorten the healing time. I didn't have one of these for many years; but now that I know how to use it, I like the results I get. This knife is extremely sharp and can easily cause a nasty cut to a hand or finger. After use, always put the protective cover back on to maintain the tool edge.
• Etc. - Other things to have include cut paste (used to seal big wounds), angle blocks (used to position a pot at an angle when considering a different position prior to transplanting), soil spatula (a flat tool used to tap down soil after transplanting). These are a few of the things that you can spend your money on, but, except for the disinfectant, you can do without them for many years and perhaps forever. There are also many other bonsai tools on the market that you can buy but I would recommend waiting until you absolutely need them before you spend your money.

This concludes this month's section on tools. Next month we will cover tool care and sharpening, as well as some non-bonsai tools that are somewhat cheaper than bonsai tools.