Carving A Huge Yew Bonsai

This week I show a huge Yew bonsai tree (Taxus bacatta) that I have carved with power tools, a chainsaw as well as a gas torch to create the deadwood.
The tree is being prepared for a demonstration in October at the Bonsai Live Show in Telford, UK where it will be wired and styled by myself and apprentices Sean Stolp (who also collected the tree) and Syed Abbas.
PLEASE DO NOT USE THE FREEZE/BURN TECHNIQUE UNLESS YOU ARE CERTAIN OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING. This technique can and will damage or kill your bonsai unless it is fully understood.
Bonsai Nibblers are available for Makita Die Grinders and Dremel carving machines from the Bonsai4me.com/shop
There is a large chapter in my book Bonsai Inspirations 2 with a full "How-To" of my carving techniques, available at the Bonsai4me.com/shop

[@SulamAkarBonsai]

Woww Amazing bonsai,,deadwood is verry exotic ❤❤ Love from indonesia mister 🇮🇩

[@bennyvanhoof2948]

Very interesting video Harry. Could you do an update from the tree how it is now.

[@my_bonsai_and_koi]

Master of carving! Beautiful! 🤩👍

[@cesarurb]

Your videos about carving on bonsai empire was so helpful and inspirational for me! If you can share more detail techniques and the use of tools it can be really great Harry. At this time I’m better informed about frénelas and bonsai noblest but most of the people doesn’t understand how to use this tools and where to find it. Thank you thank you for be such a great example for us!

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you man!!

[@jfarrell50]

That is an amazing tree! It will surely be a show winner in the future. Watching the development of the carving over the last 6 months has been a real privilege. You have such a talent for carving which really brings a tree to life and lets the tree tell a story of hardship, survival and, ultimately, beauty. This can only be done by a master carver which you, sir, are. I will be visiting Telford and am very much looking forward to seeing this tree in all of it's glory. As always, thank you very much for sharing.

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m very much looking forward to seeing the tree finished around the Sunday afternoon!

[@andrewsalhany5665]

👏 👏 👏 brilliant work

[@TonysBonsai]

What a superb tree and video. I have a very nice thick yew which I collected in the spring that is growing well. How long would you think I should leave it before I attempt to start creating some dead wood features?

[@bonsai4me2]

If you need to cut into live cambium I would wait another year. But anything areas that are clearly already dead or dying (after trunkchopping) can be worked now.

[@TonysBonsai]

There is currently no real dead wood, so I'll leave it until next year. really appreciate the reply, thank you!

[@potreliefbonsaibatu5035]

👍💚Shape,plane,line,colour..are very basic elements of art(fine art); everything is in the work your create : an old tree trunk ,hollow,holes,sharp deadwood branches,natural looking fi ers,bright brown with black stripes.. Wew ❗the texture depicts the old tree almost perfectly🤔

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you!! And I agree, carving is like creating art, just in a different media

[@potreliefbonsaibatu5035]

@@bonsai4me2 Yes 👍👌 and bonsai is specal art media ,because the objec of art is 'tree' It is live & grow👉never stop to proces. The size of tree trunk compared to the branches is tried on a balanced scale -⬆-

[@severofalcon8429]

muy chido ! excelent.

[@XaviersBonsaiRetreat]

Great video and it puts to shame the little bit of deadwood work I did on my Silver Birch yesterday. But we all start from somewhere. I followed your advice using cyno on the hollow but it is quite deep and im not sure whether I should still follow up with some putty / resin. I was going to carve an opening for drainage but I was worried about causing more dieback on the tree. It can be quite temperamental - especially at the moment with these hot conditions.

[@avocado-toast7617]

what a lovely piece of art. Thanks for sharing! I was wondering how a Yew would respond to the Black-Bag-Method, because I had a similar tree last year dying in the summer... any experience?

[@bonsai4me2]

A very cheap and thin black bag might well help. But unfortunately, if it’s dieback during the first summer after collection, it maybe a little too late. Can’t hurt to try though.

[@avocado-toast7617]

@@bonsai4me2 I´ll try. Thank you!

[@bonsai9542]

Bonjour Harry comme d habitude j ai beaucoup apprécier ta vidéo sur ton travail elle sert beaucoup .Je vais t envoyer un message sur Facebook pour un conseil sur l outil 😉

[@bonsai4me2]

Aaah! This is how I find a translated version of your comment. Thank you! FB message answered

[@bonsai9542]

@@bonsai4me2 👍

[@moostaff22]

What is the brand and name of the bit you use for the Dremel,for making the grain please harry

[@bonsai4me2]

There is no brand name, you are looking for a knife-sharpening bit

[@briankavanagh7191]

Harry, given me ideas for my Yew.

[@Dannysbirdshed]

Keep vids coming mate awesome

[@TOMSAI]

Very very Good Work and showing us how you geht that Amazing deadwood ! Thx a lot

[@bonsai4me2]

🙏🙏

[@bonsaikastur]

Masterpiece! How do you preserve the wood after the burn out, with the same jin liquid as others?

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you! The wood on this tree is very strong and doesn’t need any protection for many years

[@ChelsTrueblue]

Hi Harry another top video, was wondering if u could do something on oak trees? Just read your yamadori collection of oaks on the website great read 👍

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you Rob! Unfortunately I think I only have one in my garden atm, but I know there’s a demand for information on oaks and I’ll sort something out in the future.

[@SamDoeckeAussiebonsaibloke]

Stunning mate. Master at carving to a point that it doesn't look carved. Amazing 👏

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you!

[@DoBonsai]

Carving is my special interest and your carving is very beautiful.

[@bonsai4me2]

Thank you!

[@DoBonsai]

@@bonsai4me2 thanx for sharing your great work.

[@alanjay5228]

Thanks Harry, another amazing video, and very informative! I’m a three year newbie to the world of bonsai, and last winter collected several yamadori hawthorns, hazel and field maples that I can wait to start carving out when they’ve fully established. Your videos have given me the courage to attempt the carving.. fortunately I do a lot of wood carving with dremels so I’m a bit familiar with the basics, but have invested in a die grinder and bonsai nibbler for the roughing out . Thanks again !

[@bonsai4me2]

Have fun with those!!