Congratulations Will....you joined us and you put out the energy that this is what you want to do and you've received!
To me it means you are on the right road....I just met with a repeat client/ now good friend and talked about how I had no idea how to do some pieces...and it just came as I worked....bring it down from another place.Also landed another job to build some sculptural cabinets.... It's all good...go with it. Janet R.

Will,
Yep cruise away. Nothing hard about making trees. You just kind of let it flow and hope that things fit. Everytime I do one it is another learning experience. So what kind of tree and how big?
warren
http://www.metalrecipes.com

Wow - thanks for all the support and encouragement everyone.
The tree is going to be the centre piece of a sculpture garden at a brand new school, that's been built and being run on ecological principals ( kinda )
We're still roughing out the design, but the tree is going to sprout from the middle of a circular seat.
So it'll be 3 1/2 foot or so above the ground to start, then about 8 foot high, and about the same span.
The school art dept. want to make the leaves with the kids - don't quite know how that'll work out, but if it does it will give them a sense of ownership, and maybe reduce the risk of vandalism!
Was going to ask your opinions on fixing.
Current plan is to fix stainless steel "roots" to the trunk,and fill the centre of the seat with concrete, then lower tree in.
Maybe preliminary sketch will make sense, maybe not!tree
Will Jones, www.ironwill.org.uk

Will,
Just for what it is worth I would not make the tree permament to the seating area. I think having the stainless steel roots is a little too much. I would rather look at making a base on the tree that can be bolted to the concrete. You can cover the bolted base with dirt or mulch to hide the fasteners. This way it would allow to move the tree for any reson without having to get out the jack hammer to bust of the concrete.
If around school age kids no matter what you probably with end up with a little graffitee or abuse. No way really to prevent but I can just see some kid carving in his initials into the copper tree or a kid hanging from one of the branches impressing some girl.
warren
http://www.metalrecipes.com

Thanks Warren.
Makes sense - But do you think there'd be much problem with corrosion/oxidisation if the base of the tree has mulch or dirt that's permanently going to be dampish up against it ?
I was going to follow your lead and apply a clear lacquer, then wax to the tree, but I never trust lacquer like paint.
It's always a worry for me when I have repousse work outside - lacquer will keep it looking as it should for longer - but when oxide does start under lacquer it looks worse and patchier than bare metal going evenly, and you can't do much about it without stripping all the lacquer?
Advice ?
Will Jones, www.ironwill.org.uk

Will,
Yeah I am not sure how long the lacquer would last if it was constantly in moisture. I only said about covering if wanted to hide the bolts. I myself like to see the base of the tree spread out.........its foot print and not a straight trunk into the ground. If you used a fastener that would not be easy to remove maybe just let them show (on my tree it has just four big brass bolts in lead concrete anchors and the brass was patina dark so they do not stand out).
I lacquered and then waxed my tree to preserve the colors. You could always go without the lacquer and just let the copper turn dark brown or black. From my experience some pieces that I have outside bare the copper does not turn green or look too bad for 15 years or so just real dark.
warren
http://www.metalrecipes.com

Why fight nature. Let the copper go to its natural patina. Depending on the humidity and air quality, it may be dark brown or greenish both of which would be nice.

marilyn

Will,

I'd suggest that you set some stainless steel flat bar in the concrete, sticking up two or three feet into the "trunk" of the copper tree, as a stub to bolt the tree to. Four or five pieces of 3/8" by 1-1/2" flat bar should give more than enough support and provide a very secure anchor, and you can still "adjust" it with a sledge hammer to conform to the finished contours of your tree trunk. then the tree can slip over the stainless and be drilled and tapped for flat-head copper machine screws. Once the tree is bolted in place you can soft-solder some decorative caps over the screw heads if you want to hide them. You'll still be able to remove the tree for service work if need be, it will just take some extra work.