Exactly. The tree(s) I have are similiar to the one on the left side of his photos. Did you notice the long low branches with no side branches? That's what I've got. Some are in the right place, just no internodes. So, I'm going to feed well, put out in full sun and hope for back buds. If I don't get any this year, then I have no choice: Gotta learn how to graft.
But the trunks and nebari are great.
I took my dremmel after some of the rough cuts where sacrifice branches had been to make them more concave for healing.
I can see why Grahm Potter uses angle grinders for this! My dremmel really didn't have the power to cut out some of that hard wood! I didn't do any damage to myself or my tree, so it's all good. (Like I say after I get off my horse: If we both return to the barn alive, and neither of us got hurt, it's been a successful ride!)
Going back a couple of posts... Have you tried your "Gentle hammer" technique on pines? Was it successful? Back in the day, I had purchased some Japanese concoction that was supposed to be applied to the trunk to "fatten it". Well, when I got it home and read the directions, it was some kind of powder that you make into a paste. So far, so good. But, wait! There's more! You're supposed to poke holes in the trunk and rub the paste into the holes! THAT I was not prepared for! I didn't want to scar it up! I just wanted it fatter! So, I never tried it. (I was skeptical that the paste even did anything. Poking the holes would create scar tissue that would fatten, or that's what I thought.) I think I still have the stuff, 20 years later. Still in it's pouch. So, I'm wondering if your "Gentle hammer" creates just enough damage to stimulate scarring without poking holes?
Well, I see that my neighbor to the south has repotted his azalea. We might have freezing weather here in the N GA mountains next week, and after that passes, I'll do mine.
Cheers!
Adair M