Go big or go home dude. Making more Japanese Maple trees from hardwood cuttings is really rewarding, but honestly, even if you get them to root, its going to take many years for them to grow large enough to style into a bonsai of size. I prefer larger bonsai - Chumono, Dai or Omono sized, but that means I would need large, thick trees to work with - not exactly pencil-sized whips... So let's try and make LARGE hardwood cuttings!! If it works, i'll be on the fast-track for large bonsai, with thick trunks in a short timeframe. SCORE! Oh, and paraffin wax on the tops of the cuttings to prevent moisture loss and disease. I really hope it's going to work!! I'll certainly let you know come next spring time.