Hey how’s your growth on your maples now? You doing some pinching?
I finished pinching mine two weeks ago everything was very early this year. i have a dwarf cultivar I have for 5 years repotted twice and only this year had the vigour that I had to pinch a large majority of the shoots. With the repot and low number of elongating shoots on your tree I would not defoliate this year and just let it build strength.
I agree with Robert. And no more pinching either
Everything is late here… Pinching is still not something I worry much about having all maples rather in some development stage than final refined one. I did pinch probably 3-5 shoots so far in one Japanese maple only due to them going wild where I didn’t need that.
Also one has been repotted so hands off and field maple is covered with aphids - am busy with farming ladybirds atm 
I like the bottom maple and that trunk is just beefy !!! Only problem i see is its in a bonsai pot restricting development growth? Can you repot that next year into a grow box..
Well, I don’t want to go back and forth. It’s been repotted into shallower and smaller pot as the size of the trunk as well as hight are right. It also had primary and secondary base in place, it’s the tertiary I am working on and then refinement and that is manageable even in bonsai pot.
Last two years sucked when it came to the length of growing season and the constant wind didn’t help either. A bit frustrating but I guess it’s the part of the hobby - training your patience 
This Japanese maple is more hassle than its worth. Sorry for saying this but maybe i don’t fully understand how delicate this is.
I have suffered two branches and more dying back. The top apex leader has also died back.
I just have to hope for back budding in years to come to grow more branches
Oh no 
I’m re-reading this post sincevlast year and the only conclusion I can think of is perhaps it was a bit too much to go through in a year ?
What are your thoughts looking back? Also, curious whether you can ask Harry H for an advice?
I have no idea. This maple was bursting with energy when i got it during the mid summer last year. It had long growth and over sized leafs this is why i done post hardening pruning to calm it done and to reduce long internodes. I also done the leaf drop pruning. Maybe pushed it too far with pruning during the autumn and then the repot in spring