Twisting young pliable shoots is done when the plants are still fairly green. It's done slowly, and not forceably. Avoid any type of breakage.

I have one, and yes - it is nice to look at. I would think you would take the young trunk and wrap it around a piece of PVC pipe the diameter you want the spirals. My spirals are about 4" in diameter and as far apart up the trunk. As it grows, I will continue to twirl the main stem around the 4" PVC pipe and hold it in place with soft cloth of some type, perhaps a nylon hose.