Honored to be added as a vendor.

[Ron Boyd]

Was thinking of some sort of frame and attach to the house. Seems like you were the one who had either stars or snowflakes cascading acroos the front of your house and chasing. I know Holdman has them in the Judy Pancoast video. That's what I was thinking of doing. If it's alluminum, I may be able to just zip tie them. Probably something simple to keep the costs down.

[rainyoregonchristmas]

I've finished a prototype of a new, very tiny, bracket for folding Mini-mini trees.  The idea is for them to be used on trees about 2-foot tall.  The metal shop was all out of my favorite bar stock I use for the branches, so I have to wait until sometime mid-week to mock up a full mini-mini Rainy Tree.  But I have enough in stock to mock up a bracket and branch set to show off tomorrow night.  

The bracket is not fancy, and it's only 1.5 inches across, but that's what it will take to keep the cost down on this small version.  I did keep the folding action, although not using the same method.  I am also building a non-folding mini-mini tree using similar materials, and will finish working on that one once I get the folding design completed.

 

  I'll need to crunch all the numbers to get an accurate cost, but my mission of it being high quality, durable and corrosion resistant is the same. 

 

As far as the request for stars, I have tried to work out a design for them using 1/4 by 1/2" bar stock.  It is not feasible from a cost and machining stand point to make a star that small out of bar stock.  It would be better to take this same design and have it laser cut out of aluminum sheet stock.   I will price out an exact cost for the star.  Laser cutting will also create a solid star shaped center which can also be used as a lighting element.  If this project is a go, I'll have an entire sheet cut and should have two to three dozen centers and outlines available.

Edited August 24, 2013 by rainyoregonchristmas

[rainyoregonchristmas]

Here is an update on the Mini-Mini tree. 

 

Here are some of the components : http://sdrv.ms/15a9jDs

 

Here's how it goes together: http://sdrv.ms/15a4eEd

 

Like the full Rainy Tree, this one also folds, and is made of aluminum and stainless.  I created this one to be less expensive, and made to fit 2 foot tall mini trees.

 

-RainyOregonchriStmaS

[rainyoregonchristmas]

Just got back from the machine shop this evening after checking up on a run of Rainy Tree brackets.  It's quite a sight to see something you design come to fruition.  Hard to think that in a few short weeks these will have lights on them sitting in someone's front yard.  They are the heart and soul of both of my tree designs.  And as you can see, each one milled from solid billet aluminum.

 

http://sdrv.ms/14mmwmD

 

-RainyOregonchriStmaS

[LORi P]

It's only fitting that your first production run includes brackets for me. 

 

http://forums.lightorama.com/index.php?/topic/26297-wire-trees-does-anyone-build-their-own-sturdy-ones/?p=247399

 

Just goes to show you anything is possible on the LOR forum. 

 

Thanks, Matt!

[rainyoregonchristmas]

Ironically, yes, but remember, without your problem, I would never have pursued making the Rainy Tree.  And I would have never headed down this wild ride of bringing billet aluminum to a Christmas light show. 

 

When I finally get my hands on the brackets after they're finished, it's gonna feel like Christmas.  No, it's gonna feel like the first time I saw my lights blink to music! 

 

LORi, you just have to promise one thing.  That you post some videos when they're all lit up and show off your yards new bling!

 

-Matt

 

(Did you see that was only February, they went from problem, to concept, to finished product, to first full production run in seven months!)

Edited September 5, 2013 by rainyoregonchristmas

[rainyoregonchristmas]

Just brought home a box of Rainy Brackets.  Piled 'em up just to take a look at them.  Seems they had issues tapping some of the holes, so I get to do it by hand, all 256 holes.  Ouch!  Oh well.  I'll make sure it doesn't happen a second time.

 

http://sdrv.ms/154le3o

[DougP]

Looking good Matt.

 

Great Job.