Homemade or not

[Al Saunders]

Hey everyone,

 

Just wanted to get peer opinion on something. The last few years I have made all my props in my display. I proudly tell people and have it known in my voiceover that everything is handmade and not store bought other than the wreaths, some garland and obviously the lights themselves.  

The thing is while at the Christmas Expo I bought a mega tree kit.  This is the kind that has the 5 way base, pole pin, pulley head, winch, etc. I just need to supply the black pipe and a few other items. My question is since I'm building/assembling the tree can I still say it's homemade or since I didn't actually MAKE the pieces can I not take credit for it? I guess I could change to MOST items are homemade. I am the kind of person too that will gladly tell the truth about how the mega tree is made if asked. Just wanted to get peer opinions.

 

Thanks,

Al

[Ron Boyd]

IMHO It's homemade. You still have to measure everything, cut, assemble and probably get some help raising it up. If it's like mine @ 20', you'll need it, if for nothing else, the safety aspect.

[Jack Stevens]

How many bakers who assemble flour, sugar, salt, water, milk, and whet ever else they bought at the local grocery store claim their cakes and cookies are homemade?

 

They didn't grow and grind the wheat, grow/burn/cut the sugar cane, milk the cow, etc.  They bought the components and assembled them.  They didn't buy the cakes and cookies fully assembled and claimed they were home made - at least, not if they're trying to be honest.

 

You didn't buy everything for that mega-tree from one location.  You still have to decide what type of illumination devices you want to use - C9 incandescent, C7, mini, LED, pixels, or even candles.  Did you get the guy wires from the dealer, or are you providing them yourself?

[rainyoregonchristmas]

If people purchased my "Rainy Tree" and called it home made, it would not offend me.  Just because it was not built at your house does not mean it's still not homemade.  A lot of what we use in this hobby is constructed by guys in their garage from circuit boards to wire frames to what ever you can imagine.  I assemble my trees in my garage, and the CNC parts are made in the garage of a good friend.  Really, though it has a lot of CNC mill work, it is still homemade.

[Al Saunders]

Thanks guys. I got to thinking more about this after posting and thought I made mini trees from tomato cages. I didn't make the cages but I made the trees out of the cages. Jack, the kit came with guy wires but I noticed afterward that the anchors that were supposed to come with the kit are missing so I emailed them to let them know.

[Brian Mitchell]

People are amazed when you tell them all the props in the show are home made.  It helps to promote your "wizard like" status.

I like to tell people when they ask where they can buy such and such prop, that they can get everything they need at Home Depot.

[Al Saunders]

Brian, I know what you mean. I really like saying "yeah I made that from this or that." Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

Al

[john fulkerson]

even if you buy rgb leds  controllers and software when you put it all together its HOMEMADE lol

[james campbell]

whether or not t's considered homemade by someone,,,they still will never appreciated the time that goes into putting one of these displays on. The time in front of the computer making all you homemade items work is were the real work comes in

[rainyoregonchristmas]

I told my neighbors last year I spent 300 hours programming my 1/2 hour show and over 100 hours in setup and construction...  I think they didn't get it.