That bid isn't ridiculous. It simply needs to be interpreted correctly.
It says very clearly "I DON'T WANT THIS WORK UNLESS YOU ARE ****ING
DESPERATE".

I can make these for you and ship them to San Diego if you want.

Email me off list if you're interested. To do so, please note that my
'reply-to' address is completely bogus in every way and it is not possible
to infer my actual address from it. Please visit
http://www.tinyisland.com/email.html to email me.

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

ldg wrote:

We've already talked to a commercial shop like this that makes most of
the brackets sold in this area (San Diego). Their bid for 6 simple
brackets was about $2500. I need 40.

The truss brackets will look something like this:
http://www.strongtie.com/products/co...USTOM_APG.html

but I'd imagine a blacksmith would cut a simple design on the ends.
These brackets will be way up high and no one will notice them, so
it's not all that necessary. These are custom brackets on the
strongtie web site, so they'll be expensive.

The most difficult area are the 45 degree angles:

http://www.strongtie.com/products/connectors/A-Z.html

If you look at the AA45 brackets in the picture, then imagine the top
cross beam being spit into two beams coming in at an angle (22.5) so
the total is 45 degrees. You could build a bracket on an angle
similar to the AA45 with a top plate at 45 with vertical bolts holding
things together. The bottom angle could have wrought iron or
something decorative since it will be a little above eye level.

Another approach would be to do something like this:
http://www.strongtie.com/products/co.../CCPC_APG.html

with a 45 degree channel on the top. Wouldn't be pretty, but it would
hold the wood in place.

Another consideration is that I live on a hill that gets really high
winds occasionally. Some years the wind gets so strong it pulls trees
out of the ground by the roots. This is the reason for the 6x6
framing. The tile roof will also add weight. These brackets need to
do their part as well.

Regards,
Larry