I like the name, Scott. “Holey Rail”. Very good! I’m not the person who can answer your question, though because I’m a newbie-ish person to this site too. Lots of good advice to be found here though. You might try to use the search at the top to read past forum discussions about licensing. I think there’s a licensing thread going on right now too. You might want to just copy your question to that. Just a thought. Good luck!

I could not access link,

the wesite was transferred to a new server so it might have been down when you tried, I just went there thru the link and it worked

This is a very good idea. I used to work for the company that makes both the peg hooks and the Grey hook with the blue cap you used in your video. I tried to sell them on a very similar idea when I worked there back in 06 but they were too cheap to take me up on it. Mine was supposed to be molded in fiberglass reinforced plastic to make them lightweight and able to be molded in designer colors. I wanted the plastic because that was when upscale garages were all the rage and the Gladiator Cabinets for garages were leading the trend.

The peg holes give you way more options for hooks and it would have helped our company sell more hooks.

I’d be careful with your peg strappers and really make sure they are patentable. There are similar things like that out there but maybe not so close that you can’t patent it.

From a marketing standpoint you have to figure out a way to get across the point that the extruded holes are so much stronger than a drilled hole. I’d do your ladder test on one of your rails that just have drilled holes so you can show how they’ll distort and fail compared to your rail. I’d also consider offering a higher end version of your rail that is powder coated or textured to make it look more valuable. The sheet metal look keeps you more utilitarian and will force you into a lower price point no matter how well it holds.

The last thing I’d suggest is adding an extra bend in the rail top and bottom. As it now is when you tighten it down to drywall it will cut into your wall if you hang very heavy items on it because you have a sharp edge against the wall. The angle will help limit that but does it really limit it enough?

If you want to discuss more about it or have other questions feel free to email me. I worked in the garage storage product development area for years so I understand what you are up against. This is a good idea and looks like a good product. I see a lot of potential there and really like what you have.

The powder-coated version (white) is being considered, it would eliminate (by process) all fabricating oils and help minimize any remaining burrs, if I can get national distribution and a fabricator that would powder coat for a reasonable price it would be implemented. Now the reasonable price is the trick, man… I wish I had built a shop first, inventing is a lot more difficult when you have to sub out most fabrication…

I didn’t add the flanges you referred to for a few reasons, the most important being that the product needs to be easily cut with snips, there are a bunch of applications in building trades that the product can be used ie. HVAC, Electrical, garage door, Mechanical, and even the carpenters if you think about it. All that marketing material is in process, I believe the product could put a small dent in the unistrut market, deffinately not to replace it, but give a less expensive option in light duty applications.

I had to weigh the pros verses the cons on the flange, for the initial release at least, I can do more with one product without the flange so I opted to go that route. There is a bunch of accessories that are designed (think modular garage organizer) that are in the works, one of them addresses the sharp edge, can’t go into details though.

Thanks for the compliments, it helps me staying enthusiastic when others like what they see. This industry is one tough cookie, lots of competition all going after a huge market, very difficult to get noticed out there.