Early report. I tried securing the Ameristep brackets this weekend using some rope or wire and they don't hold very well. I may try screwing the brackets into the stand frame like the package suggests but I'm not so sure I want to "compromise" the stand in any way by drilling extra holes. It probably wouldn't hurt to make a few small holes, though. Anyway, the tree branches I used stayed in the brackets firmly but that's because I picked a few that were a little too big and shaved them at the ends. Fit snugly and didn't move. Just need to get brackets secured and take pics. Got a lot of spindly grape vines in our woods too. What I think would work well is getting the branches set up and then weaving/wiring the grape vines throughout. This will take more work but cheaper and perhaps more realistic than commercially bought. You just won't have any foilage but you won't have any naturally by October here anyway!