解:$ (1) M(12, 0) ,$$ P(6, 6) $
$ (2) $设二次函数表达式为$ y = a(x - 6)^2 + 6 ,$
∵函数图像经过点$ (0, 0) ,$
∴$0 = a(0 - 6)^2 + 6 ,$
解得$ a = -\frac {1}{6} ,$
∴抛物线的函数表达式为$ y = -\frac {1}{6}(x - 6)^2 + 6 ,$
即$ y = -\frac {1}{6}x^2 + 2x $
$ (3) $设$ A(m, 0) ,$
则$ B(12 - m, 0) ,$$ C(12 - m, -\frac {1}{6}\mathrm {m^2} + 2m) ,$
$D(m, -\frac {1}{6}\mathrm {m^2} + 2m) ,$
$ “$支撑架$”$总长$ AD + DC + CB $
$= (-\frac {1}{6}\mathrm {m^2} + 2m) + (12 - 2m) + (-\frac {1}{6}\mathrm {m^2} + 2m) $
$= -\frac {1}{3}\mathrm {m^2} + 2m + 12$
$ = -\frac {1}{3}(m - 3)^2 + 15 ,$
∵$-\frac {1}{3} < 0 ,$
∴当$ m=3 \, \text{m} $时,$ AD + DC + CB $的最大值为$ 15 \, \text{m} 。$