I would like to start out by saying the projects listed on this site really show some of the best talent and creative
minds ever amassed on one website. Makes me jealous. Any way I have been asked to show how I make a Texas Star, so I decided to share this with everyone.
There are a few things you need to make before starting. First thing is to make a pattern making fence for your table saw. It is real simple. I usually make mine 4-6 inches wide out of 3/4”plywood. Rip a scrap piece of plywood 24” long what-ever width you want plus saw-kerf. If you go 4” make it 4 1/8 rip to allow for kerf. Clamp to fence
and set fence for 4”. The fence should now be even with outside of blade as shown in fig.1
Templates for Star should look like this:
Another view put together:
Next we need to prepare material. I glued up a piece of maple and walnut (1 1/2” thick x 2” wide). Joint edges and glue together.
After glue up cut pieces about 1” longer than patterns. Lay patterns on back side of blanks pin in the center with 1 1/4” nails. Stay away from ends an inch or so. Make sure to orientate all blocks the same. Fence on saw needs to be 1 3/4” above table using 1 1/2” material. Use saw to flush cut pieces as shown in pics.
Wide fence will keep drop offs from kicking out.
Do all five the same, should look like this.
Next build a sled with 30 degree bevel, leave small shoulder on bottom to rest piece on for beveling. I built sled wide then ripped it so it would be right on the blade. Place pieces on sled with rh. stop and lh. stop as in pic.
After doing all sides you should be ready for glue up. Place one leg on flat surface nail stop on both sides. Go to next leg line up and install stops. Leave last leg free so you can wedge together as shown.
Hope this helps those who tried to do these the hard way.
Raymond Chambers
Top Circle Moulding-Millworks.
P.S. Save all patterns for next Star. If you don’t move fence you can go back and do another with out changing set up, unclamp temparary fence when using sled.
-- Medicaid Carpenter
19 comments so far
Dallas
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3599 posts in 3462 days
#1 posted 01-15-2012 05:06 AM
Wow!
That seems easy enough, I’ll be trying it as soon as I get the shop cleaned to the LOML’s satisfaction.
Thanks!
-- Improvise.... Adapt...... Overcome!
a1Jim
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118153 posts in 4552 days
#2 posted 01-15-2012 05:19 AM
Good blog Raymond
You make a challenging project seem simple, Very well done.
-- https://www.artisticwoodstudio.com/videos
Betsy
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3394 posts in 4871 days
#3 posted 01-15-2012 05:47 AM
Wow you made that seem easy. Thanks for sharing – I’ll for sure be putting this in my favorites for future use.
-- "Our past judges our present." JFK - 1962; American Heritage Magazine
~Julie~
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623 posts in 4009 days
#4 posted 01-15-2012 07:21 AM
I’ve wondered how to make those. I’m not sure I get the 30 deg. sled part though :(
-- ~Julie~ followyourheartwoodworking.ca
toyguy
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1745 posts in 4812 days
#5 posted 01-15-2012 01:58 PM
Good blog with some very simple to use ideas…... Sometimes we all just over think things. This shows just how easy a project that seems so difficult can be over-come. Now if I can just manage to make the template…...
Thanks for your post. This has given me a few ideas
-- Brian, Ontario Canada,
Backwood
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#6 posted 01-15-2012 05:10 PM
Brilliant.
MShort
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1798 posts in 4393 days
#7 posted 01-15-2012 05:40 PM
Excellent tutorial. Thanks a bunch.
-- Mike, Missouri --- “A positive life can not happen with a negative mind.” ---
Zboom
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72 posts in 3329 days
#8 posted 01-15-2012 08:16 PM
Thank you very much for the tutorial. Very easy to follow instructions
-- Michael, www.facebook.com/flatlandersww
Woodbutcher3
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462 posts in 3861 days
#9 posted 01-16-2012 09:29 PM
Great post! Just what I needed. This is gonna be fun.
One more question – maybe I missed it – What’s the measurement you use from tip to center on your star?
Thanks
-- Rod ~ There's never enough time to finish a project, but there's always time to start another one.
rance
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4275 posts in 4135 days
#10 posted 01-18-2012 06:04 PM
Nice technique. Looks like a good use of a dedicated sled. Thanks for sharing. So what’s the hard method others are using?
@Rod-That would be the Radius of your final star size you desired. All sizes work until you get your fingers too close to the sharp spin-ey thing.
-- Backer boards, stop blocks, build oversized, and never buy a hand plane--
bfairok
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13 posts in 2975 days
#11 posted 12-04-2012 05:40 AM
Thank’s for the tutorial. WOW! Being that I would like to make one about 18-24” I need to get some wood purchased to give it a try. I will let you know down the road how it all went. At least now I have a direction to go…
Bfairok
-- Bfair
bfairok
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13 posts in 2975 days
#12 posted 12-05-2012 05:04 PM
Is their any way to utilize this technique with making a star that is around 24”? I started out making a template, then I realized that the width of my individual star points are beyound the highth of the table saw guide bar and also the height of the blade. Guess you could modify that, but not quite sure how. Maybe you could make an open face rectangular box and just place it against the fence. Then run the star point through twice after flipping it longwise. Any ideas for a star this large. Otherwise, your technique really got me in the mood to try something fairly complicated.
-- Bfair
Monte Pittman
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30585 posts in 3313 days
#13 posted 12-05-2012 05:09 PM
You made that look very easy. My guess is that you’ve done this before :-)
May have to try this.
-- Nature created it, I just assemble it.
iltws2
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25 posts in 3299 days
#14 posted 12-06-2012 10:24 AM
For larger Star’s try using a band saw instead of table saw. Will have to have notch in guide board to allow for blade to pass through when flush cutting. Bevel cutting will be the same as table saw. A little more sanding is needed when doing it with band saw.
-- Medicaid Carpenter
bfairok
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13 posts in 2975 days
#15 posted 12-06-2012 11:29 AM
How obvious was that. Boards are glued up and will be using patterns to cut today if all goes right. Thanks again for your advice. Your technique is making it much easier than I would have ever expected.
-- Bfair
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