# Making a Texas Star



## iltws2 (Jan 14, 2012)

*Making a Texas Star*

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.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Wow!

That seems easy enough, I'll be trying it as soon as I get the shop cleaned to the LOML's satisfaction.

Thanks!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Good blog Raymond 
You make a challenging project seem simple, Very well done.


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## Betsy (Sep 25, 2007)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Wow you made that seem easy. Thanks for sharing - I'll for sure be putting this in my favorites for future use.


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## followyourheart (Feb 3, 2010)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


I've wondered how to make those. I'm not sure I get the 30 deg. sled part though


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## toyguy (Nov 23, 2007)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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


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## Backwood (Jan 5, 2012)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Brilliant.


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## MShort (Jan 15, 2009)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Excellent tutorial. Thanks a bunch.


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## Zboom (Dec 15, 2011)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Thank you very much for the tutorial. Very easy to follow instructions


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## Woodbutcher3 (Jul 1, 2010)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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.


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## bfairok (Dec 3, 2012)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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


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## bfairok (Dec 3, 2012)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


You made that look very easy. My guess is that you've done this before 

May have to try this.


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## iltws2 (Jan 14, 2012)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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.


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## bfairok (Dec 3, 2012)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


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.


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## iltws2 (Jan 14, 2012)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Let us know how it goes.


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## Bigkahunaranch (Apr 9, 2014)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


great idea.


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## Sammo (Oct 29, 2013)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Thanks for sharing!


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## jdstringer (Nov 25, 2014)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


I LOVE this tutorial! Everything seemed so easy . . . until I tried to cut the first template. Getting the 72 degree point on the short end was easy but the other end, with the 36 degree point has me stumped! It's too acute of an angle to do on a miter saw and I can't get passed my mental block of how to set it up on a table saw sled. I know this is an old post, but it's a very valuable one and I would appreciate a little help . . . I have a large stack of mesquite lumber just begging to be made into stars! Thanks!!

Jerry
Burleson, Tx


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## woody1912 (Oct 4, 2021)

iltws2 said:


> *Making a Texas Star*
> 
> 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.
> ...


Hi what angles are you cutting the templates at?


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