• It's time to cast your votes in the July 2025 Turning Challenge. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Michael Foster for "Costa II" being selected as Turning of the Week for July 28th, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

12 Point Star

Joined
Nov 24, 2015
Messages
10
Likes
0
Location
Blair, Nebraska
I am working on a new wood turning project and would like to include a 12 point - two tone star on the lid. Does anyone have a good resource to read or view on making of a twelve point star? I realize depending on size (length of points) there may be some variable angles calculate and cut for the infill. Naturally each individual point is based on a 30 degree angle.
 
That's one of the few things I've never done on my boxes or hand mirrors but I have looked at the technique often. I now have a table saw that is accurate enough to do that sort of thing so may consider it. Here is one description I found of a much simpler start. I think the technique of cutting the star and adding infill pieces would be similar.
http://theapprenticeandthejourneyman.com/decorative-wood-inlay-pattern/
Wow, would not have thought you could do something like that on the Bandsaw. Will have to give that a try.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/vide...mozilla-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&tt=b
And another one. http://www.thehandsonwoodworker.com/wp-content/uploads/8-Point-Star-Instructions2.pdf
I'm bored this morning and couldn't sleep. Another option. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXpcMNGwT68
Wow, even cooler. Done by hand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykfAhdRSuZ8
 
Gretch A shop is never done. There are always things to be done or modified. In my case there are still a lot of things and I'm working on some of them now. I am able to turn and do most of my work now so I work on a piece and then work on a shop project. Hopefully it will reach a point where I'm working on more art work and less shop projects as time goes on.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I have "The Art of Segmented Wood Turning" and it does not have anything in it on stars. Maybe to help; I have attached a sketch of what I am looking to make. It would be helpful if there where some guides as to how to best proceed.
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    474.3 KB · Views: 26
Last edited:
If you look closely I believe all the angles are the same. You have lines drawn inbetween the start points. This would be 2 pieces of the same type of wood glued into the star pieces. I would have to draw it out and measure the angles but they look the same to me.
 
Here is a similar design and process for creating a floor panel.

http://www.hardwoodfloorsmag.com/in...g-a-sled-to-create-wood-floor-medallions.html

As John pointed out all the pointy pieces are the same

This appears to be the closest instructions so far.

(Edited 12/30)
Yes, the angles repeat. The six large points will be 30 and 60 degree angles at the center. The short point center angles will be dependent on the size of the six larger points configuration. The end points angles will be a different depending on configuration and length of points.

If you look closely there are only only two different triangles of two different colors for the longer points. (12 pieces for each point).

I believe the key to this will be developing a sled to cut the pieces consistently.

The tricky part will be in filling the gaps between the points as their are a couple of different angles. One could trace the star as a pattern and cut the pieces to fill the gaps. This may be how it is done unless I hear back with better information.

As you can see, this is not an easy item to make. Precision is key.

Thanks for all your input.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top