5 Pointed star. . .

[B3nder]

Howdy,

I'm looking to make a few 5 point stars for some friends. I found a plan online via the Rogue Engineer.
Which has a guide to make a 5 pointed star. It doesn't seem too tricky, or so I thought.

So I chopped the wood up (by hand) checked all angles, were good but when I came to put together
I could not get it to line up.

Tried again and this time converted to metric, again no joy.

The plan I was using is this one:

From https://rogueengineer.com/diy-wooden-star-decor/

So is there something I am missing in this plan, angles, lengths are the same I just can't get it to join up!

In my desperation I've tried a paper version and still doesn't line up. So there is an error somewhere, but my befuddled brain cant sort it at the moment.

Anyone else able to see it?

 

[Garno]

Have you made the wedge ?

https://jaimecostiglio.com/2014/10/w-is ... e-jig.html

Also the size of wood used NEEDS to be 1" x 2" for those measurements to work.

 

[Brentingby]

I think there's a problem with the lengths. I drew this using the 6 inch length, 3/4 inch thickness and angles as given. The wood referred by the author was "1x2" so it would be 3/4 inch thick. The dimensions given on the website are close but not close enough. The error is multiplied over the number of parts.

Maybe you need to start with a full size paper pattern after you figure out the actual thickness of the material you'll use.

 

[AndyT]

You might like to try Paul Sellers' method instead.

https://youtu.be/wlkinMSfn_g

 

[B3nder]

Haven't used the big as I'm using hand tools.

Thanks for someone else verifying its off. I'll get my pencil and paper out and draw a new plan.

 

[Myfordman]

Seems a strange design when it would be simpler to have 10 pieces all the same size.

 

[Brentingby]

Seems a strange design when it would be simpler to have 10 pieces all the same size.

Yes. You could make it from 10 pieces that are all the same size.

 

[nev]

Could the simple formula of cut all pieces at length X, and then reduce half of them by the width of timber used? or do the angles come into play and pepper that up?

 

[NazNomad]

Seems a strange design when it would be simpler to have 10 pieces all the same size.

Exactly what I was thinking too.

 

[Brentingby]

Could the simple formula of cut all pieces at length X, and then reduce half of them by the width of timber used? or do the angles come into play and pepper that up?

You would need to take off more than the thickness of the mating piece. It would be the length of the angled face. If you'd already cut the angled face, though, you could mark off the thickness of the piece from that face and trim those pieces again.

 

[Myfordman]

Seems a strange design when it would be simpler to have 10 pieces all the same size.

Exactly what I was thinking too.

Spot on!

The calculations are quite straightforward if you decide the distance between outer points, draw a line between those two points that is 2X long

From the middle of that line, draw another at 90 degrees through the centre of the star. Decide how far along the line fro the intersection you want the inner joints and make that Y

You now have a pair right angled triangles with sides X and Y from which you can get the length of each segment by Pythagoras and the angles at the corners by simple trigonometry.

Tinkering with the value of Y, you can get any star shape from Y=0 which just gives a pentagon through to a five armed "octopus" or should that be a pentapus??

 

[Steve Maskery]

Yes. You could make it from 10 pieces that are all the same size.

Whoa! That's making my eyes go funny.

 

[sunnybob]

I'd just draw it out on a solid piece and then cut the outer and inner with a bandsaw.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Symmetry also means the last bit of your glue-up can be a straight line across the middle, which is always handy, just as long s the two points nearest have gone off really thoroughly.

 

[dickm]

Not really relevant, but had a colleague many years ago who, if he was on the phone or otherwise preoccupied, would draw five-pointed stars on any available surface for the whole time. You could always tell where he had been!

 

[B3nder]

Cheers everyone.

Will sort out a symettrical one. Would also like to sort out a correct version of the original.

 

[Brentingby]

Would also like to sort out a correct version of the original.

My first illustration should help you with that. Or would you prefer it in metric units?

 

[B3nder]

Brentingby the m&s for your first post. If possible le metric would be great although I could just multiply with a calculator.

I assume the angles are as per the original 36 and 54?

 

[Brentingby]

The angles are as given in the image you supplied. Tell me how thick you want the pieces to be and the length of the longest dimension. That is, do you want close to 6 inches? Or maybe some other dimension?

 

[B3nder]

Many thanks.

Around 6 inches, or sensible size in metric nearest 5mm perhaps.

45mm stock

Many thanks