I have wanted a wood star (or is it wooden star?) ever since I first came across them on Pinterest. I tried making one years ago but, as is typical with me, the angles won the battle and I ended up with a shit show of pieces that would not fit together to make a star (and trust me I tried).
An angle was wrong, or a length was wrong, or multiple angles and lengths we’re wrong… I have no idea.
Three of the perks of going back to school for cabinet making is that I have access to; my teacher’s brain and experience, scrap wood, and time to try and try again.
With the help of my woodworking guru and the plans from Queen Bee of Honey Dos I was able to make them no problemo! I won’t steal her thunder, but if you are trying this, I can tell you (from experience) that setting up a jig to cut 5 at 6″, then another jig to cut the other 5 at 4 ¾” will give you the most accurate results. (Thanks Kyran!)
Once we had the first star cut and confirmed that it would lay out properly – and of course added a little DNA signature in the form of blood drops (from another tool entirely don’t worry) – I glued up the 36° angles first and held them in place with masking tape.
You don’t have to number the pieces – there are 5 long and 5 short with the same angles on either end – I just found it helped me to reassemble everything afterwards.
Since I was on a roll – and my wood stars / wooden stars were working, I decided to whip out two more. One at the same size and dimensions and then a larger one where I added 2″ to the lengths.
I used wood glue and masking tape to hold everything in place until dry.
A bit of wood filler to clean up any little gaps and done!
Okay, so my larger wood star / wooden star is a little wonky – but that’s what I get for not following my own advice and setting up a jig for the lengths.
As comfortable as I am with a mitre saw, I do still have a healthy fear of it, so holding wood in place still makes me sweat (and possibly move) a little.
The smaller star that I made with my teacher is just about “dead nuts” perfect (his saying, not mine. lol)
I used Rust-Oleum’s Aged Wood Accelerator for the stain and left it at that; no top coat.
The plan is to wrap them in battery-operated twinkle lights, but I’ve searched high and low and can’t find where I’ve misplaced carefully stored them. They’ll show up now that the article is photographed and finished I’m sure. 🤦🏻♀️
My plan is to set my wood stars on the mantle or on a console table in my room.
HEY! I should make about a dozen more in different sizes and hang them from my pergola in the summer!! Wouldn’t that make an awesome starry night?!
Actually, they are looking pretty good in this window, so maybe they’ll stay here for a bit – let my neighbour catch a glimpse if starry twinkle lights.
Ha! Twinkle little star! I’m killing myself today! 😂
And finally, a special one for someone that donated her Mother’s armoire to the school for us to repurpose. I took pieces of the wood from the wardrobe and made a star so that she has a piece of the treasure her Mother built.
Thank you Queen Bee of Honey Dos, your building plans were perfect, and I will be grateful to you every year as I bring these wooden stars (or is it wood stars?) out.
Have a great one!
