3d stars

[JoanFrances]

Has anyone done the 3d stars that have an opening in the middle? 

There has to be some kind of trick to them. 

I am thinking of using wire on the insides of the pieces where they connect, because I question the strengh of them. I hate wasting my time on something that won't hold up.  Will hobby came give it any more strength because of the wider surface for catch the solder to?

[Rebecca]

I thought the same thing when I made my first one, Joan, but they are pretty strong.  Be sure you edge bead them well and solder the joints well and you will be surprised.  I saw some that used came and they looked weaker than the edge-beaded ones.  They were starting to pull apart.

Rebecca

[Glassic]

I saw a squished one being redone in foil at the local in Florida, it had just 'folded up'!
Rebecca is correct in her thinking if what I saw is anything to go by.

[JoanFrances]

Thanks Rebecca and Yvonne.  I was talking to De about these, she also bought some on our trip to Warner. 

I told her that either Graham or Rebecca, had probably have either done or taught these.  Good guess huh. LOL

Do you think that they will benifit from the wire inside and out?  With your engineering background I figured you would know these things.  I really don't want my work not making it through the frist cleaning that the customer may do.  They'll come and hunt me down like a dog at the very next show I do LOL, not to mention the fact my name would get on the ever growing list of people who produce crap.  One bad piece and everyone hears about it, the good work takes longer to get your name around for, for some reason.

[PiscesGlass]

I thought the same thing when I made my first one, Joan, but they are pretty strong.  Be sure you edge bead them well and solder the joints well and you will be surprised.  I saw some that used came and they looked weaker than the edge-beaded ones.  They were starting to pull apart.

The edge beading is a very good point!  Thanks Rebecca for pointing that out.  And also Yvonne for having seen the lead came pull apart...I'm wondering though if brass u channel might be a good idea.  
I've done 3D stars, not the Moravian stars, which is what Joan is talking about..I've got one of those bevel kits too, and those held together very well and all I used was foil.  But there's more surface to solder on those also.

De

Rebecca

[Rebecca]

The wire certainly won't hurt them, but if you do a good solid edge bead it doesn't need it.  Also, the instructions you get aren't very helpful (unless they have changed them) so if you have trouble, ask and I'll write up the way I do it.  (It used to be on Warner-Crivellaro, I think.)

Rebecca

[JoanFrances]

The wire certainly won't hurt them, but if you do a good solid edge bead it doesn't need it.  Also, the instructions you get aren't very helpful (unless they have changed them) so if you have trouble, ask and I'll write up the way I do it.  (It used to be on Warner-Crivellaro, I think.)

Rebecca

Thanks Rebecca.  I'll take a look at warner and see if the instructions are posted.  The ones that came with the kit is very hard to see the diagrams.  I found a pattern book that has a similar star and those instructions at least I can see, the assembly pictures are poor, at least it shows that you have to solder the upright bevels at a 90 degree angle, which is not mentioned in the other instructions.  When I was playing wiith the bevels after I foiled them I could see where they would need to be assembled at some sort of an angle but holding loose pieces it was hard to determine what the angle would be.  Just like with anything new the first one teachs us the hard lessons. lol   

[Elizabeth]

I have made quite a few 3-d stars over the years and never had a come back.   My pattern comes form Teny Nudson's book ' Dimentions of Christmas 2', with the star on the cover.   It is made up of triangles and as long as you use a good quality foil and solder your joins 'reasonably' heavily, the design turns out to be pretty solid!
I was asked to do a considerably larger one for a client who wanted to put a light in the centre - then I used wire strengtheners and did ask her to let me know if anything 'came apart' - as I was reluctant to do it so big in the first place because of the sheer weight that those joins would be carrying!   So far I've not heard from her - that was about 2 years ago.
Have fun,  Beth

[nansea121]

I have made quite a few 3-d stars over the years and never had a come back.   My pattern comes form Teny Nudson's book ' Dimentions of Christmas 2', with the star on the cover.   It is made up of triangles and as long as you use a good quality foil and solder your joins 'reasonably' heavily, the design turns out to be pretty solid!
I was asked to do a considerably larger one for a client who wanted to put a light in the centre - then I used wire strengtheners and did ask her to let me know if anything 'came apart' - as I was reluctant to do it so big in the first place because of the sheer weight that those joins would be carrying!   So far I've not heard from her - that was about 2 years ago.
Have fun,  Beth

How big was that large star Beth? I've never made any of those 3-D stars before, so this is interesting.

I don't have a kit. Do you need one?

Rebecca, if you send Joanie those instructions, I'd be interested in receiving a copy as well:) 

[PiscesGlass]

LOL..I was going to put this project on the back burner for awhile..but now that everyone's given this great advice, perhaps I'm going to have to try it out this weekend instead.

Thanks Joan, Elizabeth and Rebecca!  

De

[nansea121]

I found your 3-D star in W/C Rebecca. Do you have a photo of it?

http://www.warner-criv.com/picturealbums/public_photos.aspx?aid=1352

It doesn't look like you would need a kit to make this? What are the sizes of those triangles?

[JoanFrances]

Wow, what a group we have.  Thank you everyone for the great info on these pretties

Beth, I have that book too, the instruction in the book are a bit easier to understand than the ones that came with this star, as these do not show the angle the upright bevels are connected at.

Nancy the star that started this conversation is a 12 piece colored bevel set from WC, their number 8401-207T.  The pieces measure 7/8"s x 1 and 3/8"s.  Thanks for posting Rebecca's instructions.

Rebecca, they shoud hire you to write directions for assembleing their kits.  Well done.  Thanks. 

[Rebecca]

I'm glad you found the instructions on W-C!  They are better than I remembered.  Joan, just solder two of the trangles together using the square you draw to get the angle between them to be 90 degrees.  Then take the two together and set them on the four you alread have soldered together.  Center them and the angle will be right.  Tack them just a little at first and get the two loose triangles and set one on either side of the two you just soldered on together.  That will make all the angles correct.

You can make them any size and shape you want.  I have used regular triangular bevels and made them.  W-C has them in different colors and they make nice stars, too.  When I get to the shop, I will try to remember to take a picture and post it.

Rebecca

[JoanFrances]

Thanks again Rebecca. 

[Anne]

this will be pretty when you're done Joan.  Now the challenge will be packing it (or them?) for transportation to your shows!

[JoanFrances]

Anne I have gift boxes that they will fit in nicely.  A store was going out of business and bought every gift box they had.  They lay (the boxes) flat until you assemble them so they don't take up a lot of room in the mean time

[Anne]

Anne I have gift boxes that they will fit in nicely.  A store was going out of business and bought every gift box they had.  They lay (the boxes) flat until you assemble them so they don't take up a lot of room in the mean time

That was smart! Wish I had some for packing the birds in.

[PiscesGlass]

I found your 3-D star in W/C Rebecca. Do you have a photo of it?

http://www.warner-criv.com/picturealbums/public_photos.aspx?aid=1352

It doesn't look like you would need a kit to make this? What are the sizes of those triangles?

This is GREAT!  Thanks Rebecca!  De

[Rebecca]

Here is a picture of one made with equilateral peach triangle bevels.

[Rebecca]

And here is one that takes fifty bevels.  I think it takes five of the bevel star kits.