Shooting Stars

chelmuth

chelmuth

New member
I saw a video of some shooting stars and thought they looked kind of neat and fairly easy to make. This is what I've come up with so far. I went to my local metal supply shop and picked up some 1/4" round bar hot rolled, it was cheaper. I drew a star on a piece of 3/4" plywood and put screws in each point and inside corner. Got the propane torch out and started heating and bending. You can see the first in the picture together that I tried 2 different start and end points. One has them joined at the point and the other has them joined at the inner curve. I think I like the inner curve join better because then all the points look uniform. Not that you'll be able to see them in the dark anyhow. For the third star I hung the plywood up so I could spin it around instead of me having to spin around the plywood as I bent the steel. I like this way better although I need to make it no spin so easily. I'll probably end up bolting it with 2 washers so I can restrict it's movement a little instead of the free spinner version I have now. Then I took some 18"ish pieces of round bar for the "tails" and put 1/4-20 threads on 1" of it. Got some 1/4-20 splice nuts at the store and I plan on welding the nuts to the stars then just screwing the tails in. It will make for easy breakdown and storage.
 

Attachments

  • Threads.JPG
    Threads.JPG
    121 KB · Views: 235
  • Closeup.JPG
    Closeup.JPG
    105.6 KB · Views: 250
  • First 2.JPG
    First 2.JPG
    156.5 KB · Views: 252
  • Tail.JPG
    Tail.JPG
    225.2 KB · Views: 282
  • Spinning Jig.JPG
    Spinning Jig.JPG
    222.1 KB · Views: 253
Looks Great!!! I like the idea of bending the round bar around screws this technique could be easily adapted to make all sorts of wire frames. Simple, effective, and low cost. My 3 favorite things about any project.

Tyler
 
Oh Great! now I hate mine and love yours.. I'm sure it's just because yours are all lit up. :) Looks Great.
 
chelmuth said:
I saw a video of some shooting stars and thought they looked kind of neat and fairly easy to make. This is what I've come up with so far. I went to my local metal supply shop and picked up some 1/4" round bar hot rolled, it was cheaper. I drew a star on a piece of 3/4" plywood and put screws in each point and inside corner. Got the propane torch out and started heating and bending. You can see the first in the picture together that I tried 2 different start and end points. One has them joined at the point and the other has them joined at the inner curve. I think I like the inner curve join better because then all the points look uniform. Not that you'll be able to see them in the dark anyhow. For the third star I hung the plywood up so I could spin it around instead of me having to spin around the plywood as I bent the steel. I like this way better although I need to make it no spin so easily. I'll probably end up bolting it with 2 washers so I can restrict it's movement a little instead of the free spinner version I have now. Then I took some 18"ish pieces of round bar for the "tails" and put 1/4-20 threads on 1" of it. Got some 1/4-20 splice nuts at the store and I plan on welding the nuts to the stars then just screwing the tails in. It will make for easy breakdown and storage.
Click to expand...

My new favorite neighbor, you have to let me know where you got the steel. I want to build a concentric star for my Mega Tree next year.
 
Nice stars. You could also gt threaded doweling for the tails if you did not have a tap and die set to thread the iron. I plan to make 7 of these stars. They will be hung on 1/8 inch cable. I have found the cable on ebay fairly reasonable.
Terry
 
I thought about the threaded rod, but by the time I'd buy enough for 21 tails I could justify the tap and die set. only 35$ for a 70 piece or something from Harbor Freight. Here's is a completed Star minus lights. I like the result. Not bad for first attempt at welding either. LOL
 

Attachments

  • Shooting.JPG
    Shooting.JPG
    158.7 KB · Views: 188
They look great. I love Metal Supermarkets, but there are usually cheaper places if you are willing to buy a bundle. I bought some very expensive Stainless Steel rod at MS. They cut it to the exact lengths I needed and I only had to pay to the nearest foot.

By the way, I would suggest keeping the seam on one of the straights. Of course, when you get lights on them, none of them will be noticable.
 
Well I don't think i've seen anything but rope lights used on them yet.. I don't have any rope light as of yet so I might try some LED's and see what they look like..
 
I have seen them done with mini lights on PC, they use mini clips or zip ties to attach the lights.
 
When I make mine I was thinking of just wrapping the lights around them like on the arches... Don't know yet will have to see what comes about...

Would be better if it was warmer out.. I'd get alot more done
 
DaveJZ said:
When I make mine I was thinking of just wrapping the lights around them like on the arches... Don't know yet will have to see what comes about...

Would be better if it was warmer out.. I'd get alot more done
Click to expand...

they make heated gloves and socks :) that always helps...lately i have been working outside everyday setting up a 15 million dollar solar panel system for a high school and yet its not snowing but it gets to freezing sometimes outside...too cold to be working outside starting at7 am
 
Ha Ha Ha heated gloves.... Think I could get a long enough extension cord???

I've seen them out there, just never thought they would work and be worth it. I've used those heat packs you put in gloves and socks etc and they work good. Sucks becuase they are 1 time use
 
I recall seeing packs that could be re-used (you had to "boil them" in order to recharge them). A quick google search came up with..
Re-Heater, but I'm sure there must be others out there.

Edit: Active ingredient is "Sodium Acetate" which gives off heat when crystalizing. Kinda neat stuff
DaveJZ said:
Ha Ha Ha heated gloves.... Think I could get a long enough extension cord???

I've seen them out there, just never thought they would work and be worth it. I've used those heat packs you put in gloves and socks etc and they work good. Sucks becuase they are 1 time use
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
This is a seriously old thread, but I'll just add my latest, finished project to it to resurrect an old idea...

I made this using the monopixel concept with clear white LEDs soldered to 2-sided PCB stock cut into 1/2" squares, 3D printed stars (2 halves glued together), square pixel PCBs, telephone wire, harness tape, a DIGWDF MiWiFi controller.... it was another fun project. It'll go outside of course, but I shot this quick video while waiting for the last two stars to finish printing... I'll use it as a lead-up to my Bethlehem star on the garage roof... The shooting stars are intended to be a quick eye-catcher.

https://vimeo.com/417296432

The how-to is here: https://www.diychristmas.org/wiki/index.php?title=Shooting_Stars
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top