Fabricated Star Ornament
If you need a last minute gift or have a party to go to and want to bring something festive, then consider making this star ornament. You could use this star to decorate a tree, a gift, or necklace.
You will need:
First you need a template. I made my star using a ruler and graph paper. You could find something to trace around, use a drawing program to create a star, or print up the star I've got pictured here. However you decide to create your star, the result is that you need a star made out of a piece of paper.
Once you have your paper star, you need some rubber cement. Scotch tape will also work in a pinch, but rubber cement works the best. Brush a light coat of the rubber cement on one side of the paper star and adhere it to your copper or brass plate. Check to see if your plate is nice and straight. If not, then use a raw hide hammer and anvil to flatten the plate.
Now there are two ways to cut out your star from the metal plate. You can either use a hand saw or a pair of metal cutters (which look like huge, heavy pair of scissors).
Sawing Method:
If you decide to saw out the star, use plenty of bees wax in between each area you cut. The wax will make it much easier to get through the plate. Also, make sure that when you saw you are holding the saw straight up and down and not at an angle. I’ve noticed for myself, that short, quick movements up and down work best. Hold the plate on top of the bench pin while sawing. Then saw around the outline of the star. This method may take longer than the cutters, but it will make a nicer star. The sides will need less filing, and the finished piece won’t be bent up as much as it might be with the cutter.
Metal Cutter Method:
First, be very careful with these cutters. Those blades are extremely sharp. This is, of course, why they cut through the metal plate. Use the cutters to cut out the star shape from the metal plate. This method is much quicker than sawing. However, it can result in very sharp edges, and you must be careful not to bend the plate. If your plate becomes bent, use the raw hide hammer and anvil to flatten it out again after cutting.
