12-Card Star

Time Required:  30+ Minutes

• 10 minutes of preparation 
• 20+ minutes for construction (Will be faster the second time you do it!)

Materials

• 12 playing cards (1 deck of cards you are willing to cut up and make incomplete)
• Scissors (If you have the tools, a band saw will make the cuts a little wider which will help put it together. But a pair of scissors will do!)
• Metal rulers or access to desks or other flat surfaces with a crisp edge for folding. 
• Template (print out)

Preparation:

You can do this two different ways. The way I go about this is I print out one page of this template and cut out a single square. I then reuse this square for every card that I cut with scissors.

IF you are using a bandsaw, then it would be beneficial to print out two of these sheets and use a new template box for each card you are cutting. If you want to be super-efficient (with proper safety precautions), just hold all the cards together and use the bandsaw that way.

You will cut on the solid black lines. The dotted line is where you will fold after you have cut the card.

**NOTE. If you want to have the BACK of the card shown for your star, have the slits cut on the top right/bottom left corner on the backs. If you want the FRONT of the cards shown on the star, then have the slits be on the top right/bottom left corners of the face of the cards.

Note: The slits need to be consistent in length, otherwise you'll have a difficult time getting some of the cards to get together.

Here is a detailed video of how to actually put it together. Writing it down seemed unreasonable so I made a video.

Have fun!

Original instructions found on Makingmathvisible.com