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Texas Star clamping systems


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In process of building a Texas Star and am working on the clamping system.  Considering going with simple clamps by bolting them to the back of each arm.. I'm just concerned about the ability to hold plates if the star really stars swinging.. Does anyone have pictures and suggestions for holding the plates?  I'll be using 3/8" 8" plates.

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Most use a torsion spring with a straight arm and an arm with a loop.  The straight arm gets clamped and the looped arm pins the plate in place.

Plates either have a flat projection or a dovetail shaped projection.  It fits into a groove on the end of the arm, and the torsion spring pins it in place.  The groove is either machined into a thick plate, or is made of two plates, one of which has the groove and one of which is the bullet shield.

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Hello,    We have been testing the earth magnets for about 2 years with great success, mostly at 3 gun events & side matches,   UNTIL the AREA 8 match this year.   For some unknown reason the USPSA/IPSC open guns were breaking/cracking the magnets very often,   we used approx. 16 magnets during the weekend for just 2 targets.    Then we used the same targets in a PRO AM match and a 3 gun match and had ZERO magnets break.     We are not sure why the magnets were cracking and breaking so often at the AREA match but we are gonna hold off selling to USPSA/IPSC clubs for now  (trying to save headaches with broken magnet returns).

These were TEXAS STAR arms set up on a swinger stand.

I think the original design by Terry Ashton is still the best set up available.

good luck,  Karl @ GT 

 

    

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the magnets can be a bit of a PITA if the hinges close back after the plates fall.  i either have to hit them with a plate to dislodge/open or yank on them with my hands.  reloading the plates with just spring tensioners is definitely easier.

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On 11/15/2016 at 7:10 PM, aandabooks said:

Does anyone have pictures and suggestions for holding the plates?  I'll be using 3/8" 8" plates.

Have you seen the "original" star's method? Two pins are welded to the end of each arm, and each plate's tab has two holes that match.

The spring / lever arm arrangement serves to apply pressure to that setup from the rear.

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1 hour ago, MemphisMechanic said:

Have you seen the "original" star's method? Two pins are welded to the end of each arm, and each plate's tab has two holes that match.

The spring / lever arm arrangement serves to apply pressure to that setup from the rear.

That is what I have seen, and what I used when I built my Texas star.

 

My steel distributor is the one who made the two holes in each of the plates for me.  Then I drilled the mating pin holes in the "wrist" of each arm to match.

 

Then I used a clamp design like the original...with the two springs.

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...
20 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 

How did you decide to mount your plates?

 

How is it holding up?

I put the star on loan to an indoor club for use in their weekly shoots.  I am yet to get there to retrieve it.  As far as I know everything is working well.  I should have time in the next couole week to go get it.

 

I used a simple plate with a piece of 1/2" rod welded to it to create a ramp over the plate.  It mounts on a single bolt with a spring to create tension.  

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10 minutes ago, aandabooks said:

I put the star on loan to an indoor club for use in their weekly shoots.  I am yet to get there to retrieve it.  As far as I know everything is working well.  I should have time in the next couole week to go get it.

 

I used a simple plate with a piece of 1/2" rod welded to it to create a ramp over the plate.  It mounts on a single bolt with a spring to create tension.  

 

I think I'd have to see that to visualize how it works, but it sounds like a simple solution.

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On ‎11‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 8:52 AM, MemphisMechanic said:

Have you seen the "original" star's method? Two pins are welded to the end of each arm, and each plate's tab has two holes that match.

The spring / lever arm arrangement serves to apply pressure to that setup from the rear.

Had my first exposure to this style the past weekend, reset is nice with seemingly lower tension and an opposing lever on the arm to hold it open easily, however it seems spring replacement should be scheduled. We had unhit plates falling pretty regular got to looking and springs were popping off, no idea how long they'd been on there. Never seen this kinda frequency with the dovetail/torsion spring set-up.

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  • 2 months later...

 I put the star on loan to an indoor club for use in their weekly shoots.

 

I would be really interested to see their bullet trap and how they placed the star.  I can't say I have ever seen steel targets at indoor ranges.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I can't say I recall shooting steel there but it was pretty "shot up" everywhere, I could see how they might have looked past the frags you get shooting steel.

 

Always left with black boogers and the group I shot with quit once the "regulars" tested high on lead levels.

Edited by jmorris
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