Terry and Mike have a very amiable relationship. I've heard the same story (about Mike making his own Stars) from both Terry's side and Mike's side. The stories match, as I would expect from such gentlemen. I admit my bias, though, since I'm friends with Terry and think well enough of Mike to purchase a grand to a grand and a half of steel from Mike every year
No other star maker's product works as well as Terry's original...or Mike's nifty take on the same product.
Terry's has adjustable tension on the locking bars, so you can put .22 plates on the same arms as the regular pistol/shotgun plates. Like two stars in one! You can also reconfigure the five armed "Star" to a two-armed "Hammer" (also a real pain to shoot). At my request (read: continued begging), Terry set up one prototype Star with a pulley and a weight so it really gets spinning. It accelerates, which doesn't happen so much with the weight/stick trick
Mike's is...get this....all rifle grade. Oh yes, Hoser...100 yard rifle stars... I'll be the match director for the 2005 Texas State 3-Gun Championship (they wouldn't fire me after this year's match, darn it), and am working up a medium range Star stage for rifles
Both Stars are available for about the same money.
Both are an...interesting...shooting challenge!
Alex