How To Make A Mirror

The idea of creation of a mirror at first sight seems unusual, it is simpler to get it in specialized shop. But production of a useful accessory with one's own hands can become fascinating occupation. Step-by-step process of creation of a simple mirror is given below.

1. Everything begins with the choice of suitable material for production of a mirror. The following stages are its cleaning, preparation for silvering process, mixing of special solution, silvering, drying and creation of ornament for a new product. We will consider each of points in more detail.

2. Material for processing. Prepare the qualitative glass intended for production of a mirror. It should be noted that you can silver not only glass, but also faience, ware from clay. It is admissible to use a tree or metal, but before process it is necessary to cover them with a layer of previously melted paraffin. It is the simplest to apply usual glass. Be convinced that it has no cracks and any damages.

3. Purification of material. Before use carefully purify glass of different spots. Influences achievement of safe result as purity of the prepared solutions (of which it will be a question further), and purity of the used material.

4. Preparation for silvering. After cleaning well wash glass the distilled water and grease with small powder of chalk before the use.

5. Silvering process. Take 1,6 g of nitric silver and mix it with 30 ml of the purified water. Then on a drop add solution of ammonia of 25% until the deposit disappears. Add 100 more ml of the purified water and 5 ml of formalin of 40%. Solution for silvering is ready. Put glass in a tray or other capacity. If you want to silver only one side of glass, put it on 3-4 pieces of glass that between a tray and material there was a distance.

Pour in made structure so that it has covered a bottom and only the lower side of glass. You can fill in glass with solution completely, but then two sides will be silvered. Wait about seven minutes and accurately pull out a mirror, without touching a surface. Carefully wash out it the distilled water, then put vertically and dry at a temperature of 100-150 degrees. To prevent possible damages to the future, cover a mirror with oil paint (the minium divorced in linseed oil).