I have always wanted to make something for my daughter. I saw the plans for this wall mirror in Woodsmith magazine (great source of plans by the way). Also, I had a yearning to make something out of mahogany. This was a really fun project, but it sure took a while to build. I ordered the stained glass from a local art glass shop and the mirror from a regular glass shop. The rest I did myself.
As is usually the case, there were a few firsts for me on this project. The framework of the mirror is connected using rail and style bits on the router table. All the years I have been woodworking, I have never used a rail and style router bit system. I have made cabinet doors alright, but never that way. I bought and used a Freud system and it worked great. Nothing like a little trial and error with scrap wood first to get it right though. Also, I used built up moulding for the top of the mirror. I made all of this on the router table with various bits. It came out great, you can see more on the photo page.
One heads up here. The author of the plans measured the three openings and cut a piece of MDF the exact size for each one (allowing for expansion and contraction of the wood). He did not take measurements to the glass shops, he took the pieces of MDF for them to use for sizing. This worked out very well I might add.
The finish was with Cabot’s Dark Walnut stain (I love Cabot’s stain). Cabot’s Dark Walnut stain has a more brownish tint than the typical dark walnut stains which I think lean to a more black tint. The hooks are solid brass, no cheap brass coated hardware here. Be sure and check out the photo gallery of the production process.
Doug
