DIY Sunbeam Mirror

Instructions

Tools & Other Supplies Needed
Pencil
Scissors
Ruler
Wire Cutter or Heavy Duty Cutter (for cutting dowels and wire)
Gold Spray Paint
Glue Gun
Cardboard (enough for two 10” circles)
Disposable Gloves (for spray painting)

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Cut sets of eight dowels in each of the following lengths: 11”, 10”, 9”, 8”, 7”, 6”, and 5”.

2. Use pencil to trace around the mirror, onto pieces of cardboard, and cut out two 10” cardboard circles.

3. (*See PRO TIP BELOW.) Find the center on one side of a 10” cardboard circle. Use a pencil to draw lines to mark the circle into sixteen equal pie shapes. Make a pencil dot near the outside edge of every other line. (These eight lines will be the starting point for gluing eight sequences of eight progressively shorter dowels onto the cardboard.) Measure and make pencil marks 2” in from the edges of each line. Use those marks as a guide to draw a 6” circle inside the center of the 10” circle of cardboard.

4. Near the outside edges of the cardboard circle, In between each of the sixteen lines drawn on the cardboard, draw three equally spaced lines near the edge of the cardboard circle. (You now have 64 lines marked out around the outside edges of the cardboard circle.)

5. Gluing on the dowels: Starting 2” in from the edge of the cardboard on one of the eight lines marked with a dot from step 3, use a glue gun to apply glue from the 2” mark to the outside edge of the circle. Glue on a 12” dowel. Making sure the cut edges of the dowels are glued inside the cardboard circle, continue using the same method, gluing the following dowels on the next seven lines, in sequence: 11”, 10”, 9”, 8”, 7”, 6”, and 5”.

6. Repeat step 5 until you have all the dowels glued onto the cardboard circle.

7. Prepare a ventilated work surface for painting. Spray paint both sides of the dowels and cardboard circle with gold spray paint, allowing the paint to dry in between painting each side of the cardboard and dowels. Apply a second coat of paint if necessary. Also, spray paint in approximately 2” from the edge on one side of the second cardboard circle. (Protect hands by wearing disposable gloves.)

8. Use the glue gun to glue the second cardboard circle, painted side down, onto the top of the painted dowels that are glued onto the first cardboard circle.

9. Use E6000 to glue the back side of the 10” mirror onto one of the cardboard circles. Allow the adhesive to dry and thoroughly cure.

10. Cut a 4-5” length of 20-gauge wire and form into a loop. Use E6000 to glue the ends of the wire loop to the cardboard on the back of the mirror to make a hanging loop. Allow the adhesive to dry and thoroughly cure before hanging.

*PRO TIP: On a piece of paper, trace around the mirror and cut out the circle. Fold the circle in half, and in half again, etc. These folds can be used as guides to help find the center of your cardboard circle and mark the circle into pie shapes.