Today Shirl makes a Cheval Mirror which derives its name from the French word for horse. Why? Because traditionally the mechanism used to adjust the angle of the mirror was called a horse. Shirl's going to make the frame and then have the glass cut to size with a couple of good tips for making a timber framed mirror.
Step by Step:1 Cut all pieces as per cutting list. 2 Your timber may have visible "machine marks". If so they can be removed by using a finely set sharp hand plane. 3 Take the two end frame pieces and lay out with faces down. Mark out the desired shape. 4 Cut out the curved shape on the back and the taper on the front using a jigsaw. Cut just outside the line, then clean up to the line with a round bottom spokeshave. 5 Using a router with a rounding over bit fitted, round off visible edges. Do not rout the bottom edge. 6 Mark the position of the frame brace; this is positioned on the centre line and flush with the bottom. 7 Drill clearance holes through the end frames; the size of the hole should be slightly larger than the diameter of the shank of the screw. The screw should drop straight through. 8 Prepare frame brace by rounding over along the two top edges and sanding both faces. 9 Screw and glue into position. 10 Check internal dimensions of the frame and prepare the mirror frame pieces. The top and bottom rails are dowelled to sides. Mark out two dowels in each end of the rails. Use a dowel drill for drilling, as an ordinary twist drill will tend to wander off the mark. 11 Use dowel centres to transfer dowel positions onto side pieces. Be sure to sit the pieces down on a flat surface and squeeze pieces together. The dowel centres will give you pin point accuracy when transferring positions. 12 Drill 8mm holes in side pieces. The depth of the hole should be equal to half the length of the dowel plus 2mm, to allow for excess glue. 13 Apply wood glue into rail holes, spread glue around the surface of the hole using a length of smaller diameter dowel, or a large nail can be used. 14 Drive dowels into holes with a mallet. 15 Glue remaining holes and assemble frame. Use pipe clamps or sash clamp. Remember to use scrap material between the clamp and the work piece. Set aside in a flat position for manufacturer's recommended clamping time. 16 Once dry remove from clamps and if necessary flush off any uneven joints. Round over external corners and sand the entire frame. 17 Set up your router with a rebate bit and rout a rebate on the inside of the frame. The depth of rebate should be 8mm. Change the cutter to a 12mm straight cutter and set a depth of 4mm. Use a straight edge as a guide and rout a second rebate, this will accommodate the MDF backing see fig. 2. 18 Measure centre position in each long edge of the mirror frame. 19 Drill suitable pilot hole for the screw in nut. The screw in nuts have a hex slot in one end to enable fitting in place. 20 On each side of the end frame drill a clearance hole to suit the machined screw. 21 Place a thick washer in between the upright and the mirror frame. Tighten screw and check that the frame is clear of the uprights when pivoted. If the mirror frame rubs on the inside face minor planing adjustments can be made to the frame. 22 You can either take the measurements of the mirror to your local glass merchant or taking the mirror frame to him is a safer method. 23 Apply your favourite timber finish. 24 Cut and fit the MDF backing to the top rebate. This can be attached to the frame with staples or small screws.
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