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Chenard
Tinkerer
Username: Chenard
Post Number: 20
Registered: 11-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, October 11, 2007 - 01:17 pm: | 
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Hi,
I've got a nice shiny new mirror for my Minolta Autocord, which I've scavenged out of a thrift store Polaroid One-Step.
What is the best way to cut the mirror to the correct size? Score and then snap? Dremmel cutting bit?
Any advice appreciated! Thanks!
Paul |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 77
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, October 12, 2007 - 04:58 pm: |
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A regular Fletcher glass cutter, but it has to be a new one. Oil the wheel with some WD40, clean the glass with some paint thinner on a tissue. Do your cutting on a hard flat surface. Drive the wheel gently over the line usig a straight edge. Put the cut line over the edge of the edge of your board and snap it off in one clean swoop. |
M_currie
Tinkerer
Username: M_currie
Post Number: 84
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007 - 07:29 am: |
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I would add to the above, for those unfamiliar with glass cutters: never retrace a cut. It will ruin the wheel and probably not improve the scoring. You get one chance. If you store the glass cutter in a cup of light oil or kerosene it will be ready for use the next time. |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 77
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 13, 2007 - 12:13 pm: |
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I've only made one mirror - also using the mirror from a Polaroid. I scored the silvered side of the mirror with a diamond glass cutter, placed the score over a straight wire on the bench and pressed down either side.
I found it difficult to judge the correct pressure to use with the cutter - too little and the glass will not break cleanly - too much and the glass chips and the silvering flakes off! |
David_ritchie
Tinkerer
Username: David_ritchie
Post Number: 22
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, October 14, 2007 - 07:39 am: |
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What is the correct way to cut the mirror, ie, do you use the cutter on the glass side or do you cut the back, silvered side? |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 78
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 03:37 am: |
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Cut on the glass side, not the silvered side.
If you screw it up, e-mail me, I have plenty of first surface mirror in stock.
[email protected] |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 79
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 - 01:30 pm: |
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Surprised at that, Paul, but you've obviously done a lot more mirror cutting than me! I'd have thought the silvering would tend to lift when the glass breaks. How do you avoid damaging the silvering when you are scoring the glass with the silvered side down on the bench? |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 82
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - 12:45 am: |
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You're dead right! I tried it on a piece of scrap off-cut, and it cuts much better from the glass side. I scored the mirror with the silvered side on a piece of thin soft tissue, but since it was already scrap, I can't be sure whether it left any marks. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 79
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 - 03:01 am: |
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The silvering won't come up unless the mirror is old n delicate. My mirror still has the mask on it to which also reduces the flaking when you break it. Just be sure to work on a hard clean surface and to make the break on a sharp hard edge.. I use the metal edge of my formica cutting board. and of course don't try to trip off less than a 1/4" as this requires some practice. |
Mickeyobe
Tinkerer
Username: Mickeyobe
Post Number: 1
Registered: 01-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 11, 2008 - 02:28 pm: |
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As unlikely as it seems a CD will make a clear, bright replacement mirror for old folders and box cameras. No good for reflex cameras though.
The CD's can be easily cut with a coping saw and shaped with files.
However, I use a Fordom flexible shaft machine with a Dremel diamond wheel to make short work of the job.
Use the old mirror for a pattern.
Mickey |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 485
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 11, 2008 - 06:34 pm: |
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I just cut a new mirror for a Flexaret from a OneStep mirror. I used a new, wheel-type glass cutter on the front surface (I think that's the silvered side with that mirror), using a stainless steel pocket ruler as a straight edge. To snap the mirror after scoring, I set it on top of a piece of steel with a clean straight edge (in my case it happened to be a file), with the edge exactly below the score line. Then I took another piece of steel with a clean straight edge (in my case another file, but anything straight, flat and rigid would do) and set it on top of the mirror, on the part that hangs out past the supporting steel piece. Holding the mirror down firmly with the fingers of my left hand, I pressed down on the steel on the overhanging part with my right. There were 3 cuts to make, every one came out perfect. The rigid steel on both sides distributes the stress along the length of the score line for a clean break. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 90
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, January 12, 2008 - 07:53 pm: |
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The new well oiled (WD40 is great) wheel cutter is the trick. Cutting the glass side is the best to keep from scratching the silver. It tends to flake off if you cut the silvered side and the oil damages the shine as well. |
Fallisphoto
Tinkerer
Username: Fallisphoto
Post Number: 45
Registered: 09-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, January 14, 2008 - 09:00 am: |
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Well, it depends on the type of mirror. The only kind I ever used, instead of metal vapor deposited on the glass, uses a type of (I'm assuming plastic) film, bonded to the glass. They are sold as "beam splitters" for use with lasers. Those, you cut on the "silvered" side, so as to cut the film (cut the other side and it can peel off). I prefer those as you can handle them, to an extent, without damaging them. |
