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Thread: Design question for mahogony mirror stand

  1. #1
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    Design question for mahogony mirror stand

    About 30 years ago I bought a large[26" X 56"], heavy [about 35 lbs.] antique mahogony-framedmirror at a second hand store for about $15. I planned to build astand for it and I'm finally getting around to the project.
    I lookedonline for a design but could not find much, except for thislight-weight Shaker design http://www.woodstore.net/chshmi.html The mirror in this plan is 22" X51". What is the best way to strengthen the pieces and joints ofthis design so that it can handle the extra weight of my mirror? Iwas planning to use mahogony for the stand. Since my mirror is about10% larger, if I increase each piece and the mortise and tenon sizesby approximately 10% would that be enough? I'm especially concernedabout the length of the feet [20"], will that be enough to keepthe mirror stable when it swivels on the stand?
    I'd appreciate anythoughts, ideas or alternative plans you can help me with.

  2. #2
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    Hi Gary, the scale of the mirror frame should guide the eye as to how much more you might increase the scantlings and not look too heavy. A good tenon job with the lower brace to the carrying verts is a must of course - maybe use 2 rails. The pivot points and the feet are the greatest concern. I think you could easily mock this up with an MDF panel in place of the mirror and get a good sense of needed proportions, especially as to how big the stance of the feet must be. These style mirrors are not typically used with more than a 20° pitch (I'm guessing) unless there are kids playing with them, but I guess you need to design for all contingencies. I have never built one of these so I'm just speculating. Me? I would mock it up.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

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    Wow, thanks for your ideas Sam. An MDF mock up is a great idea, I can see the proportions better and it would allow me to "weigh" it down so I can see if the stand will be stable and structurally sound. I hadn't thought much about keeping the look slender and proportional but that would be critical. If I increase the dimensions of the verts I'll draw them first to ensure a pleasing proportion. Hopefully my untrained eye will be a good judge of this. I assume you suggested using 2 rails for the lower stretchers.
    This is my first thread on the Creek, although I've spent many hours prowling around.

  4. #4
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    No sense in "prowling" when you could be swimming (or at least getting your feet wet) . Thought you might have gotten some feedback from others who have built such mirror frames.
    Nice project and worth the effort to restore an antique to good use. Please show us what you come up with - including your Sketch Up drawings. Always fun to
    watch the process.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  5. #5
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    Hi Sam,
    I was hoping for more responses and ideas also, but I think everyone looked at your reply and thought you covered it thoroughly. Maybe too many ideas are worse than too few.
    I've been letting my brain percolate ideas for the last 2 days [especially during a boring movie last night!] and I'm going to try some informal pencil sketches. I've tried Sketch Up a couple times but haven't got the hang of it. Now that I think of it this might be a good project to try it out since it's a fairly simple piece.
    I did have a basic question about a mock up, since I've never had to make one. Can I cut mortises and tenons on MDF or should I use pins, etc.? Are there things you can't do with MDF that can be done with wood [as it applies to this plan]?
    Thanks for you help with this.
    Gary

  6. #6
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    I suggest the 3/4" MDF as a good substitute for the weight of the mirror to see how much you can overhang the feet before the load topples over. The mock up should be simply built - no need for anything like tenons. Maybe sandwich the MDF between a couple of pieces of 1x stock glued or screwed through the face of the MDF. A simple bolt can act as a pivot pin. The frame and the base can also be mocked up using 1 x stock or (2 x stock) - again not with serious construction just pieces glued and screwed until you get a good sense of what you need to bear the tilting weight. Try feet that are 18" and go out as long as they need to be to insure a stable base. Once you get a sense of overall proportions you can then refine your design and the specific proportions of each member. I think that the frame shown in your first photo is a pretty good target for how stout things need to be - bumping the dimensions up 10% might be warranted but your mock up can lead you in the right direction. Use a regular household scale to establish the needed size of the MDF:the mirror.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  7. #7
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    I like to see a lot of ideas and I have found google to be an endless source these days. Try doing a google search for "floor standing mirror". Then select the images tab.
    Capture.JPG
    There are pages of images, lots of styles, I am sure you can find an idea there.

  8. #8
    I agree with Pat, but search "cheval" mirror ,too. That's what they called the Federal period examples,and they are all pretty good.

  9. #9
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    Sorry for being out of touch. It must have been the alcohol fumes from the shellac on the buffet project I'm finishing!
    I did a google search using "floor standing mirror" and then "cheval" but didn't see anything other than this shaker design that compliments the mirror and looks strong enough to take the weight. I don't exactly know the weight of the mirror [my lovely wife doesn't allow a scale in the house, she's a gym rat], but I think it's close to 40 lbs. Because I'm starting with an existing mirror I have to design the standing frame "backwards" to compliment the mirror. I think that's part of the reason the simplicity of the shaker design appeals to me.
    Sam, thanks for giving me some direction on this mock up, since I've never done a mock up before I couldn't visualize it until I read your description. I'm not good at visualizing things from scratch but I'm good at improvising so I think I can "play" with the variables like you suggested. I don't know how I would have done this without all your valuable input.

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  11. #11
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    Play away . I do my best design work this way.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

  12. #12
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    Thanks Pat, more eye candy and hopefully some good ideas to incorporate.

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