Craftster-inspired "Pop" Art Mirror

[colarific]

OK here goes nothing. I'm extremely new here, and this is my first real post, but I'm so excited about this project, I had to share! A little background: I found this site while looking for craft ideas, (as I'm sure most have). I'm a coca-cola freak, and I love all things kitschy, retro, mod... or just plain different. While browsing the forums, I came across a thread from someone looking for ideas for soda cans. Within that thread I found this post:

You could cut and nail them to wood like this really cool but very expensive mirror.

http://www.guild.com/artitem/25603.html

Well... I decided I HAD to have that mirror... BAD! Okay, well not $1200 bad though... so off to the workshop.
My DH built this lovely frame for me, to specifications for the wall I am going to hang it on, and 2 weeks and lots of soda drinking later... VOILA!




And a closer view before the mirror and interior moulding was in place:

So anyway... sorry for the lengthy first post, and the links (too new to post pics), and thanks to all you talented folks for inspiring me to "just make it"!   Hope you like it!

DISCLAIMER: This mirror was created for personal enjoyment only. Mitch Levin and his wife of High Voltage studios own copyright to the original design of this piece. Any intentions to create works of "substantial similarity" to this piece for sale and profit, are considered copyright violations.

[ondrayuh]

oh my goodness! i love love love this!!!

amazing job

[popartlover09]

i think you did a much better job than the site you found it on, thats amazing, what a brilliant idea

[Gwydion]

Oh wow...

I don't even LIKE soda, and I want that mirror!

And it's so neatly done!  That must have taken forever to put together.

<hitting "this rocks">

[colarific]

Thanks so much!! We were proud of it... but your stamps of approval mean alot! I sincerely would probably never have done this if I hadn't been inspired by so many of the cool things I've seen on this site!

[bamfknitter]

Okay, I just had to 'this rocks' it too.

It is AWESOME!

Confused about the frame a bit...did you find a used mirror with a flat surface?  What do you mean, built the frame?

I drink TONS of soda, and this would be such a cool project!!

Thanks for your help and ideas.

[fauxfreak]

Price: $1150
Shipping & Handling: $75 

I almost fainted when I saw the price tag on that baby!!
I feel a certain kind of weird victory when I can copy something that costs that much (and make it look better, too)! It's fabulous- you really did a great job!

[colarific]

Okay, I just had to 'this rocks' it too.

It is AWESOME!

Confused about the frame a bit...did you find a used mirror with a flat surface?  What do you mean, built the frame?

I drink TONS of soda, and this would be such a cool project!!

Thanks for your help and ideas.

No problem. The mirror is a standard frameless mirror from Lowe's. It had a bevel on the edges, but that's all they had, in the size we were looking for (it was only $15.00-the most expensive part of the project), and we were hiding the bevel anyway. My DH cut four sides for the frame, and mitered each corner to fit them together. The frame is made from MDF, with a basic moulding secured to the edges. We needed to find a way to recess the mirror into the back of the frame (you could use a router, I think), but he used a dado on a table saw (his words, not mine), to create the indentation on the back for the mirror to sit in. After we had nailed all the tiles to the frame, we used a contact adhesive on the edges of the mirror to hold it into the frame. Then he cut four triangles to secure to each back corner of the mirror just for safety's measure.
I'm sure you could simply glue a mirror to the back of a frame, but we were not sure how well it would hold, and didn't want to take a chance.
I should say, that this was so very experimental on our parts. My DH, who has only a fair amount of experience with these tools, did an awesome job building this frame, far exceeding my expectations. Although the time he spent isn't visible, it turned this project into quite the professional job.
I don't want to go overboard here, but I can give you more details if you like. I've considered doing more of these, but maybe on a smaller scale, with pre-purchased frames, to simplify the project. Maybe others will have easier ideas to simplify the process...? Thanks again for the compiments. I'm smiling ear to ear!  

[colarific]

Price: $1150
Shipping & Handling: $75 

I almost fainted when I saw the price tag on that baby!!
I feel a certain kind of weird victory when I can copy something that costs that much (and make it look better, too)! It's fabulous- you really did a great job!

Thank You!!! I feel that victory too! That's what made it so fun!

[jnaos]

I have to say that this is great.  I hit this rocks and I am bookmarking it.  Truly inspiring.