How do you construct or paint mirrored walls?

[Dan]

I am building a  "ahem" Pole Dancing Club for my Future Wars terrain . I am stumped as to how to paint or contruct mirrored walls other than using Budgie Cage mirrors .
Has anyone done this or know of a link to a site that would show what to do?

I also want to make Neon signwriting which I could I guess I bend some clear tubing with heat but it may not lay flat against a wall . Any ideas ?

[Overlord]

Rather than raiding your budgie you could use ordinary small mirror tiles.
The advantage of some is that they are adhesive backed and peel off a sheet, so just need postioning.
Probably available at any DIY outlet or try Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Best-Hand-Cut-2cm-x-2cm-Mosaic-Heaven-Mirror-Tiles_W0QQitemZ230326456805QQihZ013QQcategoryZ11787QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

For neon signs you could start with this Flourescent Acrylic Rod:
http://www.ema-models.com/catalogue/0051-round-rods.html

Not sure how easy it is to form into letters/shapes though.

[Westfalia Chris]

I´ve done a number of Saloon Mirrors using mirror-backed cardboard. You can get it (here in Germany) in crafts stores in sheets of 50x70cm for about 2-3 Euros. Basically, it´s cardboard which is reflective on one site (some coating). You need to be careful not to scratch it, but it´s the cheapest variant and, if you manage to glue them straight to the walls, ie without warping, the effect is excellent.

[dodge]

It depends on what effect you want with mirrors.

If its full on reflection then overlord and Chris' ideas are fantastic.

Otherwise you could use anything shiny from tin foil smoothed out or shiny silver cardboard.

With a neon sign I would go with making the letthering and then use neon paints I think

Good luck and lets see your finished bar

dodge

[meninobesta]

silver candy wrappers!

[Dan]

Hi thanks for the ideas , I will look for the cardboard backed mirror type first as I dont want anything breakable.
I did think while driving around today looking at shop windows that I could try painting some clear sheet with chrome or silver spray paint and see if it looks ok.
I also thought that a real mirror will only let me see a reflection of the floor , so maybe just an impression of a mirror would be better , or even photos of a real Bar.

I think I've seen some Fluorescent Acrylic Rod in my local train shop  I may try and see if heating will allow me to bend it into letters .

  you want to see it  I guess I'd better make a decent job of it then. I have some of the Hasslefree Harem nudies as a staff but did'nt think I'd need the poledancers at the time  Oh well I'd better put another order in.

[Westfalia Chris]

I think I've seen some Fluorescent Acrylic Rod in my local train shop  I may try and see if heating will allow me to bend it into letters

Sorry I only remembered it now, but a possibility for making such letters would be "letter-shaped noodles". I don´t know if it´s available over in NZ, but when I was a kid, "alphabet soup" was rather fashionable. I think a buddy of mine did some lettering on display bases using such noodles. Of course, you´ll have to look around to find the correct size, and make sure to use superglue to glue and coat the noodles, nothing water-based.

[Hitman]

The dollar stores have small compact or wallet sized mirrors which are perfect in size. And they are cheap...no work to paint and they are already...mirrors!!

[Schogun]

For the scale, you can find small pocket mirrors in drug stores. Otherwise, mylar sheet found in craft stores.

[fastolfrus]

I'd probably recommend mirrored tiling, or perhaps just very shiny tiling ? from a DIY store would be cheapest - they usually sel it by the square foot for people decorating bathrooms etc.

As for the lettering, you might find something in a craft store - look for the type of store that sells cardmaking accessories or the type that sells cake making accessories.
A cheaper option might be to look for a garish birthday card and canibalise the lettering off that. (In the UK the cheapest cards for canibalising are in the £1 shops, I expect there is an equivalent near you).
Otherwise look around for tasteless bright packaging and see what you can get off the box.
Another possible option would be to do your lettering on the PC and print onto clear acetate (but make sure you get one that works with your printer).


What size letters do you need ?

[Dan]

Hi thanks for all the interest and comments that I seem to have generated , your help is appreciated.

 I have not worked out what size lettering I need yet as I guess it depends on what I can find locally .
I found some Neon looking rod but at nearly a pound a length I think I will pass .
I just had an idea of using soldering wire to make the letters and try and paint it very brightly  . At least it will stay flat and be easy to bend .
I also saw some rub down lettering that I could mount on a light box with an acrylic front. I could also mount some Red LED's as lights . and power them both up . I have also been thinking about lighting up the front window display which will house a Mermaid .

I drew a blank on the mirror card in craft and artshops on Saturday but have remembered seeing a very reflective looking tape somewhere in a Hardware store .
Must do some more searching next week.

[Westfalia Chris]

I just had an idea of using soldering wire to make the letters and try and paint it very brightly  . At least it will stay flat and be easy to bend .

May I suggest 0,7mm copper wire for that? If you get the length variety (ie, not rolled up to a coil), it stays straighter than soldering wire.

I drew a blank on the mirror card in craft and artshops on Saturday but have remembered seeing a very reflective looking tape somewhere in a Hardware store .
Must do some more searching next week.

If you cannot find anything, drop me a PM and I´ll mail you a sheet, provided you can work with A4 (21x29,7cm) size sheets (ie, don´t need any lengths greater than that). I can cleanly cut it at the local store, so you´d get 4 A4 sheets plus some offcuts. My treat, but I wouldn´t mind if you felt like repaying the favour at some later time.

[Dan]

Hi Chris , thanks for the kind offer , maybe we can work something out . Just let me look for a bit longer as I have a few places yet to check out.

I keep changing my mind about how to do the Neon lights  just try and write NEPTUNE with one length of wire    I may just fudge it and hope nobody notices .

[MuleSkinner]

don't know if this helps but i made a neon sign for my zombietown by borrowing some of my daughters "scoobies", i think thats what they're called.
they are long thin plastic really flexible strands that the kids twist together to make daft animal shapes and bags and whatnots with.
the one i used was a bright flourescent pink but they come in other bright colours too.
just bent into the letters and glued as i went along, came out looking really good.
best thing is they are dirt cheap for a bagful, around 50p a bag.

[Dan]

Scoobies ? I will have a look thanks.

I managed to find some really reflective silver wrapping paper today  Its thicker than normal gift wrapping paper but am not sure how easy it will be to glue to a card backing . Good thing is it cost $2NZ for a large roll so I can experiment heaps .
I also found some gold lettering that I am considering putting in a box behind a CD cover window .
I'm also going to use the CD cover for a plate glass window and glass sliding doors.
I should be able to post some WIP photos soon as the basic building is done but I just want to tart it up a bit first.