[Woodworkers] Wood movement in Hand Mirror

[Richard Allen]

The wood will move and the mirror will crack.  Over size the hole by at least 1/16".  Better 1/16" all the way around (1/8" oversize).

I have had a "perfect" fit round mirror in a "lollypop" mirror.  The store owner said she heard what sounded like a gun shot.  Turned out it was my "perfect" fit mirror.  The store had the mirror for several months before the "event".

Since I started making over sized holes for the mirrors I haven't had a failure.

> On Nov 19, 2016, at 12:51 PM, Chuck Steger <chuck.steger at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>    I’m making some hand mirror’s (4x6 oval mirror) as Christmas presents. I used the actual mirror to rout a wooden mirror template (note: If you do this, the mirror will get beat up a little so make it a sacrifice mirror – not too bad at $2/mirror). I then took the mirror template and using different size router collars and a ¼” router bit, created an exact mirror hole template. This took several steps using different collars (who said woodworkers don’t use math!) but it created a piston fit between the solid template and hole template. I was really pleased it came out so well considering it’s a stepped process. Of course the real test is does the mirror fit and it is an exact fit. I will use the hole template and a pattern mortising bit to rout the recess for the mirror. I’ll also use the solid template to rout a channel for inlay around the mirror.
>  
>    As pleased as I am that I achieved a piston fit in the 2 templates, I am now wondering if that is a good thing or not. In other words, will wood movement pop out the mirror or even break it? I plan to rout an 1/8” recess for the mirror and attach the mirror with carpet tape. I don’t want to glue mirror in case someone needs the mirror replaced (I’ve had to chisel out a glued mirror before and it is a PITA). Do I need to take a large dowel wrapped with sandpaper and open up the hole a little on the hole template? If so, how much?
>  
>    I know wood moves in both directions (across the grain) and if you glue something in, sometimes it forces the wood movement to the outside (as opposed to the inside) but the mirror won’t be glued.
>  
>    Thanks!
>  
> Chuck
>  
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