how to cut a mirror?

[Ah10201]

hi...

is there any type of mirror or mirror substitute that I can cut with a jig or scroll saw? I want to make decorative pieces for the interior of a jewelry box.

thanks...

[xrongor]

plexiglass mirror should do nicely.

randy

[George]

Mylar cuts with a knife.

[Greg]

I guess it depends on how intricate the cuts are. Folks who do stained glass do some pretty complicated cuts. You just need a good pistol grip cutter that feeds oil to the wheel and clean the glass before you start.

[Herman Family]

My favorite way to cut a mirror, or any glass is to zip down to the glass cutter's shop, and have him do it. For some reason, his cuts come out a lot better than mine.

[dteckie]

As an experienced stained glass hobbyist I've made lot's of projects from lamps to custom Kitchen cabinet glass inserts. If you are cutting a straight simple piece of glass mirror use a glass cutter. If you are making a large or intricate cuts have a shop do it for you, they will grind the sides smooth so you will not get cut. I have not seen any non glass mirrors although they may exist. You cannot use a scroll saw on glass, usually some small intricate glass/mirror cuts are made on a wet, diamond bandsaw very messy and axpensive. The most difficult part of cutting glass is scoring it, you need constant even pressure (soft not hard) on scoring the glass and rhen hope that no defects so it will break apart on score line. Hope it helps !!!

[Charles Spitzer]

except they do make scroll and band saws for glass that work exceptionally well for very intricate cuts. failing that, you could get them water jet cut.

[wch]

I'm with the first guy. Check your yeller pages under plastics suppliers. You can get acrylic (plexiglas) mirror in up to 4x8foot sheets, usually 1/4" thick but 1/8" might be available... I haven't been in that market for a few years. Only thing about acrylic, though, is that it does scratch easily so keep that in mind in your application.

Will

[Carl Olsen]

I saw some polished aluminum mirrors at BOEING Surplus that would cut nicely with just about any saw. I think they were polished aluminum with a plastic backing.

For cutting glass mirrors, you can do so very nicely with an abrasive waterjet. If this is of interest to you, then I suggest the following web sites:

(general info and listings of shops that can do the work for you..)

(equipment manufacturer with more info, and also more shops to do the work for you.)

I suppose traditinal glass cutting methods would work well also, if the shapes are simple.

[George M. Kazaka]