This mirror will be just right in a hallway or near an entry door. It's a great project that will teach a few techniques, and it's really fun to build!

Figure 1. After careful setup, cut the mirror frame segments. We strongly recommend adding a stop on your fence to aid in cutting uniform pieces.


Figure 2. Test your frame segments and when they present an acceptable fit, glue them together. A band clamp is a must for this task.


Figure 3. Rout the chamfered profile onto the outside edge of the mirror frame.


Figure 4. The recess for the rectangular-shaped mirror is routed out with the aid of a template.


Figure 5. There is a bit of excess waste that needs to be removed at the corners of the mirror recess.


Figure 6. A silicone-type adhesive will hold your mirror in place. Apply a liberal amount and when the mirror is set, allow sufficient time for it to cure.

Making this octagon mirror frame will be a piece of cake … if you can accurately cut 22.5-degree angles. While this sounds simple in concept, when you are fitting that last joint which closes up a frame like this one, any tiny variation from that 22.5-degree angle can come back to bite you like a grouchy pit-viper. (It's a problem we call "accumulated error.") That's why the first thing you should do to start this project out is to make test cuts in scrap lumber. (If you have some leftover MDF scraps, this would be a great use for them.) Set up your chop saw and adjust the cut until you are right on the money.

Start making the frame by ripping your 3/4" thick stock into pieces 3" wide on your table saw. This mirror was made from white oak lumber simply because there was plenty in the shop, but really — any solid wood will do. Just make sure it is straight grained and free from defects. When you have your wood ripped to width, step back to your chop saw and make the frame segments. As you can see from the Material List, there are 3 different lengths to be cut. If possible, set up a stop to help make each similar segment identical in length (see Figure 1). This is actually more important than making them match the lengths in the Material List perfectly. Remember, if each group is uniform in length, the miter joints will work properly. If they vary in length, even the exact miters that you set up earlier won't help you — your joints won't come together perfectly.

The next step is to test fit your pieces together. A band clamp is going to make this operation so much easier. If all the joints close well, you are ready to glue and clamp the frame (Figure 2). If you wish, you could take the extra step of putting biscuits into the joints — the frame segments are wide enough to accept a #20 biscuit. But biscuits are not required — if the joints fit well, the glue will hold just fine without them.

After the glue has properly cured, scrape any squeeze-out away and sand the frame smooth up to 180-grit. Then chuck a chamfer bit into a handheld router and shape the edges of the frame (on the front face of the frame only). Put a wider chamfer on the outside edge of the frame (Figure 3) and a narrower one on the inside edge.

Here is the first thing you should know about buying the mirror: Don't do it until you have made the recess where it will sit! You cannot resize glass after it is cut.

Rather than have a more expensive octagon-shaped mirror fabricated, this project is designed so that you can just have a rectangular piece of mirror cut at a local hardware store. To fit it into the frame, you need to rout a shallow recess to accept the mirror into the back face of the frame. The easiest way to do this is to make a rectangular template (see the diagram below). You can secure the template for routing using double sided tape, or by clamping it onto the octagon frame. Use a pattern routing bit with the bearing mounted at the shaft of the bit, and cut the recess for the mirror as shown in Figure 4. It only needs to be about 3/16" deep to accept 1/8" thick mirror stock.
As shown in Figure 5, you will need to nibble away the corners of the recess. When you are done with that, square up those corners with a sharp chisel.

The good news is that you are almost done with the project! With the recess routed out and the mirror test fitted into its opening, take a few minutes and do a final sanding. With that done, you're ready to apply your finish — but don't put it into the recess you just routed … you still want bare wood there for the adhesive. Because it hangs on the wall, this project will not likely get much hard wear and tear. For that reason, this frame is just right for a simple oil finish, which looks great and is easy to apply.

When the finish is applied and cured, drill a 1/2-inch-diameter by 1/2-inch deep hole to hang the mirror from. If you'd prefer, you could always mount a picture hanging hardware of some type.
Then apply a strong silicone-like adhesive into the mirror recess (see Figure 6) and firmly press the mirror home. Let the adhesive cure as directed. When that is done, find a good place to hang your masterpiece and put it to good use.

Routing Template



Front View

Make sure you've checked out our other Portable Power Tool Techniques articles:

• Angling for a Better Looking Window
• Outdoor Cedar Planter
• Garage Tool Organizer
• Seed Starter Tray with Removable Dividers
• White Oak Napkin Holder
• Handy Entryway Hanging Storage
• Half-lap Joints on the Chop Saw