86 lines
4.9 KiB
Plaintext
86 lines
4.9 KiB
Plaintext
How to Make a Two-Way Mirror
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Written By: ZERO
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October 14 2001
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zerotextspy@yahoo.com
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The use of a two-way mirror to monitor what is going on outside a hidden room from within is a
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well-known practice. It may be that you are to undertake some sort of surveillance operation
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where a hidden camera is to be used, or maybe you just want a quick and simple method of checking
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that the outside area of the hidden room is clear before you make your exit. Once again, the
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possible uses are endless, but such mirrors are often expensive to purchase, especially if you
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require a custom-built on to suit a specific purpose. With a little work, however, you can make
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your own two-way mirrors cheaply and easily. As the construction of these two-way mirrors
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requires the use of chemicals, be sure to take normal precautions including the wearing of gloves
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and, if available, protective glasses.
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Normal window glass is used, and the first step is to ensure that the selected piece is
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chemically clean. This is best achieved by bathing the glass in a sugar soap solution, or by
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swabbing with dilute acid. Sugar soap is a chemical product used by decorators. It contains no
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soap as such, and soap should never be used in an attempt to clean the glass. After either of
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these treatments wash down the glass with clean water. Leave the glass, supported at only its
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edges, to dry naturally. During this time you can prepare the chemicals needed as follows.
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First, obtain three glass containers; jam jars will do nicely. Mark the jars 1,2, and 3 to avoid
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confusion later. Into the first jar, pour 300 mls of distilled water and to this add 28 gs of
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silver nitrate. Stir well.
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Into the second jar, pour 30 mls of the solution from jar one.
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The next stage is to add with an eye dropper small quantities of aqua ammonia (10 percent
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strength is enough) to the solution in jar one. As the aqua ammonia is added the solution will
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turn brown but then clear again as the solution is stirred. Continue adding the ammonia until the
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solution only just clears, or is just on the verge of remaining brown. At this stage the mix is
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correct.
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The solution for jar three is made exactly as follows. Pour 300 mls of distilled water into the
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jar and then slowly add, in small amounts, 28 gs of caustic potash. A degree of heat is generated
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as the chemicals mix, and the resulting solution must be allowed to cool before continuing with
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the process, which is simply to add the contents of jar three to those of jar one. Stir the
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solution, and add small quantities of aqua ammonia until the solution is neither fully clouded
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nor compleately brown.
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Next add the solution in jar two to that in jar one. The mixture will now turn dark brown again.
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The final stage in the preparation of the mixture is to add 15 gs of common glucose to 300 mls of
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distilled water. Stir well and add this to jar one. This mix is the final working solution. The
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glass to be used is supported at its edges, and a shelf or wall of melted wax or putty affixed
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around the upper edge. The solution in jar one is poured over the glass until the surface is
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thinly but uniformly covered.
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Leave the glass for about twenty-five minutes to allow the process to take effect. At intervals
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of a few minutes, look from underneath the glass to see that a mirror surface is forming. At the
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same time, check that some item placed beneath the glass is visible from above. Once this stage
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is reached, pour off any exess solution and rinse the glass under running water. Allow it to dry
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naturally. A thin coat of clear varnish or plastic seal can be applied to the treated
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(see-through side) of the glass for added protection. In position, the effect is heightened if
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the mirror-side area is well lit and the see-through side (hidden room) is somewhat darker.
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The Technique for cutting glass, or tiles for that matter, is given below. Using this method
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saves on time and also on glass! Place the glass on a level surface padded with rags or newspaper
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and mark the dimensions to be cut using a pencil or felt-tip pen. Place a straight edged tool
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across the marks and score the surface with one smooth stroke of the glass cutter. Hold the
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cutter between your pointing finger, and your middle finger. Don't be tempted to make another
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score with the cutter, as this damages the cutting wheel.
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Next place the glass over the ruler (or other straight edge) and press down on both sides,
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snapping the glass cleanly in two. If patterned glass is used, the score mak is of course made on
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the smooth side.
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And that concludes how to make a two-way mirror. If you have suggestions on what you would like
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me to write a how-to on, then please e-mail me at the address shown at the top. You may
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distribute this text file freely, You may also put it on any website that you want. but you may
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not omite my name in any way whatsoever. You must keep everything the same as it was when you got
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it.
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