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