No passwords, No popups, No cost, No AI:
we earn from 'affiliate link' purchases, making the site possible

Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

finishing.com -- The Home Page of the Finishing Industry

  The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989

-----

Mirror Finish

I am fabricating a museum exhibit that will have a large wine bottle, approx. 36" tall with a 10" dia. The bottle will be clear Borosilicate (Pyrex) glass. The interior of the bottle needs to be mirrored to look like mercury glass. I have no idea how to do the mirrored finish.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks,

Thane Williams
- Napa, California
2001

Hi Thane. This would be the same process as used on mirrors, the Brashear process and its alternatives. Silver nitrate ⇦ this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and a reducing agent are sprayed simultaneously, and the silver nitrate is reduced to silver metal. Silver tarnishes quickly though, so you'll probably want to fill the bottle with nitrogen or helium and seal it. If that doesn't fit the aesthetic, then you'll need to spray a backing material on the silver, similar to the black coating on the back of mirror. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 20, 2013

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: