Home Made Blue LED Infinity Mirror

An infinity mirror that my dad and I made and finished in January 2011. They aren't really very hard to make and you can easily find the materials you need if you google "How to make an infinity mirror" and so on.

What you need:
This one was made using two pre-cut pieces of perspex (strong, widely available plastic). One piece being transparent and one piece mirrored. Place some window tint over the transparent one to get the desired infinity effect with the completed mirror.
We made a wooden frame that had hollow sides all the way around which allowed for the placing of the many LEDs and their wires. The frame was only put together using strong "wood glue" and some nails but this was more than enough. The LEDs were places in many drilled holes and then kept in place with blu-tac (we weren't very professional about it but it did the job).

Infinity mirrors are definitely worth making. They look beautiful anywhere, aren't very expensive to make and even work as a regular mirror when turned off. Additionally, due to the lights being LEDs and not bulbs, they will probably last a lifetime if you aren't too rough with them.

Points to mention: Be very careful with the LEDs when placing them through drilled/any holes. If it is a tight squeeze, don't push them too hard, especially not with your fingers as the wiring can (and will) break. These can be fixed with some soldering but this is a lot of effort! I would suggest you just be careful. Also, although it may be more expensive, if I was to re-make the mirror, I would use glass instead of perspex. This is due to several reasons:
1. Perspex scratches very very easily and for those perfectionists out there, it may annoy you.
2. It can also be bent very easily (my mirror, when turned on, looks like the lights are going inwards as well as back; originally when I tested it, it didn't do this).
3. I don't think that window tint is really meant to be fitted onto perspex, although it worked I think the quality would have been better it glass was used instead.

* having said all this, perspex is safer, lighter and the bendiness does produce a really cool effect if you press it lightly (the lights all move).*

Will probably be making another video soon of snap-shots taken as the mirror was being made. Enjoy making your Infinity Mirror!!!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• infinity
• mirror
• large
• blue
• LED
• lights
• home made
• cool
• lucas
• munnich
• n33wom

[SVDShooter]

I have a serious question and would be so EVER GRATEFUL if you responded n33wom. I made an infinity mirror, but then my finished product doesn't look as "deep" as this. There are only 4 reflections of the lights deep and so the illusion is very "weak". Could I ask how you think I could fix this? What type of window tint did you use? 20%? 35%?

Thank you

[n33wom]

@SVDShooter I don't really do physics apart from apples falling from trees and all that lark, but im pretty sure there are two things that should effect the strength of the reflection (you need a stronger one):

1. Brighter lights - if they are more poweful the light has more energy to bounce back and forth between the mirrors for longer

2. Stronger window tint - I'm pretty sure if the tint is more reflective, you will get more rows of reflected light ^^

[n33wom]

@SVDShooter Also, I'm sorry but i have no idea how strong my tint is, and i have no way of telling either >.< tbh I didn't know how many different types there were until everyone started asking xD

[iamtottallyawesome]

I wanna buy this from you, buy a DeLorean, change the engine mechanics so it just makes the car violently rumble and not move, replace the front window thingy with the window, and replace the windows with black. Then get my friend to get in with me and tell him we're goin' to space. Turn on the car, push down the pedal, and pull a lever that says "Warp Speed" which just turns this on. That'll get me some fame points...

[n33wom]

@iamtottallyawesome all that effort when you could just give him some weed and then sit him infront of "Back to the Future" while its in the DVD player.

[yudanielk]

That's a cool video. Just a few questions though...

1. How many LEDs did you use for your project?

2. How are you controlling the LEDs (my best guess is an Arduino Mega board)?

3. What are the dimensions for your finished infinity mirror?

4. More information on how you wired the LEDs (like the components you used) would be nice to know too... :]

[n33wom]

@yudanielk It realllly isn't as technical as you think xD. This is quite a tacky DIY effort in some respects... i wanted a cool light mirror, not a master electricians dissertation xD. No. of LED's = 100, or at least thats how many were on the length of wire i bought off eBay. I'm controlling them with a small control box that came with them (it has built in sequences for the lights). The frame is hollow and the lights are stuck in small holes secured with blu-tack (YES blu-tack :P)

[kalaandroid]

1. Make a huge mirror like this (without bottom edge led's)

2. Mount it in front of your garage door.

3. Wait untill someone tries to drive trough it!

[n33wom]

@kalaandroid But then you get a broken mirror :(

[blackelement422]

TO THE NETHER!! :D

[MsALCHEMY1]

This is fab! :-) ...I'd guess you wish you'd recorded a tutorial vid as you made it now, seeing all the questions you have here now :D

Are you still going to upload snaps?

[fetalbetal]

hey mirror, im trying to shave my genitals, stop captivating me

[IMAWESOMEANDUNOIT]

@iamtottallyawesome omg that would be amazing if you were stoned lol

[masterchief3k]

just need an orange one.