Hi,
I have a 12x14 shelf layout in my family room, goes around the whole room but is only about a foot and a half from the ceiling or so. I’m thinking i would like to add mirrors to the walls and ceilings all around the layout so when someone is sitting they can see the layout from where ever they are seated. The problem i’m trying to figure out is the best way to hang the mirrors. The mirrors will be 12 inch square. Does anyone have any ideas?
Railcon
If you’re talking about 12 x 12 “mirror tiles” professionals use a special mastic to hang them. If you do however, be absolutely sure you want to do this because removal later will leave a real mess to repair. Other adhesives may work but you have to be careful since they must be compatible with the mirrored surface.
Joe
Go to Target or Walmart or a Big Box depot and pick up some inexpensive wall dressing mirrors (thin frame, about 12x54). Mount these on thin plywood and hang the result.
Some time ago I was given some flexible plastic mirror scraps, about 3/16 inch thick and just as bright as glass. Cutting and mounting would be easy, as simple as just drilling holes and screwing in place after cutting to shape with a fine tooth saw. No mess, no fuss. Unfortunately there are no identifying markings on the protective cover. Knowing that such is available may help in a search. I would try goggle, sign painters and craft shops.
FWIW, Geohan
Question about the PURPOSE of the viewing-
Is this for viewing strictly to monitor whether the train is running, what track in a yard it is on, has it cleared a switch? In that case, mirrors on the ceiling over critical points would help. I plan to do these where I have staging area hidden behind or inside building fronts with open roofs. However, this is not going to be a very interesting angle from which to view trains all the time, or to view the scene, unless you REALLLLY like aerial or satellite views.
A mirror that gives you a side view of the trains and scene will reverse the image right-and-left and probably turn it upside from most viewing positions. Looking into that mirror through a second mirror would correct the image-- like a submarine periscope. I built a small viewing perisope when I had a wheelchair-bound model railroader visit a high table layout.