Hello!

This is another project I built for class at the lovely Berry College. Lately it seems I have been making Halloween themed projects, and this one can certainly be added to my growing list. This box works like a two way mirror. As long as the inside of the mirror is in a darker space than the outside then the outside is reflective. If you were to stand on the outside of the box, you would be unable to see through it until a light was turned on inside it. Whenever the light is turned on inside of it, the person on the outside of the box can see a ghostly image. The way it's made is very simple; it has...

A picture frame
Gila privacy film and application solution
Some scrap 3/4 inch ply wood
Two small hinges
Black spray paint
A flashlight
some wood Molding I had lying around.
wood glue

Tools for this included

a table saw
1 inch hole drill bit
a nail gun

Step 1: Making the Mirror

To make the mirror I bought a cheap picture frame from the dollar store. I then took out the glass and sprayed it down with the application spray, then carefully pealed a piece of the film off of its backing and laid it gently on the glass. After this I squeezed the air bubbles out with a tool provided in the kit, and cut off the excess film. The film is not permanently attached, so it is important that you put it back in the frame. Cut the middle of the frame backing out making sure to leave an inch of backing around the edges to secure the frame in. This allows you to see through the frame, but holds the glass in place still.

Step 2: Building the Box

The size of your box will depend on the size of your frame. My frame was 11 by 17, so i had to make a box that was 11 inches wide and 17 inches tall. I made it 8 inches deep, because I felt I could fit the most in it that way. As long as your box is the same width and height as your frame, you should be fine. Make sure one side is open, because that is where your frame will be attached. After I built the box, I used some molding to make it look less plain. I had to cut it at a 45 degree angle so it would match up on every side. This I put along the sides and back of the top.

Step 3: Attaching the Frame and Light

After I made the box, I had to find a way to light the inside. Though I could have used something on the inside, I figured this was too difficult to complete in a four hour class, so instead I used a hole saw bit to drill a one inch hole at the top. I made it at an angle so that the light would illuminate the front of the object in the box rather than the top. After I cut the hole, I painted the box and attached the frame using hinges to make a door.

Step 4: The Finally

This was how it turned out. You can see that even in a lit room, it shows a ghostly image through when the light is turned on. If I do this again, I would like to make an actual door out of it. This could be used in haunted houses as a cheap way to hide rooms and the actors until time to jump out.