Mountain Art Works
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Nestled in the Hills of Home - Heart of Appalachia
* Clean glass with soap and water, then rinse thoroughly, handling the glass on the edges only.
Let glass dry.
* Use a small mop, or make one with cotton on a stick. Pour a little nitric acid on the surface of
the glass and spread it around with the mop. Flush the surface with water, then place the glass
face down in a basin of clean water, to keep it clean until you are ready to treat it.
* Get 5 clean glasses. In one make Solution A, by dissolving 1 ounce of silver nitrate in 10
ounces of distilled water. Set aside 1 ounce of this solution to use later. Then with a medicine
dropper and constant stirring with a glass rod, "ammoniate" your Solution A, by adding, drop by
drop, some strong 10% to 26% AQUA AMMONIA. At first, a thick, brownish mass will appear, but
as more ammonia is added, this will begin to thin out. Stop adding ammonia when the solution
has become just barely cloudy, not entirely clear.
* Next, in a separate container, mix one ounce of caustic potash, known as potassium
hydroxide, with 10 1/2 ounces of water. Note: slowly add the caustic to the water. NEVER add
water to the caustic. Pour this solution into the ammoniated silver nitrate solution and stir very
thoroughly.
* Then again, add strong ammonia water, drop by drop, until the solution is just barely cloudy,
as before. Now pour in the remainder of the non-ammoniated silver nitrate solution, the portion
originally set aside. The main solution should once again become slightly cloudy. Make a
solution of one ounce of glucose in ten ounces of distilled water and stir it into the main
solution, which is now ready to use. This glucose is also known as dextrose, or just plain corn
sugar.
* The "silvering" should be done on a level table. Remove the glass from the basin and set it on
the edge to dry, then support it, sterile face up, on the corners of four upturned identical highball
glasses, or the like. Place a small mirror, under the glass, at an angle (this will enable you to
see the reflection of the silvering process, so that you can stop at the right time).
* Pour enough solution on the glass to cover it, and leave it undisturbed until the desired film of
silver has been deposited. By looking at the mirror you placed on the table, at a slight angle,
facing upwards, you are able to see the reflection of the silvering process, and stop at the
moment when the right degree of reflection and transparency has been achieved. This will
usually be about 20 minutes.
* Then tip off the solution at one corner and flush thoroughly with running water. Set the glass
on edge and let drain dry WITHOUT touching the delicate film. Wash thoroughly dry, put on a
coat of clear varnish with a soft camel-hair brush, or better, with a spray gun. When this dries,
you may choose to further protect the silvering by taping to the transparent mirror another sheet
of plain, clean glass of the same size.
* In use, the light on the mirror side should be stronger than on the back, and you should be
able to see everything clearly through the mirror from the back; while anyone on the other side
sees nothing but an ordinary mirror. Should you not be able to see clearly through the mirror,
you have allowed the silvering process to continue too long. In order to achieve perfection,
practice with small mirrors, until you have the timing just right. Such small mirrors, as small as
8"x12", have sold for as much as $12, which is of course far more than your cost to make. Good
luck!
***For information purposes only***
| One-Way Window Glass CAUTION: Chemicals and ready-to-use solutions will cause stubborn stains on hands and clothing. |