In this episode of Dwell Made, Mike Montgomery of Modern Builds creates a round, wooden mirror from a single 10 foot 2x10” and a leather strap.

Key Products:

One 10-foot-long 2-by-10

Leather (Upholstery Leather)

Rubber Cement

Wood Glue

Router Jig

¾” Double Flute Straight Bit

¼” Double Flute Straight Bit

Wood Finish

Step 1: Cut 2-by-10 To Size

I used an online octagon calculator to find the size of each piece based on the radius of the mirror desired.

I used a stop block to ensure I cut all my pieces to the same size at 22.5 degrees.

Step 2: Glue Up Octagon

Odd shapes like this can be tough to glue up traditionally. I made sure to use plenty of glue to ensure a strong bond, and a ratchet strap to clamp the shape up.

Step 3: Router Jig

I made a simple base to use the Rockler circle cutting jig with.

I used a four-by-four piece of particle board so that it can be used on projects of all sizes in the future.

Step 4: Cut Circles

I cut the recess for the mirror first with a ¾” straight bit.

From there, I was able to use a ¼” bit to cut the inside and outside radiuses.

Step 5: Reinforce Joints

Because the joints are end grain-to-end grain, I used a biscuit joiner to reinforce the joints where each piece of the original octagon meets.

Step 6: Make Leather Strap

The leather I used was relatively thin, so I used contact cement to laminate two pieces together. This made for a more substantial look and a stronger strap.

Step 7: Make Wall Mount

I made a simple “hook” for the leather strap to hang from by cutting a length of 2” dowel and inserting a hanger bolt on the backside.

This allowed me to screw it into the wall (either a two-by-four stud or heavy duty wall anchors) to support the mirror.

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