Big picture inspection mirror

[mklotz]

Normal size inspection mirrors (top in photo below) are fine for examining small details but I find them difficult to use when I want to view larger arrangements; my mental perception mechanism has a hard time synthesizing all those miniature pictures into a meaningful composite. Clearly, the answer is a bigger mirror where space permits.



I had some 3 x 5" mirrors lying about so I tried handholding that and it worked well to capture the whole view. But the glass edges were a bit sharp and I was concerned about shattering the mirror so I framed it. A sheet of 1/16" model aircraft panel fitted with retainers made from ice cream bar sticks and Starbucks' coffee stirrers protects the mirror and makes handling more comfortable.

There were still some applications where handholding wouldn't work so I made the handled carrier shown in the middle of the photo. As shown in the photo below, the naked mirror is held in the supports with the ribbed rubber tubing stuff used to secure screening in aluminum window screens. The clamps are movable so it can be adjusted for even larger mirrors should that become necessary.



I'm in the process now of framing another mirror to replace the naked one in the metal carrier.

If you're not up to making one of these yourself, there's a commercial solution that's just as good, indeed better. It's a woman's makeup mirror, flat and magnifying with built-in LED lights...

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Ligh...%2C240&sr=8-46

Just add an easily detached handle. The lights are a major improvement over my unlighted design.