Creating captain’s mirrors from cake pans

I recently went on a search for captain’s mirrors to hang above our new hallway console table. However, a recent Google search proved that captain’s mirrors are typically expensive.

I began to wonder how I could create my own captain’s mirror. I tried to make one from a stove eye cover, but it was too flimsy and not deep enough.

I decided to try to make one from a round cake pan. To create your own captain’s mirror my way, you will need the following:

2 10-inch round cake pans

2 9-inch beveled edge mirrors

1-inch blocks of wood (four per mirror)

3/4 inch machine screws

Cardboard cut in a circle the same size as the cake pan

D-rings with screws

twine or an old leather belt (your choice. I used twine)

My cake pans were just basic round pans. They were super cheap. I began by drilling holes in the pans, and screwing the wood blocks where I wanted them with the machine screws.

I attached the D-rings to the sides of the pan with the machine screws.

Then, I attached the cardboard round to the pan by screwing it to the wood blocks.

I then painted the cardboard black and allowed it to dry. Next, I attached the mirror with all-purpose adhesive. I attached jute twine to the D-rings, but you could use leather, a chain, or whatever strikes your fancy. I also ended up painting the rest of the pans black with some chalk paint, which I then antiqued.

I think that added a lot of character to these mirrors.  Now they are fancying up our otherwise boring hallway.

What could you do with re-purposed cake pans? I bet the possiblities are endless.