Reddit mentions of Hangman Heavy-Duty Mirror and Picture Hanger with Walldog Anchorless Screws - Aluminum: HM-30D

Hey everyone! Thanks for the nice comments. Here is the process. I’m posting exactly what I used but obviously brand or material or process replacements can be made:

Materials:
4” x 4” x 8’ fence posts (triangles)
1” x 3” x 8’ pine slats (frame)
3/4” Hardwood composite plywood cut to size Home Depot will do this for you (maple, birch, etc)
Gorilla wood glue
Latex house paint samples of various colors (blue, purple, red, yellow, black, white)
Paint brushes
WATER-BASED aerosol polyurethane spray - satin
Wood stain for frame (dark walnut)
Brad nails (for frame)
Heavy duty hanging kit

Tools:
Table saw (with angled blade)
Miter saw
Circular saw
Brad nailer

Step 1 PUSHA PUSHA: Turn the 4” x 4” x 8’ fence posts from a rectangular prism to a triangle prism using the table saw. We’re going for perfect equilateral triangles here, so set your table saw to a 30 degree angle. Push the post through (I did this in smaller pieces). On the second pass, turn it around and get the other side of the triangle. And BOOM, you have a equilateral triangular loaf or log or prism or whatever. Do the rest of the 4” x 4” x 8’ fence posts. Looks like this:

[ ] -> [ ‘ \’] -> [‘/\’] -> /\

Step 2 CHOPPA CHOPPA: Use the miter saw to slice the triangle loaves into triangle slices. I didn’t use a guide for this (and I don’t think you should either) to get triangles of varying thicknesses. This added a little sumthin sumthin to the finished product and I dig it. Just remember that your finished product is going to hang on a wall, so don’t make your standard thickness ultra thick or the finished piece will be heavy af. A lot of my smallest triangles were only 1/4” at most, and I made the variety of bigger ones based off of that.

Step 3. CENTERING: Find the center of your plywood sheet using a t-square or whatever else is accurate. MAKE SURE YOU DON’T MESS THIS UP. You will love yourself a lot more later on if this is absolutely correct and spot on.

Step 4 PLACING: Take all of your triangles and place them where you want them. I started shallower in the middle with less variance, and used the chunkier ones with more variance towards the outside. Also sand any rough edges so they fit better.

Picture

Step 5 PAINTING: Now you need to paint Every. Single. Triangle. This is a painstaking process; I won’t lie. I started with pure white, and then ever so slightly ramped up the color as I went along. Take the pieces off, paint them, let them dry, then place them back. I tried to get a little funkier as I worked my way out, but tried not to deviate too far from the color palette. That being said, DON’T BE AFRAID TO RISK SOME WEIRD COLORS. I honestly didn’t think the pink, or aqua, or maroon would work in this, but I think those colors add a lil sumthin sumthin. Also, try not to paint too many of the same color. Add a splash of something to each triangle to change the color. Once all of your pieces are painted and placed back on the plywood, give yourself a pat on the back, and then switcheroo anything that you think needs switching.

^maybe invite some friends over for this step. It’s daunting even for two people.

Picture

Step 6 GLUEING: We found the best way to do this, while not completely messing up the layout, was to do it line by line from the inside out. This is to ensure that you don’t box yourself in (since slight inaccuracies in the triangles are gonna happen and everything won’t line up perfectly perfect). We used the leftover wood to hold the triangles in their row order while we put the glue down, and then just placed the triangles back where they went. Just use your head here and try to be as accurate as possible. Also remember to not use a ton of glue, or you’re gonna have a huge mess. A nice thin layer will be fine. Let everything dry.

Step 7 TRIMMING: Unless you’re a magician, you’re gonna have triangles hanging over the side of your plywood (or maybe you didn’t buy enough fence posts and you already returned your table saw to Home Depot so you couldn’t make any more triangles so you just had to settle for a slightly smaller product than you wanted WHICH IS FINE) Anyways, use the circular saw to trim off the excess triangles around the edges. Try to keep your lines straight here or your frame is not gonna fit well. Use this if you’re loaded.

Step 8 FRAMING: Measure your frame wood against the now-trimmed plywood. Use the miter saw to cut the 45 degree angle needed for the pieces to line up. After cutting, stain the frame pieces and let dry. Lightly glue the piece onto the plywood and brad nail into place (into the plywood, not the triangles)

Step 9 FINISHING: Use compressed air or a brush to get rid of as much dust and sawdust as possible. Then use the polyurethane aerosol spray to give the whole thing a coat. Don’t forget the frame too. Wait about an hour and then repeat. Repeat until you use the can up.

Step 10 HANGING: Center the hanger on the back of the plywood and screw into place. Then screw the other cleat onto the wall making sure you hit some studs for strength. Bask in the glow of your new art.

AND THEN YOU’RE DONE. Don’t be intimidated by the novel of instructions I’ve written. If you are intimidated (or lazy) go buy a piece from the artist that inspired this: Michalovic Wood Art

Sorry if the format sucks; I’m on mobile.

http://www.amazon.com/Hangman-Products-30-Inch-Heavy-Duty-Anchorless/dp/B000VWAYQC/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1426048183&sr=1-2&keywords=picture+rail+with+level

I’d recommend a french cleat. You can hit a couple studs and ensure it stays put. Good work.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VWAYQC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TUeMBbKKQMJBG

Drywall anchors are only so-so. Consider making a french-cleat with a piece of wood that you can screw into the studs.

Or use something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VWAYQC/

Even if you have plaster and lathe, the hanger product there should support the weight of your mirror if you use screws that get into the lathe.

Thanks for this nice idea. I saw 1/2 cleat options and felt it was not so secure, given that mostly there will be down the wall force & pull away from wall force, but occasionally there might be some swing / ing that needs to secured/ locked against.

I did not like this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_cleat

But I do like this - Maybe need something that can manage more weight? or 2 of them?

200 lb
http://www.homedepot.com/p/OOK-Hangman-200-lb-French-Cleat-Picture-Hanger-with-Wall-Dog-Mounting-Screws-55316/202341629

300 lb
http://www.amazon.com/Hangman-Heavy-Duty-Mirror-Picture-Hanger/dp/B000IU12J0/ref=pd_sim_60_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=31QnKNkTiFL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=03XP0J634798ZRZNNT0Y

300 lb
http://www.amazon.com/Hangman-Products-30-Inch-Heavy-Duty-Anchorless/dp/B000VWAYQC/ref=pd_sim_60_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=313E3-enG9L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=17D6D768YYQ21V0RA6QF

Can you share some examples that would be more secure like the second one?

What do multi cleats look like?

PS: Could you also suggest some other "locking mechanisms" that could Augment the cleats and prevent unintentional dismount.

or maybe be alternatives to cleats?