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A better heat & fire resistant suspension hack than the looped elastic fabric I have used here?

Note:

  • Currently in Lockdown in a condo in Asia where corona has surpassed Wuhan
  • Stepping out is not an option, unless a medical emergency and I’m stayed with older relatives
  • Food & medicine deliveries are also planned & scheduled and coordinated with building security

So before you fly in with just go to Home Depot or Hardware store or blah blah, this really needs within home hack ideas.

Hack pic: (Coming)

enter image description here

Updated: Pencil anchoring strap between wall & fixture solidly screwed into wall. Gooseneck folded down when not in use to avoid wrecking ball pendulum if suction ever pops.

updated hack

The goose necked shaving & magnification mirror uses suction cup and to stick but once in a while can let go and to prevent breaking it I’m using a suspension backup that’s been looped from between the wall and the electrical tube batten fixture.

Manipulating or removing fixture is not an option and adding any nails or screws or hardware into walls is also not.

It doesn’t have to load bearing whole time as suction cup is there. It’s just a fall back for when it pops.

I used the elastic waistband of an old boxer short that had gone past its life. I’m a bit concerned by it heating on account of light being left on top long.

Not in favour of electrical or insulated wiring which are electoral and thermally risks.

So what I’m looking for is:

  • Some home hacked fabric that might have the following or better heat & fire resistant properties:

  • ideally heat fire resistant and or retardant

  • non electrical conductive

  • better if water non absorptive or less (artificial fabrics like polyester being more water repelling)

So ideas on what I can hack or pull fabric from, out of plethora of stuff one may find at home.

Ps: And or other ideas that fulfill above or if lucky we can get e-commerce stores to deliver.

Update:

Worked fine for a suction collapse without any issues or damage so far. But I’ve kept eyes open for a better piece of fabric that may replace this.

enter image description here

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  • Am I seeing this right: this is a fluorescent light? That shouldn’t get hot at all?
    – Stephie
    Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 12:42
  • @Stephie - It does - blog.1000bulbs.com/home/cfl-vs-ccfl -
    – Alex S
    Commented Jun 11, 2020 at 16:10
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    In the event that shaving mirror suction cup "pops," your Hanes support must be load bearing—along with the fluorescent tube and fixture. The set-up looks like a potential candidate for starting a fire with the weight of the fixture on the plug and receptacle. What's above the mirror? Anything you could use?
    – Stan
    Commented Jun 12, 2020 at 3:46
  • @Stan This is it. I’ve checked it’s load bearing ness and it’s not a problem as it can handle its weight. Quite light. I’ve made and update to the setup by using a pencil as anchor to wedge the strap behind the fixture & wall rather than loop around it. Will post update picture.
    – Alex S
    Commented Jun 12, 2020 at 4:41
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    Has this device yet caught the mirror when the suction cup comes away? I would be concerned that when the shaving mirror rotates on your rigged-up support it was crash into the wall mirror and shatter one or both of the mirrors. So my hack isn't a hack at all, but to remove the mirror when you have used it and place it somewhere safe. Commented Jun 12, 2020 at 14:50

2 Answers 2

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Even if you can make a better emergency sling for the mirror, IMO it is still a dangerous situation. There can be unexpected consequences of this sort of solution. Example: the dashcam in my car has a suction cup, and like yours it comes away sooner or later. I wind its cable round the mirror stalk, which stops the camera falling and hitting things. Solved? No! The last time was in the middle of the night and the dashcam became a pendulum which activated the car's motion sensor, causing annoyance to neighbours who were woken by the alarm.

So my hack it to replace the mirror in a way that will not harm the bathroom walls or tiling. I know you can't go shopping, but you can get one mail order.

  • Just buy a plain small flat mirror and some double-sided self-adhesive pads. Clean, degrease and dry the tiles, and fix at the right height. If people of different height use the mirror, buy a tall narrow one.

When the time comes to leave your relatives' home, gently peel away the mirror – or leave it for them.

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Put the suction cup base on the level glass shelf just to the right of the AC mains plug that I can see in the photograph.

The glass shelf is near the position where you now have your mirror and stable enough to hold the mirror. If needed, you can place a small counterweight to help hold the suction cup in position. A binder clip or tape might help secure the base for stability, too.

No strap is necessary for hanging the mirror. It is standing nearly vertically when on the shelf.

Good luck.

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  • The glass shelf is barely in the picture & I was purposefully avoiding it such, as its not "bound down". It just sits on 2 small tabs & is loose & would not hold anything pulling weight away from the CoG. Its there only for tiny stuff that can be kept on top.
    – Alex S
    Commented Jun 16, 2020 at 8:30

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