I will update later with photos. For the past week, I’ve been collecting aluminum cans. Later, I will have to map out the metal pieces on them to cut them out with a sharp Exacto knife. I have cut aluminum cans into sheets of metal, and while doing so, I have had concerns about the sharp edges and corners and wondered how I could soften them. With sandpaper? A coated layer?
For now, to save time and to see if this is feasible, I’m working on a paper rendition of the piece, although it is not as sturdy as the metal one would be. I am also still on the hunt for other reflective materials. So if there are any ideas, I welcome them.
If you are considering materials other than aluminum cans, I think any reflective foil might be interesting to pursue. I think they also make aluminum tape. I have used some in the past and its certainly an interesting material. You could make the structure out of something else (wood, cardboard, 3D print, etc.) and then lay the tape on top with some sort of flatting tool (like a paint knife or something to avoid bubbles/wrinkles).
Sandpaper should work well enough for rounding out the sharp edges. That or covering them with something smooth like tape. Tape would be the easier solution because you’d just need to place two small strips down, but sandpaper should do you good from my experience.