Questions about seaming with silicone scale sheets

**malinghi** · 06-18-2015, 01:59 AM

When making silicone tails it seems like everyone attaches the seams by wrapping the scale sheets around a body double and then applying the silicone. Would it be possible to attach the seams by laying the two scale sheets flat with the scale sides facing each other, then applying silicone to the seam and turning it inside out? You know, kinda like making a fabric tail but instead of sewing the sheets together, attaching them with silicone. Would that work?

To put this in context, here are some links to other places where people talk about seams. None of them did it the way I'm asking about.
http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...silicone-tails
http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...041-Tail-Seams
http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...t-time%2Fpage2

**Mermaid Kate Silverfin** · 06-18-2015, 03:01 AM

I think the downside with doing it with that method is that you won't be able to get the join to flatten out, so the seam will be quite obvious. It would look like Mertailor's spacer-backed tails, where the silicone bends inwards to the seam. While more tedious, seaming with one sheet on top of another lets you hide it much better. It all depends how you want it to look, I imagine you could cover the seams with side fins if you wished!

**Mermaid Wesley** · 06-18-2015, 04:26 AM

Yeah you could do it that way, but the seam would be really obvious and possibly painful if it's too tight. There might be a way to do it that way and patchwork scales over the seam, that would be interesting, but would probably take some testing.

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**Trident True** · 06-18-2015, 08:37 AM

one thing that comes to mind doing it this way is, how will you know where to seam and place the silicone without using a dummy? there is no doubt that this method wouldn't work. i just don't know how you would go about seaming without having curves to follow.

**malinghi** · 06-18-2015, 09:24 AM

Yeah, after I posted this I thought about it, and not only would the seam be really visible but it would possibly be uncomfortable.

Right now I'm thinking about using the method Julz used in the thread I linked to above. She did something similar to how most people glue the scales, but without the body double.

And Trident True, that's a good point that it's harder to know where to seam. But I have my measurements. I think maybe I can do it by drawing where the seam should be based on my measurements and working with that.

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**AniaR** · 06-18-2015, 09:39 AM

I don't think finfolk, Merbellas, or mertailor use a body double.

**malinghi** · 06-18-2015, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by AniaR

I don't think finfolk, Merbellas, or mertailor use a body double.

Really? That's interesting, and encouraging. So do they do it like Julz did in that thread? just lay the sheets flat, fold the edge over and hold it in place with safety pins while the silicone cures?

**Keiris** · 06-18-2015, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by malinghi

Really? That's interesting, and encouraging. So do they do it like Julz did in that thread? just lay the sheets flat, fold the edge over and hold it in place with safety pins while the silicone cures?

Malinghi, did you look at Anceos new tail he's working on? He showed a close-up pic of the seam he's doing that I asked about. It looks great and isn't even painted yet.

**Mermaid Wesley** · 06-18-2015, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by malinghi

Really? That's interesting, and encouraging. So do they do it like Julz did in that thread? just lay the sheets flat, fold the edge over and hold it in place with safety pins while the silicone cures?

Exactly. I think that's the most common way of doing it, but lately the duct tape dummies have gained popularity.

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