First mertail, in Black and Gold... partial silicone mermaid tail

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I just ordered 2mm Lexan instead of my original 4mm. Since my fluke design is really small I imagine it will be fine... hope I can still get away screwing the fins on it using holes though!

If you're worried that the 2mm won't be thick enough, you can reinforce a small portion of the blade (around your footsies) with another layer of lexan.

[Lili]

Aw I hope it works out...this is all a learning process, and your art is gorgeous

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[merwandering]

Mine is 2mm- I know I read someone was using 4... I don't remember who, but I swear it was someone making multiple tails, so probably Pearlie Mae? I do wonder if the larger flukes have more resistance bending them in the water, or if it is just a personal preference. The 2 works for me. I loved using the lexan because it makes it impossible(ish) to see the fin, and you can customize it so much. It seems really easy to put the fluke together in a way that holds well.
I'm so sorry it didn't work:/ But excited that you ordered the 2, and glad you tried it before it was a tail!
(and yes this is shamelessly self serving because I am excited about your tail but) don't let it slow you down:) the tail that is waiting to be is too amazing for me to stand, lol

[moniee]

Holy glob, I didn't think I could fall in love with your art more than I already have! AND IS THAT A FREAKING HUMAN/LEOPARD/LIZARD TAUR CREATURE SWEET LAWD I LOVE IT!
http://monieeart.wix.com/moniee#!unt...cv0h/image22sp
That's it. I'm officially commissioning you to illustrate my sci-fi novels. <3

Haha thanks so much Lorelei! I can't take credit for that creature thoguh as it's an illustration from a japanese novel! And I'm always happy to illustrate novels

*

Thanks for the encouragement and for the tips guys! I've gottem myself through the bum-time and am now awaiting for my Lexan, ready at the doorstep waiting for the delivery guy with my jigsaw in my hand. I'm sure he's gonna be happy to hand my package over.

I'm really relieved to know you're using 2mm for your tail Merwandering! I was worried it will be too thing for silicone. I'll also reinforce it around the footsies as Lorelei advised. This could work after all

So thanks again guys you are all too lovely and supportive <3

[merwandering]

Hope all is well!!! (and that you didn't get arrested for greeting a delivery guy with a saw, lol)
If so, I don't mind bailing you out!

[carouselclover]

Wow! I'm super new here, though I've been ghosting around the forums for a while, and can I just say - I'm so excited to see how your tail turns out! I'm hoping to make my own tail one day when funds aren't quite so low and I can finalize a design. Your work here is really inspiring moniee. Keep up the great work ^-^

[Mermaid Tami]

I used a 4 mil Lexan and finally finished my tail! I'm planning to try it out this weekend!


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[LouLouBelle]

Hope all is well!!! (and that you didn't get arrested for greeting a delivery guy with a saw, lol)
If so, I don't mind bailing you out!

It's been a few days of silence now. Should we be worried???




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[moniee]

Haha no, nope, no police forces involved thankfully!
Thanks for the comments guys! I was just not able to work on my tail at all - if my partner is at home (he finishes earlier than me) I can't work in my room even with my gas mask on as he's gonna have a bad time smelling it. It's very frustrating but I'm hoping I can progress little by little.

I actually have a little update though. I got my new sheet of 2mm lexan and cut a new monofin shape of it, with elongated foot pocket support so the foot pockets won't sit so low on the fluke:





I would say this is definitely a small fluke design, so a thinner 2mm sheet will be fine. However because of the shape of it under the foot pockets I wonder if I should double the lexan underneath them?

The only problem is with that, is I didn't have enough lexan :I And what I've done is, I cut two halves of the planned support panel and glued them together with specific plastic superglue:



Hoping you can work out the edges?




So do you think I should go ahead with this glued support panel? Will it be sufficent like this, glued together?
Or should I just go without it?

[LouLouBelle]

As it's just for support and not actually the main functional part of the fin, I would imagine it should be fine. BUT I'm not sure on that so hopefully someone else can be a bit more helpful than me??




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[PearlieMae]

I use a footplate like that on my fins, it helps ease the stress at the most vulnerable part of the fin...right in the toe area. I've also had success with a few pairs of holes around the edge of the footplate, using zip ties (cable/wire ties) to hold the two pieces together. Using PolyZap will make your polycarbonate brittle and break! The two plates held together with zip ties are able to support each other and still move independently some. Only thing you need to do is cover the connector part of the tie with a blob of an epoxy putty (be sure to test for cure inhibition, first!) so it doesn't wear a hole through your silicone fluke.

[moniee]

Thanks guys!

I will screw the foot pockets through the two panels - the fin and the foot support - so that should keep it in place, but I will stay away from polyzap from now on.
Too bad I wanted to use the lace method and that requires using polyzap!

I have an another issue as well if it's not already enoguh - sorry for moaning!
But this happened and it's annoying me a lot.

So basically I have this golden pigment colour, as you can see, it's quite bright:


The problem is, after it is applied, it starts to turn very dark, even greenish!!
I have tried mixing it in the silicone before application. I have tried to dab it in dry with a brush after application. With, and without using turpentine.

This is how it looks now: (the sides and the ankle area is supposed to be darker, but the greenish areas were BRIGHT golden when I applied!)



This, at the very bottom is where the colour is left as it should look really:


When I apply it it's fine but then it just turns dark.. I don't mind being a muddy mermaid but it's far away from my gold and black concept!

Do you have any ideas what could be the matter?

[PearlieMae]

It's real copper and zinc, and it could be oxidizing and turning dark.

Brilliant Gold and Sparkle Gold are very bright gold like your pigment pictured above, and they don't tarnish.

http://www.jacquardproducts.com/pearl-ex-pigments.html

[LouLouBelle]

You can get the pearl ex pigments on the uk Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pearl-Pigme...arl+ex+pigment

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jacquard-Pe...arl+ex+pigment




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[PearlieMae]

Oops! I forgot you were part of the Euro Pod!

[PearlieMae]

Haha thanks so much Lorelei! I can't take credit for that creature thoguh as it's an illustration from a japanese novel! And I'm always happy to illustrate novels

*

Thanks for the encouragement and for the tips guys! I've gottem myself through the bum-time and am now awaiting for my Lexan, ready at the doorstep waiting for the delivery guy with my jigsaw in my hand. I'm sure he's gonna be happy to hand my package over.

I'm really relieved to know you're using 2mm for your tail Merwandering! I was worried it will be too thing for silicone. I'll also reinforce it around the footsies as Lorelei advised. This could work after all

So thanks again guys you are all too lovely and supportive <3

Also, be sure to make your fluke THIN if you are using a 2mm polycarbonate...it can't support the weight of a thick fluke and may snap your Lexan, and/or it will pronate your ankles, turning your heels inward, and that hurts!

[moniee]

Thanks guys...again. I'm so pissed off about the pigment. I have researched so much to get some golden pigments from my home country - it was slightly cheaper and I also like to spend my money in there if I have the chance to help the small businesses who sell these. I have waited 2 weeks before I got home and finally picked this pigment up. Now after all the fuss it turns out to be not even correct... I could rip my hair out.
But since, I went ahead and ordered Jacquard pigments in sunset gold. And also had a weekend away from mermaiding (couldn't work on it without the pigments so I thought best thing is to turn my focus away from it). Hopefully I'll have a free weekend with my pigments arrived so we'll see!

[LouLouBelle]

And welcome to the world of tail making!

You'll hopefully find that the break will do you good, and you'll feel a bit more enthusiastic when you start again. It'll all be worth it in the end!


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[merwandering]

Moniee- I'm SO SORRY!!!! I know how frustrating that must be I didn;t realize all of this, and I'm glad you found another product but
that sucks
though looking at it- omg I am soooo excited to see this happen.
Do you plan to thin it and paint over, or redo?
It's going to be gorgeous

[PearlieMae]

Think of it this way, with your original pigments as an undercoat, your tail is going to have SO much depth to it's color now! Like a renaissance painting! It's going to be stunning!