Mertailor Top Too Big????

[Mermaid Mystery]

So my new top is HUGE, it's supposed to be a 34 but seems to be more of a 36/38. My mother and I are trying to fix it and I was wondering if E6000 bonds with silicone?


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[Yulia]

Only silicone sticks to silicone. In this case, the E6000 will probably just fall off.

[Mermaid Mystery]

Only silicone sticks to silicone. In this case, the E6000 will probably just fall off.

thank you! I'll probably just email him about it


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[Lily]

thank you! I'll probably just email him about it


Good luck with that /sarcasm

Your best bet is to get a tester of silicone and use that as "glue." http://www.smooth-on.com/Silicone-Rubber-an/c2_1115_1129/index.html?catdepth=1 It's about $30, which is steep for just a repair, but probably less than you would pay for shipping to and from Mertailor. You might be able to find it locally: http://www.smooth-on.com/pages.php?pID=104 (sculpture suppliers) or http://www.smooth-on.com/p106/Art-And-Hobby-Store-Distributors/pages.html (hobby shops). Your location says you're in SJ (hey fellow Bay Arean!), so if you find yourself in SF you can check out Douglass and Sturgess. That place is like a candy store for art nerds. There's also the big Blick on Van Ness.

All you need to do is mix up a few teaspoons of the silicone, spread it on your seams, and press them together ... maybe with some pins to hold everything in place while it dries. You could also try their Sil-Poxy (http://www.smooth-on.com/Epoxy,-Silicone-an/c11_1189/index.html) which is made for binding silicone to silicone.

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Good luck with that /sarcasm

This, unfortunately. He seems to have issues admitting he made a mistake.

If its the hook and eye closure top and its that big, you could cut and resew the hook and eye parts smaller, with either the old set or a new set from any sewing store. No need for silicone as long as you dont mind a few stitch lines or hand sewing to prevent lines.

Good luck!

[Mermaid Mystery]

Thanks guys! and yeah, he's actually been very rude to me lately over email, and the only time I feel completely comfortable talking to him is over the phone, so maybe I'll call tomorrow and cry about it. They totally butchered my top, which was made in like 3 days so I guess that's why.


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[Merman Arion]

Maybe you could show us pictures of the top so we can see what would work best for you to repair it.

As for his attitude, can't say I'm surprised. I would be lying then.. *sighs*

I'm kinda curious to see the e-mail though. Was it really him responding to you or could it be someone from his crew? :thinks:

[-Annwyn-]

Maybe you could show us pictures of the top so we can see what would work best for you to repair it.

As for his attitude, can't say I'm surprised. I would be lying then.. *sighs*

I'm kinda curious to see the e-mail though. Was it really him responding to you or could it be someone from his crew? :thinks:
This.
Supporting documentation to back up your claim would be helpful.

[Mermaid Mystery]

Maybe you could show us pictures of the top so we can see what would work best for you to repair it.

As for his attitude, can't say I'm surprised. I would be lying then.. *sighs*

I'm kinda curious to see the e-mail though. Was it really him responding to you or could it be someone from his crew? :thinks:

I'm not entirely sure if it was him or not, but I asked three questions about the top and only one was "answered". I think I accidentally deleted it, unfortunately, but I was asking about having the pattern on it and I had a couple questions about straps, and what I got back was essentially "The top comes with a clear strap" and that was about it (only the way it was worded was rather snappy). I didn't even get a hello! And I'll take a few pictures in a minute!


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[Mermaid Mystery]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/820d94f49728c59fdb4c628da1625890.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/35814dd6baa5b590fd50eb298695e832.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/2c8ec7dc08f4e7e8c9e26f1acfe72dbe.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/bda64285a8f8a7b759bb4d21eb077969.jpg
here's all the sloppy scales! http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/fc1314b912aeaed25926252dddb73e9c.jpg
this is my normal bra compared to the size of the scale top I received.http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/d8300d18df2d93f96edbcaea6da79ef6.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15/02/04/c1870837b6c5c420076d44f4300fc542.jpg



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[Mermaid Lorelei]

Holy shnikies! That is some serious slipshod quality! How could he even bear to paint it?

[Mermaid Mystery]

Holy shnikies! That is some serious slipshod quality! How could he even bear to paint it?

I'm thinking the same thing! it looks like I got into a fight with an angry shark!


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[Sherielle]

Woah. And yeah, if you get something of his that is wrong, he'll say it's your fault.

[Merman Arion]

Wow! You would think he has upped his game since then.. Obviously not! :doh:

[Lily]

Oh wow, that's horrible! It would be one thing if it just didn't fit but was of good quality, but this is unacceptable. Seriously, how does this guy stay in business and actually get *more* famous each year when he does such shoddy work and has terrible customer service? This is no way to run a decent business. So sorry this happened to you!

[Merman Arion]

I suggest that you call him out on his shoddy work by posting the photos on his page and every mermaid groups on Facebook.

Should be enough to get his attention and maybe an offer to redo the top for free if he's willing to save his business and "reputation".

Just an idea.

[Mermaid Mystery]

I suggest that you call him out on his shoddy work by posting the photos on his page and every mermaid groups on Facebook.

Should be enough to get his attention and maybe an offer to redo the top for free if he's willing to save his business and "reputation".

Just an idea.

hmm... I like this idea, but I also don't want him trying to publicly shame me like he's done with other customers. then again, I know you guys have my back. I'll try it the civilized way first and if things don't go the right way it'll get ugly.


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[QueenZero]

Eeesh, those scales. I'm sorry you got such a shoddy top, Labryinth. Yeah, what Arion said, seems like that kinda thing tends to get his attention. Can't believe he's still doing this...

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

I suggest that you call him out on his shoddy work by posting the photos on his page and every mermaid groups on Facebook.

Should be enough to get his attention and maybe an offer to redo the top for free if he's willing to save his business and "reputation".

Just an idea.

It doesnt work. Ive tried. He doesnt care about his customers for the most part. Only if they are famous. He will delete the photos and badmouth her for doing it. He did it to me when I proved he had shoddy crap tails.

If you paid for it by credit card, get a chargeback. I wasted time with dealing with him for a refund and missed my deadline. My credit card company said dont waste time. I reported him to BBB. He ignored them and since hes not accredited with them, they cant force a refund. The attourney general of floridas office is helpful and can forward to another mediation person with the florida trade and agriculture dept. They also recommended filing with the Federal Trade Commission. He uses this forum against you in legal procedings as well :) hes a walking disaster.

in his contract he sent there is a clause where he says he will cover all costs and repair or replace if its his fault. He doesnt live up to his contract.

I hope he sees this and proves me wrong just because hes pissed at me :)


I dont even know if thats worth fixing. Its gonna take a bit of silicone to fill that and all the other alterations.

Did it smell like vinegar when you got it?

[Mermaidmechanic]

Yeah, ask for a refund I would suggest. Those scales really are terrible... he did a great job making my tail but that top is kinda cringe-worthy. Send it back and get a top from one of the many people here who make fab tops. I saw one of the girls in the classified section (Rogue siren topic) is making tops now and they're great looking so far.

[MerAnthony]

:jawdrop: OMG!!! What did he use to mix the silicone? A blender? There are so many air bubbles in that top I would be ashamed to sell it if I was a tail an top maker. That is rush work an not taking the time to do it correctly. Or somebody else made the top an he passed it off as his work. I am so sorry you have to go threw this.

[MermaidShannon]

Oh dear. Surely he would fix this? My top came out flawless and he is nothing but darling to me. I'm sorry that happened :(

[Meronica]

I agree with everything Jamie said. Try emailing him, but he probably won't claim responsibility. Your best bet is taking it up with your credit card company.

Shannon, he sold me a tail with a misshapen fluke because he did not turn out the seam properly before sealing the fluke (there was no way he didn't notice it before shipping it out). Instead of trying to make it more aesthetically pleasing, his only offer was for me to send it back for him to seal the seam. I would have spent more on shipping than it would have cost for the tiny amount of silicone that would require, and I still wouldn't be getting the proper fluke shape I paid for.

He has such potential when he tries. It's just frustrating that he doesn't think of his customers as worthy of deserving his full effort.


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[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

GE 1 window and door 100% silicone caulking will fix his silicone stuff. If you want a cheap easy method. It sticks very well to the painted top layer. I use it for fixing my bad tail. Which is every other swim. It holds up better then his stuff as well. Takes pigment like a dream and dries pretty quickly :)

[Mermaid Isabel]

wow that's some awful job! all those air bubbles! one may think that after five years of working with silicone, one may make some improvements! It always looks like he is putting all his effort while working for big companies, and then he's terrible at working with "normal customers". This is no the first post I see of someone complaining about him: some people received their tails with DOG HAIR stuck in the silicone!!!! nasty!!!!!

I don't get how he keeps having plenty of customers despite the bad reviews….

[Mermaid Lunette]

Mermaidofthelabyrinth I hope something can be done to help your top! Sorry to hear this happened.

I hope you will let us know when/if it can be fixed ^^

[SeaNymph]

What I normally do if a top doesn't fit: Carefully remove the silicone part from the bra base and glue it (silicone glue GE or other) at a bra that fits you. Cut away the rest. You may also fill some bubble holes with pigmented glue or silicone that is not fluid anymore. Since it is a nice color and if you work patiently and carefully I'm sure the top will look good...

[AniaR]

I was surprised to see the top isnt actually on a top base but rather has the clasps sewn in. I'd just tell him you'd like an exchange, it doesnt fit. shouldnt be that hard honestly. :/ by now we know most unhappy customers get grief but just keep at it! hopefully he'll just do an exchange.

[Meronica]

Mertailor seems very charming and easy-going in his Facebook posts, but once you run into problems with his workmanship he can be very rude and unprofessional. I think we can just leave it at that. If you haven't had problems with him, you're lucky...and I think we can all still be friends without turning on one another over already unfortunate circumstances with Eric. (:

As for the top, I'd see if I could salvage the silicone bits and attach it to a well-fitting bra, and then add greenery/decor if needed to make it look right.


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[Imogen Finnly]

*cough*
To the photo of the clasp being glued to the silicone, couldnt you just take the clasp part of any bra and glue as he did in a similar way that it would fit you better? Than cut the rest off? I think someone mentioned something like that? You can add pearls and things to distract those ruined areas?

formerly jayy

[Starfrit]

And now to actually contribute to this discussion:


I was surprised to see the top isnt actually on a top base but rather has the clasps sewn in. I'd just tell him you'd like an exchange, it doesnt fit. shouldnt be that hard honestly. :/ by now we know most unhappy customers get grief but just keep at it! hopefully he'll just do an exchange.

This, exactly— and honestly, the nicer and more accomdating you are about it, the more likely things will work out in your favor. I say that as someone who's done customer service for years. :P Aside from the airbubbles and the sizing issue, it's a really nice top! Hopefully he'll understand and offer to do at least an exchange for you. He has a negative history and can be pretty flaky (I don't have the most stellar opinion of him, personally) but I believe he can pull through for some of his clients, sometimes. Honey vs. vinegar and blah, blah.

Hopefully everything gets straightened out! <3

[Imogen Finnly]

Im glad we could help! :D

formerly jayy

[malinghi]

On the subject of making modifications to the top, I've found that when using silicone to glue cured silicone, it's really important to clean the surfaces well with rubbing alcohol. When I tried it, even small amounts of dirt or residue would affect the strength of the bond.

Has anyone else experienced that? No one else in the thread has mentioned needing to clean the silicone with rubbing alcohol before gluing it, so I was wondering if that isn't a typical problem people encounter. Maybe I did it wrong.

[Mermaid Kelda]

Pearlie has mentioned the rubbing alcohol elsewhere, so no, you're not alone!

[Morticia Mermaid]

Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet but-

Could you pull the bra ends off and sew them onto the fabric there, then trim off the ends? Looks like the bra is the right size, but for what ever reason the ends were cut off and extended.

[Mermaid Kelda]

I think the bra itself is a few cup sizes too big - a few others suggested gluing an actual bra on to it, that fits, and trimming the silicone straps down to fit, which seems like a good idea to me!

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