plan to fix or alter my silicone tail (Pearlie Mae?)

[Merman Lir]

(second time typing this, the forum spit me out!) Hi guys, First let me say that I love my tail and the mer who made it did a great job. However, I want to tweak it now. it's a little loose in the waist. mostly this is because the silicone stretches more than anticipated in use so it flaps when I swim. I usually secure it with a piratey belt. the second reason is that I am trying to get back to a weight that I am happier at, and as my physique improves the problem will hopefully get worse. ;)

my plan is to section out two little parts of the waist like i would if I were adding a dart to a skirt or pair of pants (i've altered a few costume pieces in my time) and then stick them back together with an additional little fin to hide the join. The new fins will have a little T cross section to overlap the scale sheet and add strength back.

from one of Pearlie's responses to another mer, I believe that I can stick silicone to silicone if i clean it really well with alcohol (even if the silicone is already fully cured). I hope that is the case!

so my questions are these: 1. any flaws in my plans? 2. anyone tried similar before? 3. how much silicone would it require to make 2 little fins, say 6" x 4" or so? would a "sample kit" be enough? how much/what kind of silicone to create a nice dark blue fin?

see pic for illustration35355

[Keiris]

Hi Lir!

Silicone comes in different shore hardness. Smooth-On explains the differences pretty well. Some will cure very "flippy" and rubbery whereas others can cure more solidly. Some people use the "harder" silicone for stand-up dorsals and flukes. Depends on how much movement you want. Since your design has the fins coming from the waist over the butt you'll probably want something flexible so you can sit. Thin decorative fins don't take much silicone and you can only mix tiny amts. of pigment in at a time or it won't cure.
I would definitely anchor those fins too with some fishing line or heavy duty thread just in case you don't get a good adhesion with the new and old silicone.

[Merman Lir]

thanks Keiris! can't wait to show you my butt fins!....

i mean...

[Keiris]

thanks Keiris! can't wait to show you my butt fins!....

i mean...
I was so hoping you would....

[AniaR]

I've altered my waists with good ol silpoxy.

[Merman Arion]

I was so hoping you would....

HEY!!! [emoji34][emoji34][emoji34]

[SeaGlass Siren]

Ohhhhhh snap :grabs popcorn:

[MermaidShannon]

HAHAHHAHAHAHA


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Merman Lir]

HEY!!! [emoji34][emoji34][emoji34]

I'd show you too :)

[SeaGlass Siren]

Like I said, can't be LAK without the L xD

it would be... LAKKING. LOL

[Keiris]

HEY!!! [emoji34][emoji34][emoji34]

:sweat drop: uh oh.
This from the Merman that got pillaged by a pirate at Mermania???:mermaid kiss:

[PearlieMae]

How did I miss this???

If you clean your tail thoroughly with dish soap and water (Dawn, original blue, if you can get it is best), then, once it's dry, clean it well with isopropyl alcohol...the highest percentage you can get in the States is 91%, I think.

The darts should work, but I would also back the repaired area on the inside with a large patch of powermesh sealed with a good layer of silicone. Let it cure for several days at the very least before stressing the repairs.

Raina has a lot more experience with repairing waists, using SilPoxy.

Test this before you attach it to your tail, but you can increase silicone hardness with the addition of corn starch. I know this works especially well with tin-cure silicone (caulking)...but be sure to take notes when testing it with Dragonskin, as it may not react the same way.

Good luck!

[SeaGlass Siren]

:munches popcorn:

[Merman Lir]

Thanks Pearlie! I hope you don't mind that I put your name in the title, but I remembered you had talked about adhering new silicone to old before. I'm actually thinking I might make a plaster cast of my lowerback and upper buttocks and then mold a silicone sheet to that curve to adhere to the back of the waist as a re-enforcement like you suggest. i don't know if having the curve molded into it would make a difference or not.

Sea-Glass, I hope you have a lot of popcorn... we're in advance speculation mode here. I don't move until I know exactly what I'm doing.

[PearlieMae]

No need to make a mold, the silicone will conform to your curvature.

But then again, plenty of merfolk here would love to watch that project! ;)

[Merman Lir]

actually one already exists... or did.35405. I'll have to call the theatre that used it and see what happened to it....

[Mermaid_Sarina]

I swear every thread is being taken over by the LAKRA fandom :P (Not that thats a bad thing ;) ) Good luck with your tail Lir!

[Ashton]

How did your project turn out?

[Merman Lir]

How did your project turn out?

haven't actually tried it yet. I've been practicing with silicone on another project (an updated version of my fin-hawk head piece)

[Keiris]

Let us know when you do the butt mold...with pictures please. :lol:

[The Harlem Mermaid]

HI Keiris (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?1027-Keiris) thank you for all your tips appreciated it. i have a question, how do you take in a silicone tail at waist, I got a mertailor basic silicone tail, but they made it too big around the top. Does anybody know how to take it in? asking for a merbrother , my hubby has added an elastic to my silicone #gagatail, but just 4 corners for time being, he used fishing line thread, it has never come off, but i too would like to know :) thanks