Making a Mess! Neoprene + Vinyl Fluke experiment

[Arking]

So I've decided to post a new forum to document this process of making a tail that I've been going through. It's been quite a journey so far and this network has helped me come to realize I may be in for a rocky experience as I hurdle towards the finish line.

Some back story -

A few months ago the clothing store I work for decided we wanted to do a window display for our cities Pride events at the end of July one such idea that made it into the hat was an underwater theme. In this theme I figured "why not make a mer-tail" I've wanted to make one for awhile and it'd be a fun costume to have lying around for the occasional Little Mermaid showing in the park, or costume party.

Fast forward a few months and I've laid down the foundations of how I was going to do this, and somewhere I got it in my mind that "this tail need's to be functional underwater". I wanted the fluke to have weight so I decided neoprene would do best (thankfully the fabric store and costume designers agreed). I also wanted it to be very textured, as a window display I figured the more depth to the tail the better it would look. In coming up with the need for more texture I found alligator skin printed brown vinyl that's about as thin as a heavy card stock paper.



I've gone about taking a bottle cap + a ink pad and stamping out rows and rows of scales on the vinyl. Initially I thought "why not use the large paper circle hole punch (only $26.99 at my local Michaels Craft store) but I figured having each scale cut only half way and creating ribbons of scales would allow me to stitch much faster using my Singer XL 400.

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So fast forward the ribbons are cut out (about 6 hours worth of casual work speed give or take) and my neoprene is awaiting my next steps. I'm undecided whether I want to do two side seams or one seam down the back. The scales will be sewn on while the material is unstitched together and I may be painting them prior.

I will be painting using Lumiere metallic fabric paints and I'm considering mixing these paints with rubber cement though I need to experiment with this. Rubber cement painting is often used on latex masks, it gives the material a bit more stretch but I'm unaware of how it would react to water, though it would be affordable to repaint and saves me a great deal of cost by pushing my Lumiere paints a bit further than they would otherwise go.

The double side or single stitch is my biggest hangup right now as I'm unaware of how the variant stitches impact the overall body shape of the fluke. If it's negligible I'd move to do a double stitch but having a "natural" appearing crease down the backside of the Fluke is a bit more favorable if the double stitch does present a notable seam.

As for the fin, I'm sourcing a mono fin in my area. So far I'm seeing a lot of kids sizes available at local pools but nothing that's good for a beginner or adult, but I've admittedly not looked very hard as I'm still working on the Fluke. Once I've found it I plan to create a Neoprene case and then challenge myself to somehow texture the Neoprene to resemble a fin (goodness knows how I'm going to do that).

[Arking]

So I took a day off, not feeling so great about it either. I bought a cheap airbrush to help paint as I read somewhere on here it's the preferred method though I think I'm still going to be hand painting some details onto scales.

I'm at a loss for the caudal fin as of yet since I haven't been able to locate a local supplier of monofins. I'm also a bit worried about the amount of Neoprene that I managed to nab from my local fabric store. I'm going to need a fair bit more for the fin, and yet what I have barely covers the fluke.

Speaking of the fluke, I've opted to go with a double seam and I'll attempt to mask it with some spare scales and hand stitching. Having checked out enough tailmaking threads I figured this approach seems to give the best body to the design. I won't be using a form though as I don't have much time to prepare at this late in the game.

Extras: I'm seeing so many great ideas of how to add extra fins into the design that I'm starting think "what if" and making a wishlist. I didn't plan on anything extravagant for this tail but man o'man are some of the diy solutions begging to be explored.

I'm also trying to design a rolling scale punch should I decide to do this again in the future. A dremel (to sharpen) some spare sheet metal (for the scale shaped blade) and a wood wheel with handles on either side might be all I need to sharpen the metal and just roll along some vinyl and cut ribbons in a jiffy. I'll play with that fire later though as I'm not really sure how many tails I'm going to want/need after this project.

[Mermaid Lieke]

I like your idea! Can't wait to see more! Do you have a sketch?

[Arking]

I do! I will share when I'm back from work. I have a few designs because of all the various methods you can go about making a tail so they're all based on construction really :)

[MermaidClaudy]

Can't wait to see!!!! :)

[Arking]

Drew this while debating colour scheme this evening.

[Arking]

Pretty excited today is the day my monofin comes in. I had to learn the hard way that monofins are still a mostly online thing despite all the recent articles about how mermaiding and monofins are the hot new trend for 2016. I drove out to AquaSport in Coquitlam, BC which actually does carry the Finis Mermaid, and Wave but was saddened to discover that the Wave was child size and my hammy feet were just too small.

After some looking around I realized that the Finis Rapid on Amazon.ca was the same price as the website and was offering two day free shipping so I figured why not splurge and get the Rapid. Today is the day it arrives in the mail! Sadly today is also the day I work 13 hours in a row so I won't be able to pick it up until Friday.

[Keiris]

Arking, your tail project sounds interesting. So, am I right in reading it's going to be in a window display first (like on a mannequin?) and then you're going to swim in it at some later time?

[Arking]

Arking, your tail project sounds interesting. So, am I right in reading it's going to be in a window display first (like on a mannequin?) and then you're going to swim in it at some later time?

Yeah that is it exactly! I started out thinking I just wanted to do a window display but thought I might want to make this as something that can function so I heavily upgraded what I was doing. I've made a body form, stitched the neoprene together (created a pattern based off it for future use), and purchased neoprene glue to adhere the vinyl to the form while it's on the dummy.

Sadly I just received news that due to the strike or something my package was delayed and I won't be getting it until next week so my display will have to use a cloth variation of the fully detailed version I'm working on. Brutal set back.

[Arking]

If I had the dimensions of the Finis Rapid I could probably make the sleeve without concern but I don't want to proceed in making the tail without knowing how the feet should fit into the form, and at what points I need to create the fin seams. Totally banging my head on my desk at work trying to figure out why I'm having such bad luck with this monofin business.

[Keiris]

Arking, doesn't their website offer dimensions for the Rapid? There are so many mers on here that have one maybe they can give you the measurements you need.

[Arking]

Arking, doesn't their website offer dimensions for the Rapid? There are so many mers on here that have one maybe they can give you the measurements you need.

I had seen them somewhere and looked about at some tutorials for a general idea. I still want to play it safe for now though and wait until I can put it on along with the tail for a good measure which isn't all that bad. I'm not overly worried as I've been putting together my rainbow seaweed forest which is keeping me occupied.

[Arking]

Thanks for all the advice and support though! I really appreciate having some guidance and reassurance as this is my first time attempting anything like this. :)

[Arking]

So it's been a few weeks. The company I bought my monofin from lost my package and while I did look up measurements I was really uncertain about continuing without having the fin inside the sleeve. Turns out that was a wise decision as the pattern I had made wasn't snug enough and left several folds of fabric when used.



I managed to locate a heavier bit of neoprene for the fin portion (though it really should have been the thinner part) and finished the fin yesterday. I've opted for a seamless fluke and tail, so I did single back seam of neoprene with a separate fin. The fin was then applied using a bit of hot glue (to hold it in place) and then neoprene glue to seal and connect the material. The overall look is pretty good but we'll see how well the neoprene urethane adhesive holds up. If it doesn't I've made sure to leave myself gaps to pull apart and redo the fluke.

Due to the rushed nature of things the scales are being applied with a hot glue gun, It's not ideal but it's only a temporary thing as the glue will later pull off and I can use neoprene glue (which I ran out of) and hand stitching to affix them properly. The tail was finished using Alex Plus and a wide toothed comb (terrible stuff I know). I chose to use it as my skin won't come in contact with the silicone, I used a neoprene that's twice as heavy, and it's the most cost effective choice at this point.

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Lumiere while my friend, is also my enemy. As it turns out it's quite popular in the summer months so my local supplier was out of blue, turquoise, and variations therein. That left me with olive, emerald and a dichroic powder green with purple variation mixed with clear coat. I'll be repainting the fluke after to add a skin tone blend towards the waist (on a white mannequin the blend doesn't look good). It also won't stick to Alex Plus which leaves me in a bit of a bind later on.

All in all between the silicone and the needing to redo the scales later on, I suspect I won't be ready for water until mid-august. When I'm not pressed for time (I got my monofin in on Wednesday and my display was due two weeks ago) I'll be going over the entire project again to add more detail and professional finishing.

[Keiris]

Looks like you are well on your way Arking! Can't wait to see what you do with the color. I'm curious. Have you had a chance to practice swimming in the monofin at all before you don the finished tail?
btw, I love how your little dog is completely conked out beside you while you lay there in your tail:D

[Arking]

Here's an update on what it looks like now.
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[Arking]

Looks like you are well on your way Arking! Can't wait to see what you do with the color. I'm curious. Have you had a chance to practice swimming in the monofin at all before you don the finished tail?
btw, I love how your little dog is completely conked out beside you while you lay there in your tail:D

Well right now I'm only doing one tone. It's on display now and really only half finished. I ran out of my ribbons of scales so I have to patch a few. It's pretty neat that the vinyl actually works, in small 2-3 scale patches they spread and flex when someone is fitting into the fin. They were all applied while worn so that they fit exactly as I need them too using neoprene urethane glue.

I have! But it's been awhile and I've not done it with a fluke so it'll be interesting to see how this challenge works out for me.

Kit the side kick there is always watchful. She doesn't mind that I completely destroy my apartment when I work. The model is my roommate who is nearly the same measurements as myself so he doubles at my form when I'm working. :)

[Celaeno]

It's looking impressive! Does the vinyl have any stretch to it?

[Keiris]

It looks GREAT! I'd love to see the window display this is used for!

[Arking]

The vinyl doesn't have stretch but being familiar with the material I kind of expected it wouldn't. That's where the neoprene base comes in. Much like a sequin tail the neoprene is the stretchable base layer and the vinyl top layer then separates and contracts when the tail is moving. So the scales never distort or elongate, they just flex and pull apart much like real scales would. This does leave some gaps in the material when the tail is stretched in positions like say pulling the knees up to the chest. But under painting and some good use of urethane reduces just how much this looks odd.

Here's a link to our window display (sadly it's not night time and it's not the full two level height) https://www.facebook.com/Topdrawers-Underwear-122157531176699/ second post down! :)

[Lilyrose Fish]

I wasn't able to find the photo of your window display. I looked around a little but had to stop because all that beautiful masculinity was making me short of breath. I would be very interested to learn how your mer tail performs in water. I have been considering a very similar idea. I wonder if anyone has posted anything about how sequins, scales, textures, or fins create drag when swimming? I added stiffened side fins to a spandex "Magictail" and it has become almost unswimmable. I also wonder how much the power of the monofin matters with added drag.

[PearlieMae]

I couldn't find the window display, either...and then, I completely forgot what I was looking for!
:swoon:

[Arking]

38494 Still not a good shot. I should have nicer photographs tomorrow. :)

[Mermaid Lieke]

Wow, your tail is stunning!

Verstuurd vanaf mijn ALE-L21 met Tapatalk

[Arking]

A quick update!

My tail has only been on display since Saturday but it's coming down this evening. I'm getting it back a lot sooner than I thought I would which means I might get a few weeks worth of use out of it near the end of summer. My next steps over the weekend will be to remove and re-adhere the scales. As I mentioned due to the rushed nature of the display the scales are currently only held on by small beads of hot glue, and even then the entire backside of the tail is just loose ribbon.

I plan to gently remove the scales and then pull them apart in staggered clumps, cut them into 1-3 scale lengths and reapply with a waterproof neoprene urethane glue. It'll also be at this time I finish the waist measurements (I've intentionally left the seam loose and riding high up to the belly button). At this stage I'll be coating all exposed seams with urethane glue to help reinforce the stitching I did to get the initial shape.

I've only completed one half of the fin using the Alex Plus (which only took a caulk and a half to do) but I plan to revisit both halves to add false bone, and some jagged edges to the ends. If I can I'd like to find a tile trowel with a fine spacing for a more consistent line detail on the fin.

After the glue and scales are all on again I'm only a few steps from completion. I have to more colours of paints that I can use and more olive green to play with. I have a vivid emerald green I plan to use to add false depth to the design on the sides and tail, and and a dichroic acrylic powder that goes from green-amythyst depending on angle to individually highlight on each scale. I've also planned a skin-tone blend at the top few layers of scales but I need to find a good fabric paint or make one that meets that need.

The final step which I'm yet deciding on may be a stretchable clear coat finish on the overall fluke to help seal both the paint and the scales. I'm adverse to using Alex plus but aware that it both has stretch and seals clear which may be a paintable solution to protecting the integrity of my work. I'm still reading tutorials on here to find good ideas on whether there are other safe and surefire options available.

[PearlieMae]

You realize that Alex Plus is toxic to wear, is a hazard to the environment and will break down and crumble within a few swims, right?

[Rett]

Wow, I love what you've done so far! (And I love the window display!). I would second Pearlie warning though. Alex plus is terrible terrible stuff. I'd recommend redoing the fluke with GE 100% silicone caulking. Many mers (myself included) have had great success using it, and it's great stuff for tail making!

[Arking]

You realize that Alex Plus is toxic to wear, is a hazard to the environment and will break down and crumble within a few swims, right?Yeah, which is why I'm adverse to using it at all. It was a quick drying solution for the display given the 24 hours I had to complete the design. Given the few weeks I have to work on everything else I plan to be spending the remainder looking for alternatives.

[Arking]

Wow, I love what you've done so far! (And I love the window display!). I would second Pearlie warning though. Alex plus is terrible terrible stuff. I'd recommend redoing the fluke with GE 100% silicone caulking. Many mers (myself included) have had great success using it, and it's great stuff for tail making!

Thanks for the helpful recommendation! I planned to remove the Alex from the tail fin above already considering the sloppy application and it's peeling nature. I noticed it wasn't very good stuff after it dried over night. I imagine it won't be that difficult to remove with some patience and a good putty knife. Rather than simply reapplying it as I'd intended to do I'll look into the GE 100%.

[Arking]

Alright so it's my first day off on my vacation. I'm a little behind, yet ahead? I got the tail back last week but it's been sitting unloved on my trunk until I had the proper motivation to finish.

I picked up some GE 100% like Rett suggested and have begun the process of removing scales and chipping off the Alex Plus. It's kind of therapeutic.

Some notes:

Wow Hot Glue is STRONG! Between the dual porous surfaces of the covered neoprene and the felt backing of the vinyl the glue was really difficult to get off. I really had to pull hard to remove it which made me think "well this might have sufficed in a budget pinch" had I opted to only use the hot glue. Instead I will be going forward with a waterproof silicone based glue to finish the scales to the neoprene.

My stitching is good but it really needs the neoprene glue to prevent tearing. There are portions where the threads clearly stretch too far for comfort and could tear after repeated use.

Alex Plus is easy to remove if it's heavily applied and only if. I really used the stuff sparingly on the fin, every dip is actually the neoprene showing which makes it hard to remove the thinner coats of Alex that are proving to be tricky.

Budget wise this isn't costing me all that much. Vinyl $30, GE 100% $20, Neoprene $60, Finis Rapid $110, Paint $30.
All in all around $250? But between that and the manual labor it's looking worth it to invest in a $500 silicone fluke. If I had gone without the rapid this tail would be only $140 which is a nice price considering how it looks.

Details are important! The pictures earlier were of the rushed version of the tail, now I get to stress over the pretty small things such as gradual scale reduction on the fin, fin edging, and colour.

[Arking]

So I've removed the bulk of the Alex Plus carefully by shaving it off with a razor. I was happy to discover that slowly I could peel off the silicone with a cheap razor and opted to use that method to clean the neoprene of the unwanted silicone.

I've also spent a great deal of time cutting out more scales. I came up with a plan to enhance the tail a bit, and also needed more to finish the entire backside. I have to say the most exhausting part of this process has been hand cutting each strip of vinyl to size. It's going to be tough to get me to want to do this again.

Today is the day! The tail is getting finished as all the pieces I want are in place and it's really just a waiting game until the GE 100% sets and I can paint once more. I expect it to be water ready by tomorrow but I won't be heading out until Friday. :)

[Mermaid Caspiana]

This is such a creative idea and it looks fabulous! :) <3
I used the GE brand silicone to cover my fully sequined neoprene tail and it works wonders. If you get it too thin (which I did in a few spots, but it can be easily fixed) it will tear a little. But it's held up great and I think it'd work for you too! ;) It's worked so well and looks so great I've decided to start commissioning neoprene-sequin-silicone hybrids lol.
Can't wait to see your finally finished tail! And by the way, you have beautiful eyes :) (profile pic).

[Arking]

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So it's been a long time and a heck of a mess. I honestly gave up trying to convert this project into something swimmable despite it being very very close to that state. My biggest problem was that it wasn't set out to be swimmable, and the Alex Plus which I'd bought and used prior to finding alternatives made it quite a challenge. I removed a good amount of it, if not all of it by taking a razor and slowly removing it.

But then I made a huge mistake. I didn't think to read the label of the GE 100% silicone and had no clue it was waterproof and impossible to paint. So I gave up as GE was a much tougher brand to apply and wasn't sticking to the neoprene like I'd hoped. In short I made a very tough sticky mess.

In the last few weeks though I tried a second go at it using E6000 and sewing. Which meant I've had to perform a bit of an autopsy and sew each individual scale onto the tail. As of today it's stitched back together and I'm in the home stretch to getting it back to where it was almost a year ago but with much more permanent results. I want to say thanks for all the guidance and advice I found here, it made a huge difference and I couldn't have gotten this far without it.

As silly as this may sound, I know a lot better now and I've discovered that a vinyl and neoprene fluke is quite possible and weighs much less than I anticipated it would. If I take to the water alright I think I'm going to try a second one with a little more care and knowledge going into it.

[Keiris]

Best catch of the day!;)

[Arking]

Haha I think that title still belongs to you ;)

[Keiris]

:blush: why thank you, Arking!

[Arking]

Exciting update! Last year when I started this project I opted to invest in an airbrush to paint the tail. This was going to have a few benefits such as being able to fade the colour into flesh tone, and waste less expensive paint. Sadly the compressor I picked up from Michaels is absolute rubbish. I mean it works, sometimes but even then barely. Fast forward a year and I'm at work looking to repaint all of our mannequins for our upcoming Pride celebrations and I figure I don't want to ruin the environment so I'd try using ole puffer again. Alas it was a mess but all was not lost!

I started looking up new compressors and found one on craigslist, a Badger 180 in perfect condition for $35. When I went to pick it up the man who I was buying it from admitted he only used it as a duster for his computer and he'd gotten it from an artisan a few years back and felt it could be getting better use. I ended up getting the compressor and a whole free set of artisan airbrushes on top of it as they were included in the set he was selling. I managed to test it last night and it works so beautifully. This will help me apply the last few coats of paint to my mannequins but after I'll be able to touch up my tail with the design I'd been wanting to use.

[Keiris]

Wow! That's a sweet deal! Can't wait to see what you do with it!

[Arking]

I'll have some updates later today showing it off. I think I'm ready to use my secret weapon on my tail, dichroic paint that will shimmer green/purple depending on angle. I'm still waiting on my neoprene cement before I repair the seam I ripped. So it's going to look a wee bit sloppy in some of the photos as there's a line of popped scales.

I've actually been jumping the gun a bit and drawing a new tail design that removes vinyl altogether and is simply neoprene with painted on silicone scales. I've been busying myself playing with my hand rotary tool and some of my old wide rounded edge painters knives to create various depths of groves in the knife so that I may press into curing silicone and leave a scallop like texture for each scale. I've also been looking at whether a caulking gun or bagged frosting piping with specific frosting tips would work best to create dynamic shapes (pics to come for those trials).

I think vinyl still has a chance of working, especially if combined with an automatic cutting machine such as a Cricut or Silhouette to speed up the scale production. The real key in this is to use vinyl or leather bonding cements that work with neoprene such as Barge Rubber Cement that is graded for skin contact, toluene free, and common in wetsuit repair.

[Arking]

No update photos yet as I had an unexpected surprise yesterday when my Neoprene glue came in much earlier than expected (was scheduled to arrive on the 7th). I've now repaired the external seam and realigned the scales on the fluke. I'm now pressing the scales down with weights. I do some gothic embroidery as a hobby and found the washable stabilizer to be a great help to absorb extra glue residue and keep the weights and scales from adhering to one another.

Yesterday I did manage to test out the new airbrush, things are going smoothly with it but I've yet to use the PearlEx paint that I purchased last year, I opted to wait until I can get a form inside the fluke for a better idea of shape. I've also gone out and purchased a 30" zipper for the fin so that I can remove and practice with my monofin when I don't feel like being in the tail this summer. It's Canada day and the weather has been great in Vancouver for a good while now, I'm hoping to have this tail finished before I leave to New Mexico next Friday, but if it doesn't I won't be too disappointed with how far it's gotten.

Other than the zipper, I need to put in an elastic waistband and finish the last few layers of scales before I'm complete on this project. I can practically taste the salt water now :)

[Arking]

https://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=41507&d=1499005056

Well this is a progress pic from a few days ago. You can see just how far I am from getting finished. The entire upper half of the fluke is still raw neoprene though I have the scales set aside for it, I waited to finish until I could insert the elastic band, and finish the seam as I've done yesterday. You can also see the popped scales along the seam and near where the monofin inserts into the fluke. It's not pretty and that's partially due to using GE silicone to try and adhere the scales to the neoprene with very little success. I removed as much of the silicone as I could but it remains a sore spot for some of these scales as they seem permanently curled outward.

Yesterday I remedied a little bit of that by pressing a 50lb weight down on the scales after applying the cement glue to them. It took a couple of process tries but now the tail is seamless once more and ready to move onto the next stages.

It might be hard to tell but the fin shape is not symmetrical (due to me rushing the production for the window display last year) I will be cutting it and sewing in the zipper at the base tonight. Since I can only reach one side of the zipper in the fin to sew with my machine I will end up using industrial strength wet suit repair glue (even stronger than the Barges) to complete the fin with the 30" long zipper. This is frustratingly a 24 hour task with 10-12 hour dry times between each adhered side.

Also seen in this shot is my process of going over the tail with silicone to add some depth and to reinforce the paint job. Each side is getting several coats of GE silicone as I'm also combing it with a grooved trowel for depth. It's not perfect by any means and trust me that does bother me, but as this is my very first tail I am allowing myself mistakes and flaws.

After the zipper is in I'm going back to the waist, and finishing the scales. Right now I have a problem with the back part which I cut too short so now my behind is a little exposed. I'd like it to look more like the photoshopped image above which requires me to add about 6" of material to the back. Once that's in I'll be covering it with the remaining scales, and adding the flesh tone. At that point I could call it quits and say it's done but I'm going to take Rett's and Caspiana's advice on coating it with a few layers of brushed silicone as a finishing touch after propping my form back in the tail and painting it with darks and lights for dimension.

[Arking]

I took a small break after the zipper to hit the beach and tan some while the weather is pleasant. I'm leaving this Friday on a two week road trip to Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and South Padre Island Texas which means I won't be able to work on my tail or go out and take photos. The break helped reenergize me though and I'm back at it today between plotting maps and cleaning my apartment for the trip.

Today I'm seeing some small imperfections I'd like to improve that are easily fixable with a few minutes of attention, but mostly I'm just trying to get the waist area complete. Pics up later if I find the time.

[moniee]

Ohh looks nice, keep going!

[Arking]

Thanks!

Update: I want to lay face down in a shallow pool and blow bubbles. I just tried the zipper and the darn thing isn't aligned correctly despite me pinning it and checking it 5 times. Ok so mistakes are going to happen, learn and keep moving, move, move. Velcro might work. I have a feeling the added depth the zipper is giving my tail fin is what's causing the alignment issues... That or I'm just horrendous at this. I'm going to stare at it in wide eyed horror and frustration before going into my sewing trunk to find velcro...

[Arking]

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Got frustrated started designing a second tail...

[lotusauriel]

That's beautiful.

Sent from my SM-N910H using Tapatalk

[Arking]

Updates!

So the tail is fin-ished. Been waiting to say that. Thanks to the neoprene glue I purchased, some extra neoprene on my backside so my bum isn't peaking out and velcro on the fin so that I can remove the monofin at my leisure all is finally well. The last little things I wanted to try out would be a nice coat of paint to add some depth but my airbrush is on loan for the week to complete a window display. My plan is to take it to a beach party this Saturday and try it out on-land and in shallow water to see how it goes. While I'm waiting the remaining scales are curing into place!

[Maclanahan]

Dude! That looking fantastic!!!!

I'm working on a similar approach to tailmaking and I am curious about the use of vinyl for scales. Do the layers stick together at all? How well does it breath? How warm does it get?

I understand that its a first attempt and the original design was for a display, so you haven't been able to swim in it yet, but I'm really curious on how buoyant it could be.

The next tail design is looking rad, are you thinking of keeping with the same materials or trying out something new?

[Arking]

Ah thanks, I do not advise using neoprene like at all for a number of reasons. Firstly its an amazing material and I got the idea looking at scale armor seen in GOT and other fantasy epics. The idea of an armored Coelacanth like tail just appealed to me and I figured would look good for a male mer, vinyl just seemed to be a natural choice since I had a lot of alligator skin laying around. The problem is I didn't know how to adhere the scales and I went through too many different techniques before I found out how to do it. So if you're looking to try learn from my mistake and buy neoprene glue/rubber cement and make sure to have a mask on hand.

My Neoprene has a felt backing to it so it grabs like a monster to any adhesive, however adhesives such as silicone just don't last when it comes to the flexibility that neoprene lacks. That said you should be applying the scales over a form as the stretch will pose several issues in the long run, and be prepared to use a sewing machine to adhere individual lengths to help strengthen the grab.

There are some drawbacks, it's a little heavy but it's not impossible. I have yet to weigh it with the monofin but it might actually be lighter than most silicone tails out there. The scales need painting on both sides to invest a lot more paint than you'd think, and be prepared to invest in a clear coat because the soft surface of vinyl really aids in the paint coming off on rough surfaces (not unlike any good silicone tail).

Because the scales are raised sand will get in them easy, so hosing it down is necessary. It breathes just fine being neoprene but it does get very hot and I find I sweat a lot in it on land, submerged it's quite cozy.

I've not tried it swimming but I imagine I'm going to die a very shallow water death once I do. Not that I don't have confidence in it, I just have doubts in the water here.

The next tail is essentially the same tail, a bit longer, with added fins, and using multiple different materials. My issue with this one was that I had no idea you could apply silicone directly to neoprene and pipe it on in scale shapes. Having decorated cakes, sculpted, and painted with thick materials I'm kind of kicking myself in the head because that would have been the easiest method for me to achieve the look I wanted. Sculpted/brushed silicone caulk if done with patience would have been a lot easier for me and would have yielded stunning results when painted. This mess on the other hand is sufficient but still has some problem areas that just bug me to no end.

[Maclanahan]

Woah, thanks for all the info!

I've already made a couple of tails with a similar method but instead of vinyl for the scales I cut out neoprene and sew it onto a swimsuit-liner base. They actually swim pretty dang well, and held up against strong waves and crawling over rough rocks. Here's a picture of my wife's tail for example.
41768

But man I hear you about getting sand beneath all of the scales, as well as checking measurements on a zipper a dozen times and it still ending up misaligned. Did you say that you ended up using a punch or a circle cutter for cutting out the scales?

I'm curious on how applying silicone directly on neoprene will work, but seems like it would take a lot longer than just making a mold. But still, I can't wait to see your next tail in action.

[lotusauriel]

Woah, thanks for all the info!

I've already made a couple of tails with a similar method but instead of vinyl for the scales I cut out neoprene and sew it onto a swimsuit-liner base. They actually swim pretty dang well, and held up against strong waves and crawling over rough rocks. Here's a picture of my wife's tail for example.
41768

But man I hear you about getting sand beneath all of the scales, as well as checking measurements on a zipper a dozen times and it still ending up misaligned. Did you say that you ended up using a punch or a circle cutter for cutting out the scales?

I'm curious on how applying silicone directly on neoprene will work, but seems like it would take a lot longer than just making a mold. But still, I can't wait to see your next tail in action.Just a thought, please don't take it as anything but an idea that you are free to use or not, as you see fit... but I think this would be absolutely gorgeous with lightly pigmented iridescent silicone painted on top of it. Not that it isn't already beautiful. I really like your design.

Sent from my SM-N910H using Tapatalk

[Maclanahan]

Just a thought, please don't take it as anything but an idea that you are free to use or not, as you see fit... but I think this would be absolutely gorgeous with lightly pigmented iridescent silicone painted on top of it. Not that it isn't already beautiful. I really like your design.

I've thought of that a lot and it is a great idea, but sadly at the moment I don't have a place with good enough ventilation to work with silicone or a safe place to let it cure. My wife is going to give painting it with a metallic acrylic paint with a fabric medium in the near future so we will see how that turns out.

However, in the long term my goal would be to be able to make 3 good quality tails a week with this method at a competitive price and painting the tail would make that pretty much impossible.

[Arking]

Dying. Tried on my tail after letting it cure for a week only to find out without a zipper using a mold of my body to finish the tapered waist was DUMB. Redid it in silicone to get a taste of the next tail I plan to do. Had a friend apply the silicone while I wore it just to be 100% sure. It's a bit messy but by the gods I will have this finished and I will be in the water. So so so so so so very frustrating.

[Maclanahan]

I hope it works this time! Also hopefully by the time you finish all the smoke will have cleared out for some good pictures!

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