neoprene and silicone caulk tail adventure :D

[mermaidrobynn]

Hey hey!! I'm planning on starting asap on my tail, so I decided to get a thread going so I'm sure I'll keep working on it :') I have my materials planned out but not ordered yet. This project may take a while ^^"
This is my design:
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I will still add hip fins and probably a dorsal though. I'll try keep up to date here!

[Marinus Mortimer]

Looks awesome can't wait to see!


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[Teeny]

The design looks amazing!

[Rett]

Cant wait to see how yours turns out since our designs are so similar! :D It'll be amazing for sure!

[WaterDragon]

Good luck :)

[mermaidrobynn]

Cant wait to see how yours turns out since our designs are so similar! :D It'll be amazing for sure!

Hahah thanks Rett! I hope to order the pigments I need today and buy caulk and a face mask tomorrow, so I can hopefully get started on Tuesday ^-^ I already have a monofin so that will bring down the waiting time considerably (yay)

[mermaidrobynn]

The pigments have been ordered and should arrive on Tuesday :D

[Marinus Mortimer]

Great can't wait to see I love hybrid tails soon I'll hopefully have one!


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[mermaidrobynn]

Great can't wait to see I love hybrid tails soon I'll hopefully have one!


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Ohh have you ordered one or are you going to make one?

[Marinus Mortimer]

Ohh have you ordered one or are you going to make one?

I'm going to order one from Mazu


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[mermaidrobynn]

I'm going to order one from Mazu


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That's awesome! I hope you'll enjoy it!

[mermaidrobynn]

My silicone just arrived, my pigment should arrive shortly...

[moniee]

Hey good luck with this! Don't forget, the mask you need is not a dust mask but a gas mask that can filter the air you breathe :) Keep your lungs at health and good luck!!

[mermaidrobynn]

Hey good luck with this! Don't forget, the mask you need is not a dust mask but a gas mask that can filter the air you breathe :) Keep your lungs at health and good luck!!

Thanks a lot for your great help!

[mermaidrobynn]

So I put down the first coat, pictures will be coming soon when I have added the second colour because after adding the blue I was so tired that I decided to do yellow later. Caulking guns are sadistic man

[mermaidrobynn]

Turns out I didn't cut it open enough and it kind of exploded a little? As in, I took it out and it was just one big glob of silicone?... that explains why it was so hard lmao. Anyway, here is a picture of just the first layer of blue
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[mermaidrobynn]

Sooo the first half of the fluke is done and although it isn't perfect (lots of wrinkles from the plastic, some pieces of silicone sticking up a bit etc etc) I learned a lot to do better on my second half. Would anyone be interested in seeing a video process of making the tail, so that if you're interested you can look at my do's and don'ts?

[mermaidrobynn]

ALSO I'm considering using my old spandex tail as a base instead of neoprene, because this is only my first tail and it would save me a lot on the cost. Can anyone here inform me what the cons are of using spandex instead of neoprene? I'm planning on making the fluke removable somehow so once I have a bit more experience I can always come back and alter things easier or make a neoprene body without having to make an entirely new fluke. Yay or nay?

[mermaidrobynn]

Started working on the second fluke half, I'm recording the whole process

[mermaidrobynn]

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(Uncut) fluke so far

[mermaidrobynn]

Just popping in here to say that I put down another pigmented layer

[Rett]

Cant wait to see more :)

[mermaidrobynn]

Project is on hold due to weather conditions, but I did manage to get my hands on a wetsuit I can use for the base :D

[Marinus Mortimer]

Im glad you were able to get them materials! Hope the weather clears up again for you.


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[Marinus Mortimer]

Question if you don't mind me asking, how exactly do you apply pigment to your tail


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[mermaidrobynn]

Question if you don't mind me asking, how exactly do you apply pigment to your tail


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Either I first squeeze it in a cup, mix it and then scoop it onto the plastic and shape it or I put down a layer of silicone and take a brush, take a little bit of pigment and kinda fluff it on top when the silicone dried a bit (learning from Moniee) but you need to add a layer of clear silicone over that because otherwise everything it touches goes blue. I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have paint thinner lying around so right now I'm trying to add the colours, and then make the ridges in the fluke in clear silicone on top of it (but I'm not sure it will work yet due to shitty weather XD)

Hope this helps a bit ^^

[MermaidRaegan]

I would be careful using a spandex base. For one, it won't support the weight of the silicone as well and will stretch out of shape more quickly. Secondly, some silicone caulks have nasty chemicals in them, and you'll want a really thick barrier between that and your skin. Not saying it's impossible, just some things to consider.


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[mermaidrobynn]

I would be careful using a spandex base. For one, it won't support the weight of the silicone as well and will stretch out of shape more quickly. Secondly, some silicone caulks have nasty chemicals in them, and you'll want a really thick barrier between that and your skin. Not saying it's impossible, just some things to consider.


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I managed to get my hands on an old wetsuit ^-^ that will work