Planning a new Silicon tail! Read forums, still have questions!

[Evangeline]

Ok, so I am planning of making my tail HOPEFULLY in April, or starting to.
I have read almost every sing forum I could find that was helpful to me, but I may have missed some stuff, because I am still confused.
I REALLY hate to post a forum asking questions when I know they are already all answered.

First question.
Once I have my box, and all the scales laid out, do I pour silicon on top to make a mold? (And than pour silicone on top of that for the actual tail?)
I THINK I read that right, correct?

2nd question.
I read that silicon doesn't stick to each other, but I thought I read you can use silicon to glue the monofin down to your fluke, or you could use it to glue any extra fins onto the tail. How is that possible if silicon can't stick to each other, how are you supposed to use it as glue?

3rd question.
How is the best way to overlap a full silicon tail over itself, so you don't have a scheme? Not just down at the bottom, but around the whole tail itself... Should it wrap around the back? Can you really tell when it has overlapped?

4th question.
The whole measuring your legs with duck tape is very very confusing to me, and I may just be dumb, or not reading something correctly. Is there a video, or maybe an even more clear way to explain it? It just jumps around a little too much for me to grasp.

5th question. When making a full silicon tail, what are the best monofins

Again, I'm very sorry for asking all these questions when they are probably all answered. :(

[Morticia Mermaid]

1st question- I've not made a silicone tail before, but I believe that you would pour a mold making material over it (the scales in the box) and let it cure, then pour the silicone for the tail into that part.

Sorry if that doesn't make sense. It does to me.

[Usagi]

Yeah, if you're going with the method that Star used (latex, not silicone), I think she laid all the scales, then poured the ultracal 30 on it to make the mold. Then poured a thin layer of latex into the mold to get rid of any crumbs and stuff. I THINK. Have you gone through her thread? Maybe I'm way off and silicone and latex are totally different.

[Evangeline]

No, that totally makes sense to me, I read that on your tail making process I think it was, but than read something somewhere else where you can roll up the mold and store it away for later use. (Using silicon as the mold itself)

[Evangeline]

I have gone through every single thread I could find out there, and maybe that is why I am getting my facts wrong.

[Usagi]

Well if the process for latex is the same for silicone, then I think you should watch Star's videos. Especially if you're more of a visual learner. I can give you the link if you need it. So I guess the question is: Is it the same? People of mernetwork, we seek your guidance! I'm curious Haha

[Mermaid Lorelei]

1. You can use silicone to make a mold and then pour silicone into it, however, you will slowly degrade your mold by constantly putting silicone inside and you will always have to use a release agent to keep your mold from sticking permanently to the new pour. I would suggest using a different material to make you mold. That way you don't have to constantly buy and use release agent and you don't have to worry about ruining your mold if you forget to put some on.

2. I'm not sure where you read it, but silicone does stick to silicone. Tada.

3. This is where the problem with seams come in. Most often, a tail is photographed and viewed on the belly side (top of your legs). This means that yes, you would want to wrap your scales so that the top overlaps the bottom sheet. And depending on how much care you put into it, your seams can be very visible or hardly visible at all. It's just a matter of skill and patience.

4. Personally, I wouldn't use the duct tape method. I have tried it (with a silicone tail too) and it makes things more difficult than I think is necessary. Now that's just me.

5. As for monofins, it all depends on what look you're going for. Any monofin works, you just have to decide if you want a completely stiff fluke (like Raina's with a competitor) or a floppier fluke (like Raven's with a foil inside) or something in the middle. This is purely up to personal preference.

Hope that helps. And if you're curious, yes, I work with silicone and have answered these questions through trial and error and a buttload of research.

[Evangeline]

1. You can use silicone to make a mold and then pour silicone into it, however, you will slowly degrade your mold by constantly putting silicone inside and you will always have to use a release agent to keep your mold from sticking permanently to the new pour. I would suggest using a different material to make you mold. That way you don't have to constantly buy and use release agent and you don't have to worry about ruining your mold if you forget to put some on.

2. I'm not sure where you read it, but silicone does stick to silicone. Tada.

3. This is where the problem with seams come in. Most often, a tail is photographed and viewed on the belly side (top of your legs). This means that yes, you would want to wrap your scales so that the top overlaps the bottom sheet. And depending on how much care you put into it, your seams can be very visible or hardly visible at all. It's just a matter of skill and patience.

4. Personally, I wouldn't use the duct tape method. I have tried it (with a silicone tail too) and it makes things more difficult than I think is necessary. Now that's just me.

5. As for monofins, it all depends on what look you're going for. Any monofin works, you just have to decide if you want a completely stiff fluke (like Raina's with a competitor) or a floppier fluke (like Raven's with a foil inside) or something in the middle. This is purely up to personal preference.

Hope that helps. And if you're curious, yes, I work with silicone and have answered these questions through trial and error and a buttload of research.

This was very helpful! So without the duck tape method, I should just make a mold of my legs instead?
I live in a small apartment, and wouldn't know how to bake a mold. I read I could use plastic, but I just had the fear of it breaking. I might just use that anyways, and try to find a safe place to store it.

[Evangeline]

Well if the process for latex is the same for silicone, then I think you should watch Star's videos. Especially if you're more of a visual learner. I can give you the link if you need it. So I guess the question is: Is it the same? People of mernetwork, we seek your guidance! I'm curious Haha

I think I've seen it, with the mold that she had to leave dry. I'm very afraid it'd just crack on me, and break, I have no safe place to store it either after its already been used.

[Evangeline]

Also, what if I wanted to make a tail for someone else, but I am mailing it, how do I do their measurements without making a mold of their legs?

[Evangeline]

I found this from a different thread. But she doesn't say anything about the silicone mold downgrading... hm... :?
For a good permanent mold, I suggest Ultracal-30. You can find it online and at some local clay retailers. I suggest buying local if you can because it is very heavy. I am molding with it and it will take about 80 lbs to cover my scale mold. They come in 50lbs bags. If you are using silicone for your scale sheet (you are looking at a very expensive mold) then yes, you will need a release agent. Most laces that sell silicone for molding will have the release agent to go with it. Just poke around the site and you should find it or just look up silicone release agent. You can not use latex with silicone. One inhibits the other and it will never cure. Sorry I am being quick with my reply. I have to wake up in 6 hours for work and I am trying to get to bed. LOL I am doing a great job of it, I know. LOLHope that helps a little. Star

[Usagi]

Hmm maybe you could research what the molds for baking are made from (like if it's a specific type of silicone) and then use that because they're really flexible so I'm assuming it would be easy to store! And there's always the storage option of under your bed, behind your bed, behind a dresser- things like that Haha

[Evangeline]

Hmm maybe you could research what the molds for baking are made from (like if it's a specific type of silicone) and then use that because they're really flexible so I'm assuming it would be easy to store! And there's always the storage option of under your bed, behind your bed, behind a dresser- things like that Haha
D; my bed sits on the floor, my dresser is pushed all the way against my wall, even my bed
haha... But I just have a small oven... I don't even get how anyone can bake a mold, unless baking means something other than putting in an oven haha.

[Usagi]

Oh man...tape it to the wall! Haha and what I meant was like instead of metal pans yo bake cakes, they have rubbery ones, which I always thought were silicone..I'll get out of my bed now and go look at the box to see if it says anything about it Haha

[Evangeline]

o.o I'm totally taping it to the wall now!!! haha. Awww, mkay, thank you so much!! <3 How kind. n.n

[Usagi]

http://www.ehow.com/about_5343595_dangers-silicone-bakeware.html
" Silicone bakeware is made of a silicone rubber created from a mixture of bonded silicone and oxygen.*"

http://www.wilton.com/productinformation/silicone-faqs.cfm
" Silicone is a rubber-like material that starts out as a pure form of very fine grain sand. Through a series of heat and additive processing, the silicone base material is formed. This material meets all FDA regulations for food contact safety. The silicone base is then colored and molded into the bakeware shapes. The result of this molding process is the finished piece of Wilton silicone bakeware and accessories."

That's all I could find on the stuff..apparently they don't like to share their creation methods lol I know people don't like making tails from caulks for health reasons, but what about making just the mold from it? That would be safe, wouldn't it? I'm gonna get on the computer as soon as I can to research Haha

[Evangeline]

Hmmm... mkay. Well don't over do yourself for me, I appreciate all the help however! :)

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Personally, I would steer clear of any caulks. If there are any traces of latex, tin, or sulpher in the mold, the silicone won't cure.

[Evangeline]

Mkay! I wasn't sure I really wanted to use that anyways.

[Aino Revontuletar]

I'm planning on making a silicone tail too. The thing I'm not sure about is how thick you have to pour the silicone in the scale sheets that will be used for the main part of the tail, and I am also still really confused as to how you attach the seams.

[Evangeline]

Well if its just a full silicone tail, there shouldn't be a seam, just overlapping of silicone. I'm pretty sure I can find out later about how much silicone to use for your leg part...

[Aino Revontuletar]

Well if its just a full silicone tail, there shouldn't be a seam, just overlapping of silicone. I'm pretty sure I can find out later about how much silicone to use for your leg part...

Yeah that's what I meant, the overlapping. It seems like it would be very difficult to do especially when the silicone takes a long time to cure, and it would be really difficult to try and disguise so it doesn't look awkward. I was also hoping to be able to somehow glue my fluke to my monofin so it will be watertight and more solid and not fill up with water when I swim, but since silicone seems to have an annoying habit of not being able to stick to anything except silicone, I am kind of confused about this part as well.

[Kanti]

I'll try to help you out best I can!

1. No!! You don't want to make a silicone on silicone mold. If you ever forget to apply release agent it will be a catastrophy! Not to mention rigid on soft molds are the best way to go! You never want your mold and what you're molding to be the same thing!
What I'd suggest you do is use liquid plastic for your mold, not silicone. Liquid plastic is a lot cheaper, anyway so you'll be saving money. Not to mention platinum cure silicones actually stick to each other even after fully cured, so if you do forget the mold release, there goes $200 ):

2. Actually silicone sticks to NOTHING besides other silicone. Platinum silicones are also the worse (or best depending on what you're using them for) since they will always stick to more platinum cure when they're uncured.
So in that case, it's not a good idea to use silicone for your mold at all since you're already casting with silicone.

3. This is sort of an annoying question to answer, I answered it on my Full Silicone Tutorial just now in like a billion words, you can check there, basically you can choose between having one or two seams depending on how large your scale sheet is.

4. I plan on making some youtube videos soon, I'll go over how to make a duck tape dummy. Sorry it's just so much I don't quite want to write it all out right now x__x

5. The most recommended is actually the Finnis Foil and the Finnis Wave. The Wave is a bit more on the child side and has less durability, so the Foil is probably your best choice.

You can always use a Competitor if you want a lot of thrust or an Oceanika if you like the shape!

[Evangeline]

I'll try to help you out best I can!

1. No!! You don't want to make a silicone on silicone mold. If you ever forget to apply release agent it will be a catastrophy! Not to mention rigid on soft molds are the best way to go! You never want your mold and what you're molding to be the same thing!
What I'd suggest you do is use liquid plastic for your mold, not silicone. Liquid plastic is a lot cheaper, anyway so you'll be saving money. Not to mention platinum cure silicones actually stick to each other even after fully cured, so if you do forget the mold release, there goes $200 ):

2. Actually silicone sticks to NOTHING besides other silicone. Platinum silicones are also the worse (or best depending on what you're using them for) since they will always stick to more platinum cure when they're uncured.
So in that case, it's not a good idea to use silicone for your mold at all since you're already casting with silicone.

3. This is sort of an annoying question to answer, I answered it on my Full Silicone Tutorial just now in like a billion words, you can check there, basically you can choose between having one or two seams depending on how large your scale sheet is.

4. I plan on making some youtube videos soon, I'll go over how to make a duck tape dummy. Sorry it's just so much I don't quite want to write it all out right now x__x

5. The most recommended is actually the Finnis Foil and the Finnis Wave. The Wave is a bit more on the child side and has less durability, so the Foil is probably your best choice.

You can always use a Competitor if you want a lot of thrust or an Oceanika if you like the shape!

Mkay, I think I've got it now!! <3 Thank you sooooooo much!!!