Sealing tails with neoprene glue?

[Mermaid Nerinae]

So, I'm making progress on my neoprene tail, but I'm not sure this post belongs there as it could be beneficial to others who wouldn't know to look on a specific project thread. I have all the materials for extending my monofin (decided against the manatee fluke shape and going for a more flowy mer fluke) and just have to pick up the fabric, glue and paints.

The question I'd like to pose is:
What do you think about a seamless tail made by using neoprene glue to adhere the neoprene together at what would be the seams if you were to sew it?
Has anyone tried this method before?
Pros/cons?

I, myself, don't have a sewing machine, and it'd be killer (but possible) to sew it by hand all the way down each side. The neoprene I'm looking at (going to buy, today) is 1.5mm thick, and I'm going to stop by a scuba store for the neoprene glue as well. Of course, before I go, I'd like to get everyone elses' opinions first.

I'd like to, at one point, put clear silicone over the top of the painted neoprene and then inked a bit for depth (but that's a whole other matter) and I'm curious as to whether or not a seamless tail would be better fortified by the silicone or worse off in case of tears in the neoprene.

Thoughts?

[Nyxie]

well, i myself am making a tail from recycled wetsuits and piecing the neoprene together is proving challenging since its 3mm :(..., i thought some neoprene glue would do the deed perfectly...NOT!! lol some of it held fine, but other parts when tugged came apart :-/ so i ended using 2 jars of seal cement and still im finding that i have to sew the pieces together on top of the glue for added support :-/

[spottedcatfish]

Yeah you really have to sew it together when using neoprene glue. Think of the glue as a pin for keeping the material in place temporarily, but also creating a firm edge when you sew it together.

[Mermaid Nerinae]

Hmm, the guy I talked to at the SCUBA store swears by the initial gluing then, after it's cured, adding another thin line of the glue to the seam for stability. I'll be doing some stress tests for sure and will always have the option of sewing the inside of the neoprene to fall back on if all else. :>

[spottedcatfish]

It's also best to sew it with a strong thread, like upolstery thread.

[Mermaid Nerinae]

Definitely true. I don't have a sewing machine, myself, so I would have to hand-stitch everything (sore thumbs, here I come) D:
I'm going to pick up a thicker needle like one for upholstery or leather as well as the thread after I get the neoprene and can match colors better.

[Nyxie]

yep, just got done sewing1/2 my fluke (6mm) and even with a thimble i cant even pick my nose if my life depended on it...ugh!! i cant wait for it all to be sewn!! its a mad rush to get as much done as possible before my kids start finding alll sorts on shenanigans to get into :crazy:

[Mermaid Nerinae]

yep, just got done sewing1/2 my fluke (6mm) and even with a thimble i cant even pick my nose if my life depended on it...ugh!! i cant wait for it all to be sewn!! its a mad rush to get as much done as possible before my kids start finding alll sorts on shenanigans to get into :crazy:

Omg, haha! Stay strong, nose-picking is a delicate art, lolol! The neoprene I'm ordering is 1.5mm thick, so it will only by 3mm thick doubled up but still not looking forward to it. Hopefully I can get an unmoving gluing method and not have to sew so much.

[merboy78xy]

Let me know if you find out anything good about the neoprene glue. I'd love to know if your experiments yield any good findings!

[Nyxie]

Omg, haha! Stay strong, nose-picking is a delicate art, lolol! The neoprene I'm ordering is 1.5mm thick, so it will only by 3mm thick doubled up but still not looking forward to it. Hopefully I can get an unmoving gluing method and not have to sew so much.
lol, i got it all done finally...but i used the method mentioned in the tail making thread concerning gluing neoprene. i glued it together and then went ahead and sew it by just barely going into the neoprene with the needle. i will also mention that when i say the glue wouldn't work in some places...i meant in place of stress like ALL THE SEAMS...it does wonderful for the spots i patched together (i am making my tail out of recycled wetsuits) but for the side seams you would need added support especially in the fluke where that heavy monofin is (my monofin is extended and its heavy :/) i'd hate for it to com apart when the stress of it doubles when wet when im out of the water :eek:

[Mermaid Nerinae]

lol, i got it all done finally...but i used the method mentioned in the tail making thread concerning gluing neoprene. i glued it together and then went ahead and sew it by just barely going into the neoprene with the needle. i will also mention that when i say the glue wouldn't work in some places...i meant in place of stress like ALL THE SEAMS...it does wonderful for the spots i patched together (i am making my tail out of recycled wetsuits) but for the side seams you would need added support especially in the fluke where that heavy monofin is (my monofin is extended and its heavy :/) i'd hate for it to com apart when the stress of it doubles when wet when im out of the water :eek:

Good deal! It's my goal to make my tail as seamless as possible, but it's good to know I'll have that fallback option.

As soon as my neoprene gets in, I will do some tests and share my findings. :>