making a latex tail

[Mermaid Bella]

hey guys.

so i have decided to make my new tail a latex one, im pretty excited about it but am having trouble with the whole, USA to AUS product alternatives thing.

many people use ALEX Plus, but firstly i have been told thats not a good idea, secondly, there is no australian alternative to this product. i hunted around on a forum for model train enthusiasts and someone there had the same problem and contact sellys head office and they said there is nothing that does the same thing as ALEX on sale here.

so i am going to have to use standard liquid latex (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Liquid-Latex-1Lt-FREE-FREIGHT-/131022058620). my question is: what sort of latex to use? people use the term 'tin cure latex' a lot but i have no found anything like that on google, and i can get standard liquid latex of ebay but will that be the correct stuff to use? also how much should i order?

it is very hard to translate terms used in the usa, there was a big thing on the train forum where they were trying to explain the difference between latex and "latex" ... im like... wtf mate?

also if i am using a better latex should i still make the base out of neoprene? or can i use other materials?

has anyone from Australia made their own tail without ordering expensive products from overseas? or will i have to spend money that, frankly i dont have, to trial and error?

[Elle]

start with Barnes (http://www.barnes.com.au/catalog/contact_us.php) There is a store in Melbourne (Richmond...I don't know if it's close to you or not)
They have pretty much everything latex, silicone, clay wise. Some products can be expensive, but if you go into the store you will know exactly what you're getting.

What were you looking into with Selley's exactly? They have a glass silicone, which is aquarium safe.

[Mermaid Bella]

oh, will the glass silicone work for tails? im really not sure about all of this stuff, i have read a heap of tutorials but they all seems to make less and less sense the longer i read lol.

i was just reading about it on the train forum and they told the guy that they have been asked about an alternative to ALEX plus before and just dont have it, as there are acrylic alternatives that work fine and it doesnt get cold enough here for air drying (instead of curing) to be a problem so they never made something like it.

[emma11]

If you're looking at liquid latex you need RD 407. That's mask making latex, and has the hardness you'd expect. :)


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[Elle]

I imagine it could, I think the issue with Selley's might be that it's very thick. though Fifi Fogg started a tail with something similar. if you go look through her photo

[Thessalonike]

I would reccomend making the base out of Neoprene. Try http://www.foamorder.com/neoprene.html#colors
and for the latex, http://www.monstermakers.com/product/RD407-Mask-Latex.html

[Mermaid Bella]

thank you elle, i will buy some of the glass sellys to test.

@thessalonike, while i really appreciate the links unfortunately i cannot afford to order from overseas, plus i would like the challange of using brands available in australia only so other mers can make one too. i would also prefer to buy these things at shops instead of online as many younger mers, and mers making tails with assistance from parents will not be able to order online.

@emma, thank you for the info on latex, i will do some research.



does anyone know where i can buy neoprene locally (anywhere in aus or nz)

[Elle]

spotlight sells it at around $35 a metre. You can get black, red, yellow, green and pink. I bought it in yellow as the other colours didn't have enough length left on the reel.
They also have divers knit or swimming knit (I can't remember what it's called) But it's kind of half way between lycra and neoprene.....a sort of think lycra/knit, it's weird!

[Mermaid Bella]

awesome, i wasnt sure if they sold actual neoprene, my first tail was made from the divers knit, and it is basically neoprene without the gas gel bubble stuff inside. it didnt stretch very much which was a plus and it was suuuupppperrr cheap! might go with that again mwahahahahah.

[Ilyena]

I ordered my neoprene from http://www.linkron.com.au/ (delivery was quick too)

I emailed them about the colours and lengths they had with thicknesses. They're really helpful.