Plexiglass

[Kumori Kitsune]

I just bought some Plexiglases to make a fin out of whats the best way cute the design of the fin and it be usable? Was wondering what the best thing to use to hold my feet in trying to find some thing tha tI can make adjustable for people with bigger feet.
Thanks

[ShyMer]

You mean for a monofin? Plexiglass is not recommended for making a monofin. It can shatter and cut you.
You should take it back and spend the extra on lexan. It's worth it.

a lot of people have tried making their own. You should try searching for and reading those threads before you do anything else. Later on if I have time I'll dig up a few suggestions to start with.

Sent from my Huawei-H867G using Tapatalk

[MerAnthony]

Plexiglass is very brittle an can not withstand the stress you put on it in the water. It WILL shatter an could cause damage to yourself. Everytime I hear that somebody is using plexigalss for a monofin I worry an hope the person doesn't get hurt.
ShyMer is correct use lexan an return the plexiglass it's not worth getting hurt over.

[Mermiah]

If you want to make a cheap monofin get some cardboard and duct tape over it, make like five layers and then use that :) you can make the foot pockets with the ducttape too.
dont expect it to last forever, like five years at the MOST but it's a good cheap way to try out mer ing (or a good way to make a custom shaped fluke) if you seal it with caulk it will last you longer too :)

[Kumori Kitsune]

I cant afford it other wise I might as well buy anew fin the duck tape would cost as much as buying a new fin. How would plexiglass shatter

[Mermiah]

Oh not the colored kind dear! Haha the grey kind :) I only used one roll of the super sized off brand from wall mart :) and I did like five layers :)

i don't know the science behind it but I know the horror story's :/
it has been known to shatter...into tiny pieces :$ and they get stuck in your skin :$ one girl had to have them surgically removed :/ :( trust me we are just looking out for you did you buy it already?

[Mermiah]

Oh and the roll of duct tape was like $3.00 :3 $5.00 at the most

[Kumori Kitsune]

thanks but ud need like 4 rolls I'm gonna try to use a plastic box lid or just buy a fin. its just hard cause im a size 8 shoe but i need a fin I can wear but other people can to but pust fins go from 2 to 9 then 9 to 12 it sucks no one can wear my fin cause its to small. I want to have friend that mer with me anda new fin.

[Kumori Kitsune]

I already bought it ill just have to use it for so thing for class i just dont have much money thanks every one

[ShyMer]

It's like glass in that if you bend it enough, it just shatters into pieces. Plexiglass won't shatter as easily as glass, but it will if you push it hard enough(and you will be pushing it hard in water), and that's dangerous.
Lexan won't shatter- it'll bend as far as you need it to and return to its original shape. Plexiglass can't do that.

Cardboard isn't going to work as well as lexan- it won't return to its original shape if you bend it too far, and if it gets wet somehow you're done, but it won't hurt you and it's cheap. I'd recommend cardboard over plexiglass if only because it'd be safer.

Maybe if you can see about the single thin sheets that they use to separate pallets at the big box stores (as opposed to corrugated cardboard) you'd get better results. Maybe a mix would work. I don't know, it might be worth experimenting with.

[OrcaMatt]

Do not ever use plexiglass for a fin.

[Winged Mermaid]

Like everyone said, plexiglass is straight up dangerous to use for monofins. To quote the Materials and Supplies page (http://mernetwork.com/index/content.php?139-Materials-and-Supplies), "NEVER use acrylic sheets to make a monofin! They shatter under stress into razor sharp pieces and will cause severe injury! Plexiglas is a type of acrylic."

[PearlieMae]

Not only do you risk serious injury to yourself, but everyone swimming with/near you as well.

It's hard to make out what you are trying to say, but here is the bottom line: save up for Lexan (polycarbonate); use something like a vinyl floor mat (it will be floppy), our maybe the hard rubber from a large garbage can. I can't imagine duct tape and cardboard would be any good at all, but it seems others have tried it.

The stresses of water pressure are greater than you might think, that's why polycarbonate is recommended.

Or, just save for a while and get a manufactured monofin.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

There are polycarbonate floor mats too. You can find them in Office furniture stores. They're those hard plastic looking mats that go under the office chair and desk. They're around $50 - $180, depending on size.

[Anahita]

There are polycarbonate floor mats too. You can find them in Office furniture stores. They're those hard plastic looking mats that go under the office chair and desk. They're around $50 - $180, depending on size.

At that price, you might as well get the actual Lexan, since it'll be stiff enough to propel you through the water.

[Capt Nemo]

Even Lexan can shatter, but it takes a very hard blow to a narrow section of it, but the edges are duller than acrylic shards. In monofin use, you will be generally be in the area where the polycarbonate will only bend and not shatter, as the force is applied gradually. As gradual force is applied, the sharpest bend will begin to turn white and then fold, loosing all it's strength. Multiple bends on the fold line will cause the material to fail completely. The failed edge will be rough, but generally not sharp.

On my first mono I used 1/4" acrylic stiffeners on a Lexan blade. The stiffeners snapped within 5 minutes of use, but the Lexan held fine.

[Kumori Kitsune]

I'm just gonna try a plastic storage box they are cheapish and if I'm going o have to spend any thing over 20 thats haft the price of a basic fin on ebay. I'm going for an illustration major. so I should be able to use it for some thing could make a cutting board or a frame with it

[PearlieMae]

I can tell you from experience that it won't work. It just can't take the water pressure of swimming! Why are you trying so hard to go cheap? If you can save twenty to get something this week, just save for a couple more weeks or so and buy a real monofin!

[Kumori Kitsune]

Beacuse I have piles of school loans and Ineedafin that can fit a woman's size 8 and a mens size 13

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Beacuse I have piles of school loans and Ineedafin that can fit a woman's size 8 and a mens size 13

The Finis Wave fits a size 8 women's shoe.

There are other brands that fit size 8 ladies. Just got to look around and see which one suits your budget the best.

And since you're in the States, its quite cheap over there, around $59.99 or less on ebay.

[Kumori Kitsune]

yeah I have a finis from wallmart just want some thing that me and my bf can wear and 8 but I i want him to be able to wear it.