Seams on silicone tails

Hiya,
I don't know if anyone else is having difficulties with seams but it is the only thing that I can't get my head around. I'm not yet making one, I'm in the designing/research phase but I cannot fathom how to connect the sides together. I've heard that the only thing silicone joins to is wet silicone, i.e. before it has cured. Do you use the silicone as a glue?


Also, on a slightly related tangent, does anyone have any ideas on putting silicone patches together like on this video...

The guy explains that each silicone patch is like a part of a jigsaw puzzle here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN0WiJw--tc (from 4.00 in the video)

You can see how each patch interlocks here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y7Ci6ghqI4 (1.18 - 1.51)

you can see the overall effect on the tail here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaJ2O5htUgs (1.10 onwards)

the result of this technique is that there are no seams at all -- he shows the side and bottom here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3tBg0XNBwI (5.25-5.50)

I have heard that this guy was a scammer, i.e. he made people pay $10,000 and never gave them anything, but I think that the tail in the video is an actual tail, and that therefore this technique would work
(I think it's a real tail because he shows a splash replica made using the same technique which he swims in- I think that he just had no intention of ever making a tail for his customers)

If anyone more qualified than me (in other words, anyone) has any ideas on why this wouldn't work, or indeed how he joined the patches together then please reply!

Jazz and Jessica have lots of good information on doing seams...check their tailmaking threads!

The silicone is used as a glue and Jessica discovered a trick that if you keep in the freezer for a little while the silicone becomes thicker and is easier to seam. To keep the scales in place while seaming I use pins. I have two scales sheets int he shape of my body and measurements. Using a dummy (optional) you connect the two sheets and slightly overlap the scales. Using scissors you cut the scales so they fit like a puzzle.

Attachment 16779

The pink or 2nd scale sheet overlaps the first (green). The seam is also on the side if I didn't mention. Look at the way the pink scales are shaped so the side of the scales overlaps on the bottom of another. If the edge scales are a little thinner this is easier.

Here is me pinning (look how the scales overlap, it won't be perfect)-
Attachment 16780

Attachment 16781

Here is my finished seam and the seam line-
Attachment 16782

Yes, freezing silicone is a great trick I learned from Lorelei! It's great when it's nice and thick...it stays where you put it! It also cures faster....so if you have a troublesome spot that you just can't get pinned right, you can hold it in place, grab a blow dryer and apply a little heat to speed things along :)

thanks guys, that is super helpful! :) Happy New Year!

Thanks for these great tips! I'll look for Jazz and Jessica's threads.

So for pinning, aren't you worried about the holes the pins make in the silicone?

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Originally Posted by TheAutisticMermaid

So for pinning, aren't you worried about the holes the pins make in the silicone?

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When you're sealing everything together, the silicone closes and seals up the pinholes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PearlieMae

When you're sealing everything together, the silicone closes and seals up the pinholes.

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I wondered about this as well, thanks for explaining. :)