The Journey Begins...

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

The fiberglass resin heats up, and can melt and warp the foam circles.
Resin doesnt need a clay wall. Its doesnt run far from where you put it. But it does need a beauty coat of just resin to keep the cloth or matt texture out of the mold. Cloth isnt as strong but its less messy, you can spread resin on top without clumping, and doesnt leave those nasty pokeys. Its easier to cut shapes with it.

Painting the tail after may fill the fiberglass marks enough that you wont see it. Test a small patch and see!

[Usagi]

Thanks for the advice!! I was thinking of ideas during class just now..in addition to adding scales, maybe I can add some fins and collect some dead barnacles at the tide pools and attach them haha

[Usagi]

I thought I'd be able to get out the little foam pieces that got stuck in the mold, but I just tried with water and a toothbrush last night. Any advice?

[Lily]

You can try acetone (get the pure stuff, not the diluted/scented kind). Some types of craft foam will dissolve in acetone, or possibly turpentine or mineral spirits. I've also seen "carburetor cleaner" recommended, but I have no idea what that is or where to find it. :-/

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Fiberglass resin can be removed with acetone. I use nail polish remover with it to clean up afterwards. It will make the resin sticky and soft. The more you rub the more comes off.

I had the same issue. The resin can fill the air pockets in the foam. I threw my mold out and did another in clay. Sanding it works but you have to be very careful. The dust is very bad for your lungs so full ventilation and masks and old clothes or overalls.

[Usagi]

Okay, the resin mold of the scale sheet is seriously just a bust. It makes me sad because I used almost all the resin that I got for christmas on it (granted, it was only 32 oz). So now im thinking of making a patch or two of scales, of maybe six. I would have a base layer of silicone and then attach the scale patches with silicone. Would that work? I thought I'd read something about there being a time limit for attaching silicone to silicone.

Also, should I extend my monofin somehow? Or could the silicone in the fluke give enough of a push?

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Im sorry to hear your mold is a bust

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...e-Tail-Journey

I think this thread will help if your going smaller scale. Pearlie Mae has pretty much mastered anything in that area. Its an amazing read. Her tail is stunning and I personally think one of the most realistic ive ever seen.

As for the monofin, you could if you wanted to. It would make the fluke stiffer. If you want a more floppy fluke, it would work the way it is. Now that I fixed my wave ive got pretty good propulsion in it. I imagine an intact one would be even better!

If you do, make sure to test to see if your silicone will cure against it.

[Usagi]

Thanks, I didn't realize Pearlie Mae was doing it in groups (or individually? I'm writing this before going to check out her thread haha). Although that makes sense since Wesley was posting about finding a Pearlie Mae scale and holding it hostage. Haha
I wanted something with good propulsion to move me along more quickly, because I panic underwater for whatever reason and have to surface after barely going anywhere. Lol lame.
What happened to your wave? Im guessing it broke, but how? Mine is bent and doesn't want to be straight again.
I wanted to use DragonSkin 10 for the fluke since the type im using for the scales and possibly a dorsal is more flimsy. I was hoping the 10 would give a little more of a push. Thanks for the tip about testing first. My monofin has duct tape residue on it from when I had an "extension" on it. I'll have to clean it before testing, I guess

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Pearlie makes individual scales. Shes got to be the most patient person on the planet! I have a fund for a tail from her. I imagine patches would be the same way but faster. She also sells scale pendants now.

My wave is in a mertailor silicone neoprene tail and he put 6 holes almost 3 inches across.

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...fin-looks-like

which I should probably update with the method I used to fix it. So not broken, just handled by someone who couldnt care less about his product. Sad.

Mine was very bent from the way it folded but I took a low heat gun to it and warmed it up. Then I put flat heavy bottle on it (super miracle bubbles 3 litre ones) and let it cool and it worked pretty well.

I think dragonskin 10 is the most widely used and works well. Isopropyl alcohol with clean the residue off. Ive seen people say they had no cure issues with dragonskin and duct tape but im not sure about just the glue. Platinum cure is super finicky. I have to find a new area to pour my silicone since the room I wanted to use has had latex clothing in it and the silicone doesnt always cure. And its winter here for at least 4 more months lol.

Im excited to see how a tail made with the fx silicone turns out!!!

[Mermaid Wesley]

Thanks, I didn't realize Pearlie Mae was doing it in groups (or individually? I'm writing this before going to check out her thread haha). Although that makes sense since Wesley was posting about finding a Pearlie Mae scale and holding it hostage. Haha

I still have that scale XD sorry you've got problems, hon!

[PearlieMae]

Oooh! The Dragonskin FX is sooooo super soft! They use that for like facial prosthetics...think zombie make-up! Dragonskin 10 is also very very soft. If you want a stiffer silicone, I'd go with the Dragonskin 30. It's still soft, but at least it has some push to it. 10 is best for scales.

What monofin are you using?

The 'window of opportunity' of attaching silicone to silicone is kind of a myth. If you wipe down your silicone with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol - I prefer the 91% as there is less water and it dries faster) before attaching more silicone really works. If you've made something from silicone and used it in a pool (or whatever), washing it withDawn dishwashing soap (the original blue kind), rinsing it well, then following it up with the alcohol should prep your silicone nicely. Of course, it's better to attach silicone to itself when it's fresh - you get a better bond - but I've had no issue attaching new to old, or old to old. (Mermaid Jessica told me about the Dawn, and the president of Smooth On told me about the alcohol.)

Wesley, you still have that scale? Bleh! You do realize it was in my shoe for most of the evening, right?

[Usagi]

You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for the tips! I made a few scales today and poured some resin on them and I'm letting it cure overnight.
Pearlie, I am just using a finis wave, since I already had one for my fabric tail.

[Mermaid Wesley]

Wesley, you still have that scale? Bleh! You do realize it was in my shoe for most of the evening, right?

i washed it off. its a souvenir now *cackle*

[PearlieMae]

You've been into the mermaid punch, haven't you?

[Usagi]

I just put a bit of silicone in the mold. O.O

[Usagi]

It's a lot goopier than I had been expecting.

[PearlieMae]

Did no one mention it's a lot like snot? 0_o

[Elle]

Did no one mention it's a lot like snot? 0_o

And then you can pigment it and have multicoloured snot

[Atlantisblue]

That's good to know *Iol*

[PearlieMae]

I do that inadvertently when I have a cold. Just the one color, though.