PearlieMae's Silicone Tail Journey

**Lostariel Telrunya** · 07-30-2014, 04:26 PM

Don't trust the Home Depot website. I had bought a 'Lexan' sheet once that was shown on the website, and the cover said Lexan on it, but it was DEFINITELY NOT Lexan. All I was doing was testing out the waviness of the monofin in my bathtub (I just filled it up and was moving it up and down like it would do in the water to see how much it would bend, and where with the shape I had cut it into), and on the third or fourth time it all of a sudden shattered in my hands. Got some nasty cuts, and was down one monofin. I'm glad I didn't test it out on my feet first, that would have been disastrous. I didn't have a very thick sheet either. It didn't behave like normal Lexan at all. I had considered writing an email to the company, but I don't think they would take it very seriously if they received a letter from a person concerned about the physical safety of mermaiders everywhere.

**MarkF** · 07-30-2014, 04:32 PM

Perhaps stepping layers to maintain that .093 at the edges and having .250 at the foot plate and high stress areas?
Basically smaller plates top and bottom, kinda half moon shapes.

**PearlieMae** · 07-30-2014, 05:23 PM

Except for putting a quarter round on the edges, the main part of the fluke was full thickness. The footplate covered the high stress areas (I went through a lot of Lexan testing this), but it broke out of the blue...not in a particularly stressed area where I would assume it suffer. A half moon would not have covered the breaking point.

Lostariel, you didn't contact them???

**Lostariel Telrunya** · 07-30-2014, 05:40 PM

No, I'm am ashamed to say I did not contact them. I was going to, and then I realized that the moment they would ask me 'in what situation did the incident happen' or whatever, that I would then have to explain that I am a mermaid and needed something strong enough for a fluke in a tail. Don't think that would go down very well....

**PearlieMae** · 07-30-2014, 09:48 PM

Oh, I'm not going to have any problem complaining about this. I'll bitch until I get my money back AND a solution!

**Mermaid Lily_Pad** · 07-30-2014, 09:57 PM

You go Pearlie. Give them Heck. Keep us updated!

**MarkF** · 07-30-2014, 10:08 PM

Buy your poly-carbonate from a real plastics dealer and not Home Depot, for like $30 they will cut it and it'l be higher quality. Lexan is a brand of poly-carbonate. "You probably knew that"

If at the store you can't tell of it's glass or plastic then it's Plexiglas. Poly's not perfectly clear, really clear - not perfect.
If only we had tickets to Mako Island, think how much easier this would be.

**PearlieMae** · 07-30-2014, 10:13 PM

Actually, in thinking about the usual complaints and situations the Lexan customer service people probably hear, I would imagine a complaint about a mermaid tail would seem pretty interesting.

**PearlieMae** · 07-30-2014, 10:17 PM

MarkF, I will look into a plastics dealer. I thought I could trust Home Depot, but evidently not. That bothers me.

**Lostariel Telrunya** · 07-31-2014, 01:39 AM

Pearlie, please tell them that a certain Elvish Mermaid called Lostariel Telrunya is also looking for their heads. I can never sound menacing, even in an email, but I would imagine if the Queen of the Pearlie Method got a whack at 'em, they'll listen.

**Kishiko** · 07-31-2014, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Lostariel Telrunya

Don't trust the Home Depot website. I had bought a 'Lexan' sheet once that was shown on the website, and the cover said Lexan on it, but it was DEFINITELY NOT Lexan. All I was doing was testing out the waviness of the monofin in my bathtub (I just filled it up and was moving it up and down like it would do in the water to see how much it would bend, and where with the shape I had cut it into), and on the third or fourth time it all of a sudden shattered in my hands. Got some nasty cuts, and was down one monofin. I'm glad I didn't test it out on my feet first, that would have been disastrous. I didn't have a very thick sheet either. It didn't behave like normal Lexan at all. I had considered writing an email to the company, but I don't think they would take it very seriously if they received a letter from a person concerned about the physical safety of mermaiders everywhere.

I hate to be the devils advocate here but...Lexan is just a brand. There's lexan polycarbonate and also lexan acrylic. Home Depot sells both. You probably ended up with acrylic by mistake /: I ordered my sheet (same thickness as pearlies) from lowes and have not had any problems. My monofin is about 27" x 30" and it has not broken or fractured anywhere. Sorry about your monofin though; yours too Pearlie Mae!!

**PearlieMae** · 07-31-2014, 02:57 PM

Thanks! I'm quite annoyed at Home Depot as they advertise ON THE SHELF that their Lexan IS polycarbonate. Even the protective sheet on the plastic says polycarbonate.

They are going to hear about it, no worries, and I will keep you all updated!

**PearlieMae** · 07-31-2014, 03:00 PM

In the meantime (some of these are dupes from the Show Us Your Tail page, click on the attachment name to see them):

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That's my sister (and the bride) pinching my bewbie!
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**SINicallyTwisted** · 07-31-2014, 03:01 PM

Awwww! I so want to snuggle you! XD

**Kishiko** · 07-31-2014, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by PearlieMae

Thanks! I'm quite annoyed at Home Depot as they advertise ON THE SHELF that their Lexan IS polycarbonate. Even the protective sheet on the plastic says polycarbonate.

They are going to hear about it, no worries, and I will keep you all updated!

with tho how long you used yours and tried to destroy it I'm pretty sure yours was polycarbonate. Maybe it just had a high stress point from the inflicted damage. While it's incredibly strong, it's not un breakable. I do think Lostariel's was acrylic however.

**Grey Gambit** · 07-31-2014, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by PearlieMae

Thanks! I'm quite annoyed at Home Depot as they advertise ON THE SHELF that their Lexan IS polycarbonate. Even the protective sheet on the plastic says polycarbonate.

...This is making me a little worried about the sheet I picked up from Home Depot. I got the same thing, just the smaller size. I haven't cut it yet though.

**Mermaid Lily_Pad** · 07-31-2014, 04:05 PM

Oh Pearlie! It is SO pretty! Maybe over winter I will get the guts to try and make one of my own.

**PearlieMae** · 07-31-2014, 04:09 PM

Grey, how soon were you planning on cutting it? You might want to hang back until I talk to them, or contact them with a query, stating you've heard bad things about their Lexan and you might want to return it and go to Lowe's. That usually spurs them into some fast action as Lowe's is their biggest competitor.

For an even faster response, go and ask on their Facebook page, because that's public!