PearlieMae's Silicone Tail Journey

[PearlieMae]

Sneak peek at the new fluke...the white underneath is the table it's on...yes, it's that translucent

[Lily]

Wooooooooooooooooooow.

[MarkF]

You rock! That doesn't look translucent that looks clear.

[Lostariel Telrunya]

That . Is. So. Freaking. Amazing

[Mermaid Meko]

This is absolutely GORGEOUS! WOW.

Your work continues to astound and amaze me Pearlie!

[Raayvhen]

Pearlie! What a sexy sexy fluke!

[Mermaid Kate Silverfin]

This is amazing!! It's so clear!

[PearlieMae]

A sparkly layer of iridescence will be sandwiched in to hide the monofin edges, unlike a certain tailmaker I won't name (but it rhymes with "fur mailer"), so it won't be as clear as it is here, but it will let light through. The prototype purple-veined white one had three layers and milky silicone, this will have one layer and clear. Plus glitter, and Pearl Ex, and glitter.

Did I mention glitter?

[Starfrit]

I didn't even know it was POSSIBLE to get a fluke that transparent! That's INCREDIBLE!

[Ilyena]

GLITTER!!!!!!

[Mermaid Galene]

OMG, Pearlie! Wowza!

[MarkF]

Are you using the same thickness of polycarbonate as before? Did you step layers?

[AnnaAbyss]

FABULOUS!!!

[PearlieMae]

Are you using the same thickness of polycarbonate as before? Did you step layers?

I stepped one layer in the center, an enlarged footplate, but I cut the entire size WAY down. It's actually around the same size as the table beneath it in the photos above. I'll lose some push in the water, but it will greatly decrease the pressure on the wide areas of the Lexan and give the fluke a nice, rolling flow in the water...it might be a little floppy out of the water, but that's cool with me.

[Lostariel Telrunya]

I love it when flukes have that fishy-flowy-floppyness (it's a real term) to them

[MarkF]

These pictures are such a tease. I'd like to see how your translucent areas look in the pool and as before, you are such an innovative artist
It will be interesting to hear what you think after having the two different sizes. The floppier, smaller tail seems to me to be easier in the pool because of the ability to quickly and sharply turn. You'll be stunning either way.
Well your public awaits the big reveal!

[MerEmma]

SO amazing. Omigosh, WOW. That fluke... <3

[PearlieMae]

These pictures are such a tease. I'd like to see how your translucent areas look in the pool and as before, you are such an innovative artist
It will be interesting to hear what you think after having the two different sizes. The floppier, smaller tail seems to me to be easier in the pool because of the ability to quickly and sharply turn. You'll be stunning either way.
Well your public awaits the big reveal!

I'm curious...what's your opinion on solvent welding polycarbonate? Methylene chloride, Weld-On or MEK all seem to be recommended, but http://www.tapplastics.com/uploads/p...tion_Guide.pdf says that the strength is significantly reduced, but not by how much.

SO amazing. Omigosh, WOW. That fluke... <3

[Jeblily]

Okay this is going to sound terrible because this whole project is amazing.... But I want, no NEED that fluke!!!!! I don't need the scales or anything else but just that fluke!!!!!! Between this and Merbella's translucent waist.... I am in love with the translucent/ clear look! It is so cool and stunning. Out of everything you have done that fluke has to be the most impressive thing!!!

[MarkF]

I only use adhering or molecular bonding glues on pieces that don't flex. The stretch of the glued area is reduced at it's joint, it also has a faster fatigue. Polycarbonate is rated at 200 cycles before fatigue at it's extreme and the weld would be considerable less.
Problems to overcome would be with welding glues "Solvent" is the solvent makes the pieces soft for a moment and in that time you are pushing one piece into the other and squishing them around such that to top squishy side mixes with the bottom squishy side and with a large piece getting the entire areas completely mixed would be hard. All that area equally pressured all at the same time would at least to me take practice. Most likely with in the glued area, large areas wouldn't mix and the product would pop apart quickly under use. The glue areas would have a different stretch, maybe because the plastic is so thin it wouldn't matter.
If this was a paying job, I'd start with thicker material and mark the area that will stay the original thickness. Then get the orbital sander and work from the thinnest point and slowly make my way toward the thickest.
This way there are no seams and because the flex would be a evenly gradual change the chance of a crack at the seam wouldn't happen.
Have you ever used a orbital sander? There fast! Just keep brushing off the plastic dust from the sandpaper so it doesn't stick. Oh, and use only the weight of the sander to push down, you just balance and steer it.
Hope this helps.