Making my first swimable tail

[Jinx]

I have begun work on my first swimmable tail. I have mademany costumes in the past everything from a 7 foot Dalek that my son has wornto many comic-cons to Victorian gowns. Now I start with my first tail. Here isthe beginnings of a step by step I will add pics of each step as I go.


After my first drawings I decided on a translucent fluke

I bought 2 neoprene wetsuits from eBay totaling only $20 after snipeing my bidsthe first only was 20 cents and the second $5 the rest was shipping costs.
I am going to sew the suits to the shapes I want which I will post photos ofwhen I start that part of the project.
I am going to build a tail extension like the ones seen in the behind thescenes of H2O videos
I bought Lexan to make the fluke, I found silicone sheeting that has a nicepattern in it that looks like the lines in a tail fin, I have a large spool ofsilicone tubing, I also bought pvc tubing caps for it, hinges, and I am goingto sandwich these all together to make the fluke and extension for it. Some ofthe tubing will be left open at the top and I am going to make plugs for it sothat I can insert glow in the dark necklaces into the tubes that will glow whenI am swimming at night. They will be removable so that I can refill the lightsas I so desire. I am going to attach the tubing scattered throughout the fin asto give it a differing level of thickness as to give it a more natural feel.

I will post more of my plans as I finish things. I am planning on having itfinished within the month as the slowest. So keep checking back to see how itis going.

[Jinx]

Here are pics of the stencil and beginnings of the fluke as I am about to cut the Lexan. The biggest problem is that the dremel takes forever to get charged since I am using the cordless one that I bought for my son to use on his carving. I tried the drill but the pressure of the weight of the drill caused a small crack in the Lexan and I had to alter my design making the tail skinnier then I originally planned.

[Merman Ray]

Your drawing concept looks great.

[Mermaid Marissa]

looks amazing can't wait to see it completed

[Mermaid Caidence]

love your drawing!

[Spindrift]

Please keep us up to date on your progress!

[Jinx]

I finished the fabrication of my extended monofin ahlaH2O today. I am posting the videos to my YouTube. I can't get my phone to send the videos so I could upload them here. So...
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjFrx...4&feature=plcp
Today I decided to redesign the cuts to my monofin on the lexan and streamlineit a bit. So I had to recut the whole thing. No big deal. I got a new dremel atHome Depot on 4th of July sale and I got the corded high power one. It took afraction of the time to cut then it did with my son's small cordless dremel. Iused a tip that is made for cutting glass, fiberglass, and similar materials. Icut it to the design I finally decided on and then I used 3 inch hinges.
You can see in the video that I got Tee shaped hinges they are long on one sideand flat like a door hinge on the other. I used the flat end along the top ofthe lexan fin where it meets the rod. The long side of the hinge is attached toa 1 inch PVC pipe. I marked and drilled holes along the top of the fin and onthe PVC pipe where I wished to attach the fin.
Then since the screws that come with the hinges are meant for wood I tossedthem and used bolts with nuts to attach the hinge to the fin and pipe. Thenhold the nut inside the pipe with one finger and attach the bolt through thehinge into the pipe. The curve of the pipe will hold the nut in place once itgets tight enough and you can pull your finger out and finish tightening itwith a screwdriver. Just in case you don't think about it start with the boltfarthest up the pipe and work your way to the end, that way you can hold allthe nuts while attaching the hinge. This may seem obvious but you might notthink about it until you have the end bolts on and have to put in the farthestup bolt. Also you want to leave the 2 bolts on the end of the pipe a littleloose so that you can cap the pipe.
Then you need to use a PVC cap that sells just up the isle from the pipe andsome marine epoxy. (Forgot to add this into the video) First put the epoxy onthe inside of the pipe around each bolt then on the outside of each bolt aroundthe head and on the place where the hinge touches the pipe. You want to makesure to seal up all around the holes and screws. Last thing you want is water gettingits way into the pipe that is sealed up inside the foam, neoprene,latex/silicone; mold, smelliness, all that gross stuff would happen not tomention the water staying inside it would add weight. Then put some epoxyinside the cap and place the cap on the end of the pipe. Add more epoxy allaround the seam where the cap touches the pipe and smooth it out. Seal thatsucker all up! Then tighten all the bolts as tight as you can without causingthe bolts to become stripped.
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=qaTUwiHmHIA
The hinge points where the flat edge of the lexan is attached to the hinge area lot simpler. Just put the bolt through and tighten the nut on. Once you areall done the extension you will be placing another nut onto the bolts to createa lock on them as to be positive they will never loosen.
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...otation_184584
Next the kick plate. I made my kick plate 7 1/2 inches by 9 inches. I wanted tobe sure I would have plenty of surface to push off with my feet. I rounded thecorners and beveled them. I once again drilled holes in the pipe but on theopposite end and on the flip side. The hinge attaching the fin should be on theother side of the pipe. When you see the pics it will be easier to understandwhat I mean. The long end of the hinge is again on the pipe then you need athird hinge. Use the bolts to pit the hinges together flat end to flat end. Thesecond hinge's long end will be attached to the kick plate near the center.Once again it is easier seen then explained in text.
Be sure to attach the hinge to the kick plate first, then you attach the longend of the hinge to the pipe is the same manner as the other end. Then you needto seal up that end of the pipe like you did the first end.
Then let it rest. The epoxy needs time to dry and you will need time to cleanyourself up! Unfortunately cutting the lexan is a dirty job little particles ofit go everywhere. Then if you’re anything like me (a total klutz) you end upwith epoxy all over yourself too. I had it on my neck, arms, hands, and then myhair brushed my neck where it was.... Needless to say I keep lots of Acetone onhand at all times. I need it so often you would think I was a small orientalwoman that worked in a nail salon. Lol.
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...z2T2YXak#t=40s
Ok. Pardon my side bar. Tomorrow I will be adding the foam around the base ofthe extension and coating it with all the lovely layers of other things I amplanning. I am not one of those people that will hold info back from you all. Ihave done hours, days,.... worth of searching to figure this all out and yes ifsomeone wants me to I'd be happy to make them one. If you want to try mymethods yourself be my guest. I know how hard it is to do any of these thingswithout prior knowledge of materials you need and how to use them. I have 20+years of costuming experience, a masters degree in art on top of that. So beingthat I am a stay at home mother of 4 that has M.S. and I can't feel my legs Iknow the feeling of being a mermaid. I worked very hard to get myself to beable to walk, run, and swim again without the ability to feel my legs. I had towork just as hard to get my arms to work too, I had to reteach myself to write,type, cut things, play the piano, guitar, ukulele again. Singing is the onlything I didn't lose in the years since I was diagnosed. Now I can do everythingagain and while I can't work in the industries I once did being that it takesme more time then I used to use my hands because I have to watch every move Imake with them and be safe to not injure myself. I feel that it would beselfish not to share my knowledge and techniques for others to use and share.Give credit where credit is due. But don't hold back things that would helpothers in what they want to try to do. So I will be keeping up postingeverything I do and make for you all. I hope you do the same. Don't horde yourknowledge give it to others to build upon.

[Jinx]

http://mernetwork.com/index/album.php?albumid=277
here are a few pics I took in my music room of the extended fin.

[Prince Calypso]

Honestly i was wonder when the heck someone was gonna come up with this idea. its about time
you've done a genius job of it, i cant wait to see how it will look once its all put together and in the tail

though i was never too crazy f about the bulky kind a fat look of the H2O tails i fell in love with the length of them and how they ungulated in the water like a dolphin.

[Mermaid Marissa]

Honestly i was wonder when the heck someone was gonna come up with this idea. its about time
you've done a genius job of it, i cant wait to see how it will look once its all put together and in the tail

though i was never too crazy f about the bulky kind a fat look of the H2O tails i fell in love with the length of them and how they ungulated in the water like a dolphin.

I agree I love this idea and I can't wait to see the finished product

[Jinx]

I posted more pics of my progress in my album.

Once the extended monofin was finished I started on the suit. I sewed in sheerskin toned swim suit fabric into the keyhole neckline and then I added a panelto the back so that it doesn't reveal more of me then I would like. Then Istarted on making the tail cover. I took an old pair of heavy wetsuit pants. Icut down the center seem and then I cut them right above where the zipper is onthe ankle. I used the portion I cut off of the ankle and sewed it into the holewhere the groin usually is. I inserted the monofin stem (after taking the finoff) into the leg. I folded the waist line into the center and formed the footpocket. I hand sewed in the form of the pockets with a needle used to sewweaves into people’s hair. You can also use an upholstery needle. They arecurved into a C shape so they are perfect for sewing a whip stitch into theNeoprene and they are thick so it’s easier to use.
Once that is finished I tried on the wetsuit and put the monofin tail on myfeet. I saw where the dips that needed to be filled were. I had one between myheels and my calves that needed something to smooth the transition and keep itlooking like a tail and not legs going into a manmade thing. So at the back ofthe ankle of the top suit I created a pocket by adding some of the fabric thatoriginally made up the sleeves. Then I cemented that flap onto the tailneoprene. Then I Cut the ankle off of the tail suit's other leg. I used that toform the pocket outer layer so that the transition will be stiff and seamless.I then took the kind of foam that you would use on the top of your bed (it canbe sold in craft stores in 2 foot squares) I cut a 7x6 square of it folded itin half length wise then put it inside of a Ziploc bag. I sealed the bag withwetsuit cement. I almost forgot to say, every seem in the neoprene is cementedwith wetsuit cement before it is sewn. This also means you need to spraysilicone spray on your sewing needles, all of them. The ones you hand sew withand the ones in your sewing machine. Once the pillow is finished place it whereyou need it to fill, cement the area around it and then sew it shut. When I putmy feet into it I had no line of demarcation from my legs into the transitionof the monofin.
Then I took it all outside. I took the tubing I am installing on the monofin tohold the glow necklaces and cut it into lengths that would go from 1 inchinside the end of the neoprene to the end of the fin. Then using the SiliconeGoop (properly using the same technique as you should use with rubber cement,if you don't know that procedure I would be happy to explain it to you) I gluedthe tubes to the fin. Then it had to sit for 24 hours.
The next day I used the Goop to glue the bottom of the wetsuit to the top of themonofin. I clamped it and am let that sit as well. After that I also put on myfirst coat of the ALEX silicone on the suit.

See all the pics in my album for the shots of it. I am also uploading thevideos on my YouTube which are more descriptive then what I just told you here.I will post links to them as they are up.

[Mermaid Saphira]

Honestly i was wonder when the heck someone was gonna come up with this idea. its about time
you've done a genius job of it, i cant wait to see how it will look once its all put together and in the tail

though i was never too crazy f about the bulky kind a fat look of the H2O tails i fell in love with the length of them and how they ungulated in the water like a dolphin.

Merman Jesse did a tail similar to h2o as well. You can see it here.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY9cNxLl0UE and swimming in it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBv3B68EyJQ


@Jinx: I think your tail is going to turn out amazing! I am really looking forward to seeing your finished work

[Lyna]

And Merman Jesse is amazing. His work has progressed insanely over the last year+he charges 1/4 what the mertailor does+he does it in 1/3 the time AND he emails you every step of the way with 180% customer service. Just sayin'...

[Jinx]

Here are the links to what I videos have done so far to show what I did in the last update. I will be adding more latere today or tomorrow..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z70Uqh3DAW0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqc6wY11IhI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYi7zZMjptE

[Jinx]

Merman Jesse did a tail similar to h2o as well. You can see it here.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY9cNxLl0UE and swimming in it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBv3B68EyJQ


@Jinx: I think your tail is going to turn out amazing! I am really looking forward to seeing your finished work

My only comment on Merman Jesse's tail is that it seems to be a bit baggy. The way I am making mine I am trying to keep it with a low profile and for it not to be as fat as the H2O tails. His is pretty cool. I can't decide if I am going to keep the original color scheme that I thought of though. I keep going back and forth on it. I might go with a hot pink, purple or teal instead. I can never make up my mind on that stuff. But I will be posting more pics and videos soon. My goal is to have it done in a week or two. I don't want it to be an extended project. Just an extended tail. lol.

[Jinx]

well first big set back. While glueing the sheeting down i decided to do a bigger section at a time. while doing that i didnt realize that the goop marine cement sets quicker then i was working. also once it hs been put on after 10 minutes it doesnt work to glue any more. it forms an unglueable matt. so after covering both the sheeting and monofin with goop it repelled each other and nothing would stick to it. i tried epoxy, marine hot glue, dive suit cement, silicone sealant. nothing was working. in fact it only got worse. the work on the fluke caused the neoprene to pul away from the alex where i was joining it all. then i made the decision to start over and trash thewhole sheeting idea. i began ripping the sheeting and tubing off. i was scraping the thick layer of glue off when i made a fatal mistake with my 7inch razor scraper. welll not fatal exactly except for the palm of my left(writing) hand. I slit my hand open and had to rush to the hospital where i was #60 inline to see the triage nurse. so i packed my 4kids back in the car all while holding my arm in the air and my son squeezed my palm shut ad drove to a different hospital where i was proptly taken care of. it didnt bleed too much but the muscle was showing. my insurance doesnt cover ambulances and my neighbors were ll out so i had to drive myself even if it wasnt the smartest idea there wasnt a choice. my bf met us at the hopital making 1 1/2 hour drive from work in 45 minutes. he got there in time to take the kids outside while the doctor started stitching me up. we got home and of course right away i wanted tim to help me flip the tail over so i could start on the other side buthe refused. he said i was nutz if i thought he would let me work on that after i narrowly missed cutting the tendons in y thumb off. he made me promise to wait until it hd started healing to start work on it again. so until i can break my promise ( when he goes to work tomorrow afternoon) i am trying to plan my next move.
i decided that i am going to make a negative mold and just layer the thinned alex mixed with paint into it. then add the tubes as i layer and work my way in from the outside. then press the lexan fin into the latex. i think ishould stilll use glue to stick the lexan into the outer fluke but i dont know what to use. i would love suggestions or any ideas anyone would have as to tackling this problem. if i had the money i would do what i was originally doing( cause i know it works) but i dont want to sink any more cash into this and even if i had the money i have bought all the stores in 25 miles out of the goop marine glue and the sheeting. so i think the molding is the only option i have left. so that just leaves the"how to glue in the lexan ?"problem.

any ideas?????

also please forgivethe lack of capitalization and what not typing is hard with one hand wrapped up. i aguess this is another example if why everyone calls me jinx!

[Spindrift]

That sounds like a horrible experience! I hope your hand gets better really soon. I hate knives and the idea of slicing myself open, so that's a really horrifying story.

[Alveric]

My advice would be to take the bf's advice and heal-up before doing any serious work. It would give you more time to think anyway.

[Mermaid Bubbles]

This tail looks awesome! I can't wait to see it

[Toxotes]

As far as i could see it in the videos:
AWESOME!

About that problem how to glue that lexan to the alex, have you tried to sand the lexan a bit and put the alex directly on it? Maybe on a small unused piece of lexan.