Full silicon tail in the works.

[Firemaid]

Hey guys!
First of all thank you so much for all the information you put out there!
It's wonderful! You are wonderful! I couldn't do this without you!
I'm starting my silicon tail next week!!
I'm very lucky to have a special fx mold maker helping me.
I've shown him the product lists from Kantis forum and he told me he can save me hundreds of dollars.
I will tell you all everything.
I will clue you in to the products and proceses we use every step of the way.

He and I have a few big questions before we start getting our hands dirty. Someone may have answered this in the forums, but it's hard to dig through all the stuff about intellectually property. Ugh.
So Silicon won't stick to my mono-fin right?
I certainly don't want a pocket that can fill with water and drag! What is the answer?
I want the fluke to be a solid thing. Is there an epoxy that would stick it together?
Could I drill holes in the mono-fin so the silicon would stick to itself??
Also do you know anyone who has made a full silicon tail with no mono fin? I feel like that could be super pretty, but I'm worried about performance. Any answers to these questions would be really appreciated!
xoxo
Maria
P.S. feel free to pm me if what you want to say is off topic

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Silicone will not stick to a monofin. You have to use some sort of silicone adhesive. Smooth-on sells some.
The closest I've seen to a monofin-less tail would be one of Mike's recreations of the 13th Year tail. www.mermaidtales.net

Congrats on starting up a tail and I would love to see the progress. :>

[Spindrift]

Latexmans tails do not have a monofin in them.

[Winged Mermaid]

A lot of silicone tails don't have monofins in them. Instead they have a footpocket in a fluke of solid silicone, and the fluke is the thing that propels you. They work well! You can seal the monofin in the fluke by sandwiching it between the fluke pieces and sealing the fluke together with more silicone, just like any other silicone tail. Just make sure you seal all the silicone together and you won't have any issues with it

[Lyna]

neat! everyone's so ambitious!!

[Firemaid]

No interesting pictures yet, but keeping ya'll in the loop of the process.
So, I met with FX guy today!
We have decided on either a Foil or no mono fin at all with a the fin cast out of a harder silicone than the rest of the tail.
If we go the no mono route any advice about foot pocket?
We are going to paint it in blues with a touch of gold. Inspired by my neoprene tail.
Any suggestions on metallic pigments that have successfully been used with silicon?
A few extra small flowing fins by the heals and hips. ( i am sooo looking forward to sculpting those!)
We are making a mold of my legs. From there we are not 100% sure if we are going to try and cast around the mold or cast scale "sheets" and fit them to the mold. What do you all think?
Any advice on avoiding seams down the side?

He says we can can do it for pretty cheap and in two weeks? I have major doubts about that, but anything is possible?
I think we start work on monday. 8am to 2pm. 5 days a week. My other work is gonna suffer, I hope my partner doesn't kill me.
xoxoxo
I am pretty excited. I'm like crazy excited.

[AniaR]

I know a common complaint (really, the only complaint) with mike's tails is that the foot pockets are really uncomfortable. I think a finis monofin would be easiest for swimming and on your tootsies!

[Winged Mermaid]

Sounds awesome!! My opinion: you should do the leg casting and no monofin fluke. No one here in the community knows how to do that stuff, and you have a maybe once in a lifetime opportunity to work with an FX guy, so go for the gold!! Also you would document with pics and videos as you go you'd be our hero! Seriously! Just remember- don't rush. I see it time and time again with tails, people rush them for a deadline, then they're not happy with how they came out. The end up having to fix them later or even scrap them and start from the beginning again. I've done it with fairy wings and things, so I'm completely guilty. Just take your time and soak in the experience, and be picky!

[Winged Mermaid]

Also I've heard different things about the foot pockets. Some people don't like Mike's, but everyone I've known that's tried on or swam in the PAX Mermaid tails owned by Shimmerbaby said it was very comfortable and the tail swam like a dream. Linden has that and she says hers is very comfortable. I think maybe the trick would be to either encase actual fin or monofin foot pockets into the fluke, or make the fluke out of harder silicone but line the foot pocket with softer silicone. Either way, I think the problem with that is mostly sizing, but if the tail maker is right there or you ARE the tailmaker, you have much higher probability for comfort because you can tailor the fit.

[Firemaid]

First Day of mermaid tail making was super fun!! yay! we made a cast of my legs. We just used plaster bandages.

We filled it with Fiberglass to make a long lasting mold.
I'll post a picture tomorrow!!

[Firemaid]

I guess I'm going with the foil for my monofin? But after looking at ravens new tail Im having some doubts. Ravens new tail makes me green jello. WTF? its so pretty. Ugh. Oh yeah and I'm pretty much done with this old thing. If anybody wants to buy it/ Its in kinda bad shape, so I'll do it for $200 plus shipping.

[Kanti]

I'm certain that the monofin Raven is using in the new tail is an Oceanika.

http://www.oceanikamerfins.com/welcome-to-oceanika

Their fins seem pretty nice :')

Also very interesting that all you used was plaster bandages? I always thought they
would be too weak to hold any significance but I guess with enough of them they're
good?
Pretty cool! Thanks for sharing! I really am going to look forward to this o_O

[Lyna]

it sure is.
and they are nice. i love mine. but they destroy your feet.

[Firemaid]

It's for sure a Oceanika. I'm not in love with the shape of the Oceanikas, But I love that it's one soft rubber piece. I want to make my own rubber fin. The Oceanikas are made in a factory in Malaysia? I looked into it a little. They are like $20 each, if you order hundreds that is. Ahhh. I might have to do it. Or try to cast my own at home?? I just want make the PERFECT tail...

[Spindrift]

I guess I'm going with the foil for my monofin? But after looking at ravens new tail Im having some doubts. Ravens new tail makes me green jello. WTF? its so pretty. Ugh. Oh yeah and I'm pretty much done with this old thing. If anybody wants to buy it/ Its in kinda bad shape, so I'll do it for $200 plus shipping.

Which old thing? Your tail?! The fin? What kind is it? How bad a shape is it in?

[Firemaid]

The tail!!! It doesn't have any strap on the mono fin (made out of old swim flippers and a hard plastic resin/not plexiglass) , so it's pretty hard to keep your feet in when swimming. Also the fin is buoyant as heck. It is pretty. The paint is cracked in places, but it is the same color underneath so this doesn't look too bad. This picture is from just a few days ago.

[Mahi Mermaid]

can you post more pictures of your tail, up close?

[*Celine*]

I guess I'm going with the foil for my monofin? But after looking at ravens new tail Im having some doubts. Ravens new tail makes me green jello. WTF? its so pretty. Ugh. Oh yeah and I'm pretty much done with this old thing. If anybody wants to buy it/ Its in kinda bad shape, so I'll do it for $200 plus shipping.

Could you give all the details about this tail like size and what kind of shape it is in because I'm interested in buying it

[Firemaid]

I sent you a PM Celine

[Firemaid]

Ok progress! We finished the mold of my legs!! We have cut out all the scales and built the mold box! yeah yeah. We start casting the molds on monday!

Here are the finished legs! we will build the tail on to it.


This is what it looked like before we sanded and taped it!


This was a lot of messy work, If i had to do it over i would have bought a dress form with legs in my size.