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missfit1023 β my tail tutorial
Published: 2011-05-19 05:20:02 +0000 UTC; Views: 108650; Favourites: 762; Downloads: 1508
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Description
i have been asked by many people, and here it is! this is the exact method i used for my tail.**PLEASE READ COMMENTS BEFORE YOU ASK QUESTIONS!**
I did forget to mention the Spray Silicone in the first picture, which is $9 on Amazon.com. It is used for divers, and should be applied to the finished tail to prevent stickiness!
This tutorial was a collaboration from many of the mer community on Mer.Yuku.com
**DISCLAIMER**
Do not swim in a mermaid tail without supervision - This particular tail-tutorial makes a tail that is easily 40-50bls when finished. It will be weightless in the water, but will double in weight after being wet on land.
I suggest practice swimming with a monofin while in the process of making your tail - it will help you learn how to move with the fin and build the necessary muscles to swim with it.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN COMMISSIONING A TAIL:
read this first: [link]
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Comments: 289
Β i want to ask.....if i don't have any createx paint, can i paint it with fabric paint or else?
and what is caulking gun? is that like hot glue?
thank you
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I have one last question, if I may 
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For the first part of your question, no the tail's latex didn't crack - However, if left in a hot environment (direct sunlight or in the car) it would stick to itself. It would come undone, but with effort...Also, the paint did scrape off on the fluke wherever it touched the cement.
As for the second part, I honestly couldn't say as I've never tried it. I do know that for mold-making you CAN NOT use the caulking latex that I used here, what you need is a liquidy version of the latex (like in mask-making kits, which can be found online on some Special Effects websites).
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Hi, Do you have photos of you in the tail? How much did it cost to make it in total? Thank you.
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is the whole fluke a monofin Β that has been cut? or are the corners not part of the monofin
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i cut some of the hard edges of the monofin, it makes the fin look less obvious.
i had a video, but it was taken down because of the music. i havent have the chance to put it back up yet.
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do you have a video of the tail under water?
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Thank you so much for posting this! You are awesome!
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Question! When putting on the thicker layer of latex for the scales, do you put the latex down in sections to fit the mesh? Or put it all down and just press the mesh down in one place, let the scales set, then press it down in the next spot?
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I did it in sections, since I only had one piece of the mesh to work with.
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Thank you so much for your tutorial. This has given me os much more insight to how I'm putting my tail together. <3
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do you have to use neoprene because it is quite heavy and i cant seem to find it in my country. any other fabrics possible?Β
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No. Only neoprene can be used.
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Great work.. I love it!! Did you made also a monofin inside?
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thank you! i purchased the monofin from Finis, but i've been researching making my own.
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Hi!!! Thank you for the answer, for making a different shape of fin, I also thought to creating a monofin by myself and i was searching pictures that shows how can i make it !!! In any photos of MerTailor is possible to see the shape of the monofin inside the tail. Β Maybe i can made it in fiberglass.. using the shoes of normal fin
It s my first tail project but i cant wait to create one !!!
Greatings
Lucia
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How much did all of that cost you?
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i made it myself, for about $300-400
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i got my latex from home depot
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You are a life saver dearie! Just had to retire my first tail after 4 years and one last good go around at MerPalooza, and I was hoping to make a new one with latex scales. This is hands down the most helpful thing Ive seen! Thanks soooo much!Β
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when making the scales do you put the metal grating underneath the tail or on top
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What thickness is your neoprene?
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Hi! I just have to say great tutorial 
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i'd recommend starting with the 16oz bottles - However, if you plan on blending or fading your colors into another one, more is always better (for accidents mostly).
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I may be misunderstanding what I'm reading, but are you sealing the monofin into the tail? or how do you get it in and out?
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the monofin IS sealed in - the only way to get it out is to cut it out, thus destroying the tail.
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Thought I would ask, as many things I've seen talk about doing velcro on the bottom which for me sounds like it would make it a little harder to trust that your tail doesn't fall apart on you
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Some people use a zipper...but I have no idea how to install that properly at the bottom of the tail.
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If you sew the tail together rightside-out, how do you hide the seams? Does the latex ever go past the neoprene on the fluke or fins? Can this whole technique be done over spandex if you don't put the tail in water or swim with it? Thank you so much! Your tutorial is wonderful!
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Sewing the tail right-side out? You should sew it INSIDE-OUT, this way the seams are on the inside of the tail and can't be seen. The seams (if sewn properly) can be hidden with some latex caulking down them - some people free-hand shape them into scales.Β
The latex on my tail did actually do past the neoprene and onto the monofin - and there isn't anything different or special about it. I suppose its safe.
OK, I GET THIS LAST QUESTION A LOT (i'm not "yelling," just trying to get the attention of any other commenters who ask):
YOU CANNOT SUCCESSFULLY USE THIS METHOD ON SPANDEX MATERIAL. IF THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT, I HAVE NOT YET DISCOVERED IT, AND THEREFORE I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT.
That is all
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I was also wondering if I have to use the clear latex? It's so much more expensive than the colored...
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you don't have to use clear, but it will be harder to test if it is dried (clear latex comes out white and dries clear, which helps in knowing if its dried all the way through), it may also alter your color of paint. do some test swatches of the colored latex with your desired paint to know for sure.
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How tall are you/how long was the tail? I would like to know if I'll need 5 or 6 yards of neoprene.
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I'm 5'5" - the tail is roughly 4' long, with the monofin inside. best bet is to measure yourself from the waist or hips down to your heels, then add the length of your monofin (if you don't have a monofin yet, look on finis' website for the monofin specs, the length should be there)
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Thank you for this amazing tutorial.
I just have a little question: after putting latex, does the neoprene is still stretchy? I mean, if the fabric is cut narrower on the waist than on the hips, is it easy to put on the tail, or do you need to put a zipper for example? Thank you for your answer
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The neoprene is still stretchy after the latex is dried!! But I do know many mermaids who have installed zippers down the back of the tail (They often hide it with a dorsal fin), but that is more for convenience for putting their feet into the monofin.
I realized, with this tail I made, putting my feet in the actual fin is the hardest part, and if I could go back I would probably add a zipper.
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How much did you spend overall to make one tail?
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You're so pretty <3 And I love how you made your tail.. It looks absolutely amazing
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thank you so much!
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I think that this tail is made for swimming -obvious Minato is obvious xDU- but can I ask, you think it will work on spandex this method?
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I do not recommend this method for spandex - I know people who have done it, but it is a much more complicated process.
If you really want to find someone who's tried it, go to Mernetwork.com under tail-making.
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Thank you so much, I'll take a look!
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Thank you
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