Source for tentacles??

[PWS]

I'm looking for something to use to make tentacles.  Been using magic scuplt, but that's the first thing people touch when they see 'em, and it snaps right off (not to mention it takes FOREVER to make them).

Also tried plastic welding rod, didn't work so well either.....

Anyone??

[Uncle Harley]

is this for jelly fish?  I saw a article in breakthrough, not sure what issue, it was one a buddy of mine let me borrow,  I think one of the methods they used was hot glue. Not 100% positive though that has been almost a yr ago when I read it.

[PWS]

Nope....  abalone...

[Uncle Harley]

what the heck is that?  lol

[bill@hogheaven]

PWS........have you considered making them with a length of wire dipped into thixtropic RTV or Latex?

[PWS]

I have but it's very cost prohibitive (not to mention time consuming)....  Great idea, keep 'em coming!

It's a Mollusk, an ocean going snail.  Worth MORE than their weight in gold (no commercial harvest though, farmers sell 'em for around $90/pound).  Only allowed 24 a season, no tanks.  Some places you can still find 'em on a minus tide, but otherwise you have to freedive for 'em ("Shark teasing").

[Ravenson]

ok my first thought is to try silicone.  You might get what you are looking for by taking a string and dragging it threw thyrotropic silicone then hanging the string up and letting it cure.  I would color the silicone before hand and use a very soft clear silicone.  just a thought..

Jeff

[wildturkeycall]

you could get a box of the longer thin nails( not sure of their name) and grind down some on a bench grinder then bend to the the shape you want. then they wont break if touched.Just an idea.

[Helicity]

I know these come in any color you want and are flexible and strong. Maybe you can get it from a craft UV silicone and I have seen them on the larger size and they are durable. You may have to look into what they are made from but I think those kinda look like those tentacles you are talking about.

They make body jewelery from it.

[Jknuth]

Ok ho about heating sprues from a plastic model car or airplane.
Heat it over a candle and pull them apart slowly. that should get you the tentacle look you need.
they will be ridged but shouldn't be brittle

[PWS]

Josh - tried that with the welding rod....  Didn't work so good, wouldn't get "stringy".  The sprues you refer to are likely styrenes, which would probably be easier to stretch out, but again VERY time consuming (not to mention hard to find "leftovers" from models...)

Helicity - do you have a link to something??  I have NO idea what that is...

Thanks everyone, those are great ideas, but aside from cost (rtv), and durability (nails), the time consideration isn't worth doing on anything BUT a competition piece.  And if anyone touches *that*, well, I hope they can eat through a straw.   

[Helicity]

It's called Koosh Body jewelery but I have seen the same stuff be made n a bigger scale. I know its a type of silicone mixed with color and "something" I coulden't find much out but maybe if you google koosh body jewelry and found a manufacturer and asked.

[Rick Carter]

PWS, Get weed eater cord. Light a candle and hold the weed eater line above the flame. Gently pull at both ends. Whe the line begins to melt, remove it from the flame and gently pull it apart, leaving a nice tapered point. Drill some holes and glue the line into the abelone. This is an old catfish whisker trick.

[PWS]

A HA!  I knew someone else might have some ideas...  Thanks Rick, I'll try that.  BTW- I usually sculpt the epipodium first with magic sculpt, pushing the tentacles into it, then the mantle over that, no drilling required!

I also found some other vinyls that I may be able to use to cast in RTV molds.  I sent a message to the tech...  I need to MASS produce ('cause a "decent" sized abalone will have like 75+ tentacles).