Large Foam lizard / alligator tail with pvc skeleton questions!

Kevin Cooper

Hey there! I have been tasked with creating a tail tip for a 40 ft alligator. Here is the tail piece. I just want it covered that looks like a tail tip that has a little "wiggle" in it. Here are pics, don't mind the dogs  Any Suggestions?

Chris Ellerby

You could carve the tip out of a large chunk of solid foam, or fabricate it to be hollow by gluing patterned foam pieces together, or even make it out of individual rings allowing space between the rings to aid movement.  The final tail could then be skinned with fabric, liquid latex, etc.

How you build it will depend on your weight/size requirements and what kind of motion you want.  (budget and time are always factors)

Getting movement can be achieved by having a hinged or flexible structure at the the center of the tail that supports the material's weight but allows for horizontal movement.

For example you could have the vertical profile of the tail cut out of plywood, segment it, and add hinges.  Then encase that in foam, cutting away at the inside of the foam to allow it to compress as the tail bends.

The same effect can also be achieved using a solid piece of flexible material (like plastic sheeting) rather than hinged wood.

This example from Rick Baker shows a flat plastic core that could flex from side to side, and has guides/attachments to allow a cable on either side to pull the tale left/right.
http://propstore.auctionserver.net/view-auctions/catalog/id/29/lot/4533



Here is another Rick Baker example that may provide some inspiration.
http://propstore.auctionserver.net/view-auctions/catalog/id/29/lot/4613

/Chris

Creature Feature

Looks cool, You should sclupt a Maquette.