Prehensile Tail

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you had a tail? Or are you here just so you can add a functional tail to your fursuit? This prehensile tail is a pure arts-and-crafts project, no electronic components required to make the tail swing or latch onto things. This can be a fun project just for a costume, accessory, or cosplay. Enjoy!

Online and 3D Modelling Applications

1. Fusion 360 (to 3D model the parts)
2. Prusa Slicer (to load the 3D model for 3D printing)
3. Prusa MK4 3D Printer
4. PLA filament

Tail Materials

1. Fur with color of choice
2. 2 mm EVA foam
3. 1 mm bendable wire
4. Thin string
5. Belt
6. Hot glue gun + hot glue sticks
7. Scissors

I started with the 3D modelling aspect, where I modelled out the base plate that will attach to the belt, along with the tail plate that will attach to the base plate, where the actual tail will be hanging off. The shape of the plates can be modified to user comfort but I just made it cat shaped out of personal preference.

Export the attachment plate files as an STL file, then import into Prusa Slicer 2.9.2. I used the Prusa MK4 to print this. Slice, then export the g-code. I used a white filament with no supports and it took around 2 and a half hours to print.

Using the 2 mm EVA foam, cut 2 in x 5 in rectangles. Then, using the template, trace out the shape before cutting and hot gluing the ends together. Poke holes using something small yet sharp in the holes in the middle. Use a thin string to thread into the holes created to attach each bone together. In the end, it should be roughly the length of your legs (mine came out to be 16 bones long, or roughly 2.5 feet).

Measure out your fur, fur side down, adding 2-3 inches of extra fur to the diameter of the individual bone for extra room for the bone structure to move. Cut, then hot glue the fur to the bone structure, while gluing the edges of the fur together. Careful, the fur retains the heat of the hot glue better than the foam, so it cools down slower and stays hot longer. Use something to hold together the fur and the foam as it cools off, like a binder clip.

Using 1 mm wire, thread a piece long enough through the entire boning (I recommend using a wire that's as long as the tail bone structure itself + 1 foot of wire for extra clearance), then hot glue the edge of the wire to the end of the tail. Be very careful, wire can heat up to extremely high temperatures and can burn you. Use something to hold down the wire as the hot glue dries to the foam. Using the wire left over, thread it through the tail base plate so that the tail can stay attached securely to the tail base plate. If you need additional support, you can hot glue the actual tail to the tail base plate. Using some sandpaper to texture the part where the tail will be hot glued on can help it stay on better.

Then, use 8 inch pieces of the 1 mm wire to thread through the belt and the base plate's holes. This way the base plate can stay on the belt securely.