DIY Soft Backplate (many images)

[fatgeorge]

Just finished making a soft backplate:

Bill of materials.

Most of materials I've got from Quest Outfitters, so listing their pricing:

• 1680D ballistic coated nylon - 1Y - $18.45 - you won't need that much but its a minimum order. That's enough for 4-5 harnesses.
• 2" Nylon webbing - 2Y - $2.90
• 2" Scuba nylon webbing - 1Y - $2.40
• Grommet/washer #0 - 2X $0.38
• Thread: red or whatever your preferred color is - 110Y - $2.09
• Black thread - 110Y - $2.09
• Roll Goods nylon webbing 3/4 - 3Y - $2.37
• S/R Buckle 3/4 - $0.68
• Plastic triglides - 3 - $1.21
• Plastic rings - 2 - $0.90

Those aren't available from Quest Outfitters, got them at aliexpress:

• Two stainless steel triglides with saw-style size;
• Three stainless steel triglides flat style size;

I'd prefer titanium but couldn't find any.

Process

Print the design on 4 pages from attached PDF. If you want a different size, you can scale the attached SVG if necessary. Anyone who wants DXF ping me.
Cut the paper margins and glue them together with a scotch tape:

Put the printout on your wing, and cut the square holes in paper where your wing holes are:

 

[fatgeorge]

Double-fold the ballistic nylon (with the coating facing outside on both sides), and attach the printout to it using pins. Cut the printout with scissors.

Sew around the corners to keep them stuck together with black thread.
Cut and sew the scuba webbing in the middle of the plate and make the grommet holes.

Sew the 3/4 webbing around the outside with black thread

Sew the holes wrappers around them with spare cuts of 1680D nylon (plenty of youtube videos)

Decide where you want them based on your body build, and sew the top straps, each on a separate piece of 2" nylon webbing, with a pad of Scuba webbing on the other side.

Place where you need them and sew the waist straps on a continuous piece of 2" nylon webbing, covering the holes.

Cover the top set of holes with continuous webbing.

Sew a bottom crotch strap

Use a piece of 3/4 webbing and S/R buckle to sew the tank holder

When setting up, the harness should be routed all the way across the bottom strap but under the top strap. Both tank straps should cross the harness folds - this way your harness is basically attached to tank straps, and the tank becomes a part of backplate.

The whole process took about an hour from start to finish using a basic sewing machine.

I didn't dive the plate yet (I live in SFBA and diving here is not suitable for me), and I don't have any tanks, but I tested it with a heavy chunk of wood and it holds very well. Gonna dive it next week though.

Credit: Oxycheck soft backplate for the idea of covering the slots.

 

[Nemrod]

Your plate looks really good. Is that one layer of 1680 fabric or multiple layers sewn together?

A couple of things. I put my tank valve hanger loop on the upper sex bolt. A friend puts his through the upper cam band slot. The only reason I mention this is that a weight integrated assembly might tear the tank valve hanger strap out of the sewn perimeter? Also, I guess I do not understand why the harness loop is taken all the way down to the lower camband? The Oxy UL plate uses keepers at the top to prevent the harness adjustment from sliipping at those locations. The webbing "V" is simply tucked under that sewn in webbing to make it neat and tidy.

I knew there was a reason I wanted a sewing machine of my very own .

Very clever work, thank you for sharing in such detail . There will now probably be a run on industrial sewing machines on eBay .

Hanger on upper sex bolt, I burned a hole with a soldering iron and sandwich the loop:



Keepers on top locations:





Since you used the serrated keeper sewn in at the top loops you could just run the webbing through both slots and dispense of an additional keeper to lock the webbing as I did.

 

[fatgeorge]

Your plate looks really good. Is that one layer of 1680 fabric or multiple layers sewn together?

Two layers sewn together. Only one side of 1680D is shiny, so sticking them together gives it more professional look.

A couple of things. I put my tank valve hanger loop on the upper sex bolt. A friend puts his through the upper cam band slot. The only reason I mention this is that a weight integrated assembly might tear the tank valve hanger strap out of the sewn perimeter?

I don't use the bolts, just the tank bands to hold it all together, so had to sew it in.

Also, I guess I do not understand why the harness loop is taken all the way down to the lower camband? The Oxy UL plate uses keepers at the top to prevent the harness adjustment from sliipping at those locations. The webbing "V" is simply tucked under that sewn in webbing to make it neat and tidy.

It passes all the way down so both cam bands would pass through it, making your harness effectively part of the attachment. As a result, the tank is effectively attached to your harness, making it more reliable in my opinion.
I wrapped it on top of the bottom cross-strap in order to keep it from shifting when the cam bands are removed (which I always do for traveling).

I knew there was a reason I wanted a sewing machine of my very own .

Very clever work, thank you for sharing in such detail . There will now probably be a run on industrial sewing machines on eBay .

No need for an industrial one here; I used the basic Singer. Just get a good heavy-duty needle.

Hanger on upper sex bolt, I burned a hole with a soldering iron and sandwich the loop:
Keepers on top locations:




Since you used the serrated keeper sewn in at the top loops you could just run the webbing through both slots and dispense of an additional keeper to lock the webbing as I did.

This is what I did, no additional keepers up there. I also use plastic triglides everywhere except the harness, and plastic d-rings on crotch strap (I have no plan for a DPV). The harness and waist d-rings are titanium, but the triglides are still plastic. Looking for options to replace the buckle, but several plastic buckles I tried looked like crap.

 

[Nemrod]

You will need to try it out and give a report back .

Funny, I have titanium D rings also and need another set or two to convert my other rigs. XS Scuba makes the Clearpath buckle. It is a little bit lighter than a metal buckle, about an once. Helium also makes a titanium buckle, it too is about an ounce lighter than a standard stainless steel steel buckle. I went around and around trying to decide if I should use the Clearpath buckle or a stainless buckle and in the end I defaulted to steel.

The XS Clearpath buckle is unusual for a plastic buckle in that it has a steel pin rather than plastic tabs for a hinge. It is a nice buckle and plenty strong, but it does not save much weight unfortunately.

XS Scuba ClearPath Buckle — XS Scuba - Everything For The Perfect Dive

Innovative webbing pathway design. Webbing end runs back under buckle to secure loose webbing. Molded from glass-filled nylon with 316 SS hinge pin. Easy use with open webbing channel. Secure webbing grip with high lift lever. Fits 2 in (50 mm) webbing.

www.xsscuba.com

I do not have a scooter anymore either, but either of my camera tethers attach to the scooter ring and at the cost of a Nauticam, plastic is a no go there or at the crotch strap to plate attachment. To parody the Spartans, with my camera or on my camera!

 

[fatgeorge]

Ordered the XS buckle at scuba.com, gonna see how it works!

I also have a camera, and for this reason I put the front D ring on a crotch strap - but I put a plastic one. Quest outfitters plastic d ring is pretty durable, briefly tested it with my full weight and it held.

I'm now thinking about a harness-only backplate from a piece of harness; will think of it while on the trip.

 

[Nemrod]

Ordered the XS buckle at scuba.com, gonna see how it works!

I also have a camera, and for this reason I put the front D ring on a crotch strap - but I put a plastic one. Quest outfitters plastic d ring is pretty durable, briefly tested it with my full weight and it held.

I'm now thinking about a harness-only backplate from a piece of harness; will think of it while on the trip.

I think you will like the XS buckle, it is lighter and it is strong!

Your harness only rig would be a modern take on the old Navy style harness some of us use for vintage equipment diving. The harness used the tank as the plate and were usually made of cotton webbing.

A&D Adventures Products

I am diving my vintage style Navy harness here in the Bahamas:

 

[ps444mike]

interesting.

 

[fatgeorge]

I think you will like the XS buckle, it is lighter and it is strong!

Your harness only rig would be a modern take on the old Navy style harness some of us use for vintage equipment diving. The harness used the tank as the plate and were usually made of cotton webbing.

A&D Adventures Products

I am diving my vintage style Navy harness here in the Bahamas:

Yes, something similar but a two-piece, still having a "backplate" but one made from harness itself.

 

[happy-diver]