Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
I've been working on my latest Freedom Plate model and I'm calling it the Freedom Contour.
Nobody else that I know of has even come close to something as cool as this!
Basically what I did was look at one of the old plastic or fiberglass backpacks from back in the day and I was admiring how the edges all the way around were rolled and turned away from the divers back.
I thought "What if there was a way to do this with 10 GA (1/8") stainless; to curve the entire perimeter of the plate and also shape it just like I have in the past to fit the curves of a persons back.
Well I did it!
I managed to multi compound shape the brand new Freedom Plate.
They will be available in two sizes, small and the original full size large.
These new plates have been taken to a whole new level, but they're not easy to make.
They take substantially more time to shape. I have to beat on them with special shaping hammers on an anvil horn and slowly begin to move the metal around where it needs to be.
It reminds me of shaping steel making fenders and other compound curved items from flat stock back in my auto body custom days.
Each one of these is a one-off custom shaped plate - even more so than before.
I upgraded the material to 316 for all the components including the filler rod for the tig welded parts.
Instead of a rail I went to two 5/16" rods to hold the tank because the plate is so radically shaped there was no way to attach a flat piece of channel like I had before. The plate needs to independent of the tank holding system.
think this is simpler and I like the airy breathability of a more open design.
The wing slots are slightly longer now too so that it will accommodate any wing with slots.
I think even wings with no slots could be modified by the user installing their own slots to use with the plate.
All other slots are about the same as models past.
The small plate will weigh in at just over 3 lbs. and the large plate will weigh in at just over 4 lbs.
The plate is still in the testing phase right now.
I still need to dive it and make sure the rod rails are set at the correct height and will work well, blah blah blah.
With all the edges rolled outwards this will also be one of the most drysuit friendly and t-shirt friendly plates out there.
These plates, for those that are not familiar with them, are single tank only plates. My idea was to design the ultimate single tank plate since over 90% of people using BP/W are using them with single tanks.
I have to warn you though, these things aren't going to be cheap.
Stainless prices have gone up, plus I'm upgrading to 316 from 304, and the added time it takes to shape them to what they are makes them a custom piece of art.
There will be a few options with finish. The satin finish is the easiest and requires the least amount of time to produce.
Polished plates take a lot more time because polishing shows every scratch and flaw so the sanding has to be thorough before polishing.
I still have not determined what the prices will be. I'm still in the timing phase to see exactly what I'm going to be in them before I can set a price. Whatever it is though, please contrast this to a new Scubapro regulator, a HID can light, a scooter, or a drysuit, or even wings for that matter, it probably wont be that bad.
Being that these will be to order, I have the ability to shape them to any body.
Nobody else that I know of has even come close to something as cool as this!
Basically what I did was look at one of the old plastic or fiberglass backpacks from back in the day and I was admiring how the edges all the way around were rolled and turned away from the divers back.
I thought "What if there was a way to do this with 10 GA (1/8") stainless; to curve the entire perimeter of the plate and also shape it just like I have in the past to fit the curves of a persons back.
Well I did it!
I managed to multi compound shape the brand new Freedom Plate.
They will be available in two sizes, small and the original full size large.
These new plates have been taken to a whole new level, but they're not easy to make.
They take substantially more time to shape. I have to beat on them with special shaping hammers on an anvil horn and slowly begin to move the metal around where it needs to be.
It reminds me of shaping steel making fenders and other compound curved items from flat stock back in my auto body custom days.
Each one of these is a one-off custom shaped plate - even more so than before.
I upgraded the material to 316 for all the components including the filler rod for the tig welded parts.
Instead of a rail I went to two 5/16" rods to hold the tank because the plate is so radically shaped there was no way to attach a flat piece of channel like I had before. The plate needs to independent of the tank holding system.
think this is simpler and I like the airy breathability of a more open design.
The wing slots are slightly longer now too so that it will accommodate any wing with slots.
I think even wings with no slots could be modified by the user installing their own slots to use with the plate.
All other slots are about the same as models past.
The small plate will weigh in at just over 3 lbs. and the large plate will weigh in at just over 4 lbs.
The plate is still in the testing phase right now.
I still need to dive it and make sure the rod rails are set at the correct height and will work well, blah blah blah.
With all the edges rolled outwards this will also be one of the most drysuit friendly and t-shirt friendly plates out there.
These plates, for those that are not familiar with them, are single tank only plates. My idea was to design the ultimate single tank plate since over 90% of people using BP/W are using them with single tanks.
I have to warn you though, these things aren't going to be cheap.
Stainless prices have gone up, plus I'm upgrading to 316 from 304, and the added time it takes to shape them to what they are makes them a custom piece of art.
There will be a few options with finish. The satin finish is the easiest and requires the least amount of time to produce.
Polished plates take a lot more time because polishing shows every scratch and flaw so the sanding has to be thorough before polishing.
I still have not determined what the prices will be. I'm still in the timing phase to see exactly what I'm going to be in them before I can set a price. Whatever it is though, please contrast this to a new Scubapro regulator, a HID can light, a scooter, or a drysuit, or even wings for that matter, it probably wont be that bad.
Being that these will be to order, I have the ability to shape them to any body.
