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.