Backplate

[patdivelight]

One can find plenty of plans to make a backplate. But can someone tell me how you start making it? Where do I buy the SS plate, how do you bend it, what do you use to cut the wholes and so on...:06:

 

[Bob3]

You might want to try cutting your teeth on plate making by making a plastic one, they're much easier to fabricate using common woodworking tools.
US Plastic has a heck of an assortment of sheet material to work with: http://www.usplastic.com
Try the 1/4" HDPE sheet: #42589 HDPE 24" x 48" 1/4" Thick Sheet for $21.97.
There's a better grade, called "Seaboard" but harder to find in cut pieces.
If you have to have a metal plate, go with aluminum, you can still use woodworking tools on it.
Stainless can be a real bugger to work with if you're not already familiar with the stuff.

 

[deepseafalcon]

another good place to look for raw materials is ebay. it's often cheaper than specialised retailers, if you just need one relatively small piece.

reg. your questions how to machine it:
Sounds like you don't have access to professional metal working machinery.
In case you do, a mill and a bending bench would be all you need.

If not, everything needed can be made with common hand tools, i.e., a power drill w/ various drill bit sizes, some files (to create the slots from a series of holes), a vice, some clamps, some pieces of scrap wood, a saw, .... and some common tools.
You should have the basic skills though, and I recommend to first try on some scrap piece....

I agree with Bob3 that working on SS with such tools is difficult. Not impossible, but really a bear

All in all, I suggest you only take this on if you want to do it for the sake of fun making your own stuff.
If you consider making one to save money, I recommend looking at low-price online places like Leisure Pro (they sell the OMS Al backplate for some 65.-), or www.hammerheadscuba.com. They have nice low price SS and AL plates, that are unfinished. S you would still need to do some work to deburr it, but all the hard work is done.

This way, you will get a professionally made high quality item that will last for years. It's not more expensive if you don't have access to free scrap materials to use, consider value of your time, and may even need to buy some tools first.

d-s-f

 

[deepseafalcon]

my reply appeared twice?