Potapko
Contributor
I was thinking about perhaps a 1/4"-1/2" thick sheet or something like that. Easy to cut and shape.... and bend.
DIY Backplate materials
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A heat gun. PVC or ABS plastic heats up easy and can be shaped and molded any way you want. When it cool it stays that way until heated again. I took the 4" pipe made 1 cut length wise and heated it up and flattened it out. cut to the size I wanted and heated it to bend it into the shape I wanted.TheDivingPreacher:
If you have a al or SS plate you can lay it on it heat up and use it for a mold.
I think I paid $5 for a 3ft piece of pipe at Home Depot and made 2 back plates out of it.
Schedule 80 is about 1/4 in thick.
Fred
You guys are masochists! 
The original BP was made out of a stop sign.
While I have made a spreader plate so that I could dive a single with wings that were meant for doubles, I can not see any reason to spend more making a part than it would cost to buy a state of the art. Check out the Kydex/SS hybrid on www.DEEPSEASUPPLY.com and look at the awesome quality. The price is cool too! Just my two cents, but I only build things that are not currently being made (like my spreader plate), when I can make the same quality only cheaper, or when that the quality available is so abominable.
The original BP was made out of a stop sign.
While I have made a spreader plate so that I could dive a single with wings that were meant for doubles, I can not see any reason to spend more making a part than it would cost to buy a state of the art. Check out the Kydex/SS hybrid on www.DEEPSEASUPPLY.com and look at the awesome quality. The price is cool too! Just my two cents, but I only build things that are not currently being made (like my spreader plate), when I can make the same quality only cheaper, or when that the quality available is so abominable.
I made an Al plate it cost me $7 and 2 hours work. I made 2 ABS Plates cost $5 for the 2 and 2 hours to make both of them. $12 for 3 plates or $99 for 1 plus shipping. Of course I enjoy the challenge of making stuff. Lets not forget you can make your harness from a 2" cargo strap that cost $16 for 16 ft. rather that paying $60.
Of course I'm cheap.
Fred
Of course I'm cheap.
Fred
FrogManMike
Guest
Find a Blue or black plastic drum you can make several back plates from a 55 gallon drum and the contour is just about right
a 30 gallon drum works good too.
you can make a one piece harness and use nice brass fittings from creative design works or you can also use the nickel plated D rings and slides but salt water is corosive so you will want to wash your rig off good after every dive (I usually go to the car wash to spray everything off real good)
and they also have 2" nylon webbing and you can get a SS buckle from scuba pro.
I build the complete system complete with brass fittings for a Benjamin, shipping included... Just Sayin
a 30 gallon drum works good too.
you can make a one piece harness and use nice brass fittings from creative design works or you can also use the nickel plated D rings and slides but salt water is corosive so you will want to wash your rig off good after every dive (I usually go to the car wash to spray everything off real good)
and they also have 2" nylon webbing and you can get a SS buckle from scuba pro.
I build the complete system complete with brass fittings for a Benjamin, shipping included... Just Sayin
oxyhacker
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I've made several from aluminum. I tend to use scrap aluminum so I am never sure exactly what it is, but they seem to hold up just fine without powder coating etc, even in salt water since I tend to use aluminum only when I am traveling, and SS most of the time at home. With DIY gear you can really run up the cost trying to exactly duplicate commercial offerings, and just being scrupulous about rinsing is a lot cheaper than one-off powdercoating or passivating.
The aluminum ones are so easy to make compared to SS that, if you are making an SS one, it often makes sense to run off an aluminum one at the same time just to have around for a spare or travel machine.
I don't like the idea of using random scrap plastic for a PB since you have no way to know the composition, or how age-degraded the stuff might be. A strap breaking out when you are heavily loaded can be a real drag.
The aluminum ones are so easy to make compared to SS that, if you are making an SS one, it often makes sense to run off an aluminum one at the same time just to have around for a spare or travel machine.
I don't like the idea of using random scrap plastic for a PB since you have no way to know the composition, or how age-degraded the stuff might be. A strap breaking out when you are heavily loaded can be a real drag.
After designing and having some plates made for me, I came to the same conclusion most of the guys here have. JUST GET ONE OFF THE SHELF!
Hammer head makes an awesome ss plate for $79 or $99.99 including either the heavy or light sta.
Hammerhead Scuba - Hammerhead II Backplate
For something really affordable caveadventurers.com have their own alu or ss bp from $45-$75.
A plate is basically just a plate, I'll say leave your creative DIY energies for other more fun stuff that you can actually see results with... like fins!
SangP
Hammer head makes an awesome ss plate for $79 or $99.99 including either the heavy or light sta.
Hammerhead Scuba - Hammerhead II Backplate
For something really affordable caveadventurers.com have their own alu or ss bp from $45-$75.
A plate is basically just a plate, I'll say leave your creative DIY energies for other more fun stuff that you can actually see results with... like fins
!SangP
Aigtbootbp
Contributor
How about using a piece of clear polycarbonate or acrylic? They are both very strong materials and comparatively easy to work with. Just heat over a form and trim.
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