dumpsterDiver
Banned
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This is the 2nd generation of my PVC pipe backplate. It was originally made larger and wider so I could attach rigid pvc pipe arms with a U-shape to fit over the shoulders. The idea was to recreate the old Hawaiian backpack design. For whatever reason, I made it wrong, it was very uncomfortable to I took the arms off and trimmed the plate to be similar to a standard plate.
Fabrication Steps:
• Found a scrap of heavy 8” diameter PVC pipe.
• Made a longitudinal cut with a jig saw
• Heated oven to around 300 degrees
• Placed pipe in oven, probably should have set it on a piece of cardboard
• Don’t remember how long I cooked (maybe 6-8 minutes) until pipe started to collapse in on itself, (you may note the golden brown color on the plate, seems it was over cooked a little)
• With gloves, remove the pipe, it is now pretty hot and soft and floppy.
• Placed an aluminum backplate face down on garage floor
• Placed pipe over Al plate and then smoothed it down around plate and I think I stood on it for a while as it cooled and tried to make sure the pipe conformed pretty well to the aluminum (template) plate. Takes a while to cool.
• Trim the plate with a jig saw
• I freehanded the slots in the plate using a hand drill and jig saw
• Drilled two holes for the mounting screws (got 2 sex bolt) from hardware store, I like to leave the wing and the backplate attached solidly to eachother.
• I drilled two slots for two tank cam bands (note they are very close together because I had to avoid interference from the pony bottle strap that I always use (this required me to burn an additional higher slot in the wing itself) BTW, this was made for a single tank.
• I used a Gollum 35 wing, which seems to have a built in STA (single tnak adapter) which keeps the tank from rolling on the plate.
• The plate as currently constructed could be rigged with the typical nylon belt harness, if desired.
The plate could probably be trimmed some more along the center to make it a little lighter. The pvc is negatively buoyant and the plate itself is not too heavy and seems to be very strong.
I’ve used the rig for a few dives and it seems to work well. I included two 2-inch fastex plastic buckles for adjustable shoulder straps (which is something I really wanted). I did NOT route the belt in the normal manner to make the waist strap.
Instead I used a freedive rubber belt which is uncut, routed around the back of the plate and through slots toward the front. I really wanted an elastic waist strap which is much more comfortable that a typical nylon waist strap and it automatically compensates for wetsuit compression.
On all my backplates or BC’s I include a 8 inch loop of very heavy monofilament fishing line (scrap longline found on bottom of ocean, probably 1200 lb test or something), This loop is reasonably rigid and allows me to clip off a lift bag that rides on top of my butt and under the tank and totally streamlined. I use this material because it is rigid enough to allow one hand clip off, and if it ever gets snagged on something in a tight place, I assume I could cut it off with a knife (no metal to metal connection),
I also added a loop of elastic bungi at the bottom center of the plate. The piece I used was a scrap and I usually use heavier bungi, maybe 3/16” inch diameter. This 3 inch diameter loop serves as the attachment point for a crotch strap. It is very strong, can hold over 100 lbs, but provides some elasticity to the crotch strap which allows you to comfortably bend over on the boat etc. Will provide about 2 inches of additional length when stretched.
The crotch strap itself (not shown) has a small barrel clip on one end to allow attachment to the bungi loop (and also removal) for warm water when I don’t need a crotch strap. I use ¾” belt and a loop and a fastex buckle to make it very easily adjustable on the boat or underwater. The combination of adjustability and elasticity of the crotch strap (and instant removability) makes it nice for me.
I also included a ring on the rubber waist strap for clipping stage bottles and on the left side is a large barrel clip for holding a fish stringer or catch bag. I clip my stage bottle off on the “wrong side” (right) because I always keep the dead fish stringer on the left side and don’t want to change my routine after many years.
I will probably add a utility pocket on the waist strap to hold my emergency canister which hoses a vhf radio and will also add the DIR type, back-up knife sheath which goes on the waist strap as well. (this is how I have my other store-bought) plate and harness rigged.
Fabrication Steps:
• Found a scrap of heavy 8” diameter PVC pipe.
• Made a longitudinal cut with a jig saw
• Heated oven to around 300 degrees
• Placed pipe in oven, probably should have set it on a piece of cardboard
• Don’t remember how long I cooked (maybe 6-8 minutes) until pipe started to collapse in on itself, (you may note the golden brown color on the plate, seems it was over cooked a little)
• With gloves, remove the pipe, it is now pretty hot and soft and floppy.
• Placed an aluminum backplate face down on garage floor
• Placed pipe over Al plate and then smoothed it down around plate and I think I stood on it for a while as it cooled and tried to make sure the pipe conformed pretty well to the aluminum (template) plate. Takes a while to cool.
• Trim the plate with a jig saw
• I freehanded the slots in the plate using a hand drill and jig saw
• Drilled two holes for the mounting screws (got 2 sex bolt) from hardware store, I like to leave the wing and the backplate attached solidly to eachother.
• I drilled two slots for two tank cam bands (note they are very close together because I had to avoid interference from the pony bottle strap that I always use (this required me to burn an additional higher slot in the wing itself) BTW, this was made for a single tank.
• I used a Gollum 35 wing, which seems to have a built in STA (single tnak adapter) which keeps the tank from rolling on the plate.
• The plate as currently constructed could be rigged with the typical nylon belt harness, if desired.
The plate could probably be trimmed some more along the center to make it a little lighter. The pvc is negatively buoyant and the plate itself is not too heavy and seems to be very strong.
I’ve used the rig for a few dives and it seems to work well. I included two 2-inch fastex plastic buckles for adjustable shoulder straps (which is something I really wanted). I did NOT route the belt in the normal manner to make the waist strap.
Instead I used a freedive rubber belt which is uncut, routed around the back of the plate and through slots toward the front. I really wanted an elastic waist strap which is much more comfortable that a typical nylon waist strap and it automatically compensates for wetsuit compression.
On all my backplates or BC’s I include a 8 inch loop of very heavy monofilament fishing line (scrap longline found on bottom of ocean, probably 1200 lb test or something), This loop is reasonably rigid and allows me to clip off a lift bag that rides on top of my butt and under the tank and totally streamlined. I use this material because it is rigid enough to allow one hand clip off, and if it ever gets snagged on something in a tight place, I assume I could cut it off with a knife (no metal to metal connection),
I also added a loop of elastic bungi at the bottom center of the plate. The piece I used was a scrap and I usually use heavier bungi, maybe 3/16” inch diameter. This 3 inch diameter loop serves as the attachment point for a crotch strap. It is very strong, can hold over 100 lbs, but provides some elasticity to the crotch strap which allows you to comfortably bend over on the boat etc. Will provide about 2 inches of additional length when stretched.
The crotch strap itself (not shown) has a small barrel clip on one end to allow attachment to the bungi loop (and also removal) for warm water when I don’t need a crotch strap. I use ¾” belt and a loop and a fastex buckle to make it very easily adjustable on the boat or underwater. The combination of adjustability and elasticity of the crotch strap (and instant removability) makes it nice for me.
I also included a ring on the rubber waist strap for clipping stage bottles and on the left side is a large barrel clip for holding a fish stringer or catch bag. I clip my stage bottle off on the “wrong side” (right) because I always keep the dead fish stringer on the left side and don’t want to change my routine after many years.
I will probably add a utility pocket on the waist strap to hold my emergency canister which hoses a vhf radio and will also add the DIR type, back-up knife sheath which goes on the waist strap as well. (this is how I have my other store-bought) plate and harness rigged.
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