DIY Kydex backplate

[acteg]

It's been done before, but here is my take on it.

I used my SS oxycheq bp as a template.

Bought a sheet of 16" x 14" .125 kydex off ebay for $16 shipped.

Heated it up to 380 degrees in the oven and layed it on top of my SS backplate.

Layed a couple of layers of foam on top (thick exercise mat), then a sheet of plywood and a couple of scuba tanks to hold it all down.

10 minutes later I had what resembled a bp.

I cut out the bp and grinded the edges smooth, then taped paper on top of it and traced all of the slots/holes from my SS bp onto the paper. Then I began drilling holes at the end of each slot.

I'm tired now, and starting to get impatient so instead of screwing up the bp, I'm going to finish tomorrow. I need to charge up my dremel anyway for cutting the slots.

Now that I am almost done, I will say that the $16 initial investment is pretty cheap. Then you are going to spend a 3-5 hours I'd guess making the bp. All said and done, AL backplates are super cheap. You can order one new for $60 bucks or less, and you don't have to worry about it being screwed up, breaking, or not working. DIY is fun, but if you are thinking of doing this to save a couple of bucks.... you are not doing yourself any favors.

Here is what I have so far. Note that the lower harness slots are a little close together. We'll see how that holds up in the long run. I think most of the stress is applied vertically to those slots, so not too worried...but still could of spaced them a little further apart to be safe.




---------- Post Merged on October 16th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ---------- Previous Post was on October 15th, 2012 at 10:54 PM ----------

I finished up my BP.

Lessons learned

- My hands aren't that steady - I slipped a couple of times with the dremel when I was cutting the slots. The final product is no where near the fit and finish you would expect from a "commercial item". I would have had to go a lot slower, been more careful, and been more familiar with the tools I was using to do a better job (in my opinion).

- I need to do a better job of beveling the edges. Weaving the webbing through is causing some very slight abrasion. I can either smooth the edges more or use an old inner tube to protect the webbing where they contact the slots.

-I probably should of drilled out the slots, ie: a line of circles in stead of cutting them out with a dremel tool. If I had drilled out circles, I could have come back and easily cleaned things up with the dremel. This would have made for a much better fit and finish.

Here are the pics:




All in all this was a fun project. I strapped a tank to the bp/wing afterwards and tried it on. I think it might be a little more comfortable than my SS plate since it flexes a little and it seems a little more "attached to me". I'm hoping to try it out in one of the springs soon to get a real world test of performance. I plan to use this for single tank diving (thats all the diving I do).

I still think a kydex backplate is a bit of a solution in search of a problem. More than likely I will also purchase an AL backplate since they are pretty cheap. I think a Kydex backplate would be perfect for me weight wise if I was using a -10lb HP100 tank (worthington), but with a PST E7 HP100 at -8.5 with an AL plate it's essentially a wash.

 

[Peter_C]

Next time I would recommend a router and a straight edge with marks laid out for when to stop. Of course you have to drill a hole to start, or find the right plunge router and bit. I would think you could make a template out of cardboard and make the holes and slots before thermo-moulding it. Of course I have never worked with Kydex, so I am clueless.

Either way, darn cool that you made it yourself

(I like my crotch strap)

 

[Scott L]

Call Tobin at DSS, I am sure he will give you some pointers.

 

[acteg]

I thought of using my router after the fact. Next time around I will either drill it hole by hole, or go the router route , with a fence set up to keep everything perfect.

Once its laced up, you can't see the imperfections, but I know they are there and it's driving me crazy. I'll more than likely pick up another sheet of kydex and make another one.

LOL, I'm sure Tobin would give me some pointers. Not sure that is a conversation I would want to be on the receiving end of. He has good intentions, but I don't know if he has the patience to teach a newbie like myself.

 

[victorzamora]

I wonder...if you had a CAD model of a backplate, a cheap DIY CNC Mill could punch holes and get the outside shape of the flat kydex panel right. Then you can sandwich the kydex between two metal BP's, line up a bolt both top AND bottom and squeeze the heated kydex between two pre-made backplates. It might be a way of punching out HUGE quantities of them at home. I know that a DIY CNC Mill isn't cheap enough to be justified for a single kydex backplate, nor is purchasing the two other backplates.

However, I want a CNC machine anyway....and I already have 1 metal backplate lying around. I was just thinking that that combo could really reduce production time, and wouldn't increase your cost at all if you already had 2 BP's and a CNC machine. Another option is print out the BP's CAD model, and run your normal hand-operated plunge-router. THAT might reduce build time.

I love that you're doing this....I've been looking at making a Kydex backplate for a while now. How hard was cutting the kydex? I'm planning on just doing camband slots and webbing slots, initially.

Edit: I'd also have holes for sex bolts and crotch strap.

 

[acteg]

It's very easy to cut the Kydex. I used a powered scroll saw, but there are lots of options. I imagine you could do it by hand just as well. If you use a power tool to cut, just make sure you have it on a lower speed because if its fast it will melt the kydex a little. I would also recommend clamping the plate down when you cut it out as a reciprocating saw will make the kydex jump a little at times if it's not held down.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the kydex seems to shrink a little once cooled. My kydex plate ended up being just a tiny bit smaller than my stainless plate because of shrinkage.

I ordered another sheet of Kydex btw, I want to try again, but this time go about the cutting a little smarter. I have a drill press so I might as well use it. I also have a router, a dremel, band saw, etc. Might as well take advantage of all the tools. I kind of rushed the last one.

If you search ebay for .125 kydex you will find 16" by 16" sheets for $12 + $5.50 shipping. Pretty good price according to some of the plastic suppliers in my area who only sell kydex by the 4' x 8' sheet, and it's not cheap.

 

[j2s]

Nice, Now if there was some one who made custom AL bp's, life would be perfect.......

 

[acteg]

A thought just occurred to me. I could get the pre bent specs, by putting the BP in the oven for 5 minutes and it will return to it's previous flat form. I could then mark all my slots on my new piece of kydex, then cut it before shaping it. The only thing I am not sure of is if any of the holes will deform a little when heated for shaping.

 

[victorzamora]

They *shouldn't* deform much, if at all. How easy did the Kydex deform when you heated it up last time? Another option is laying something over your old BP that can follow its contours. Trace out holes, remove paper, $$$, profit.

 

[acteg]

Just thought I would update this post. I dove my kydex BP with a Worthington x-7 HP100 this weekend. 2 50' reef dives. No issues. I am going to make another one, because the slots not being as pretty as they could be is bothering me.