halocline
Contributor
If you do a singles only plate, which I think is a great idea, have a look at the jetharness plate, which is flat. I have one, and it's great, EXCEPT it puts the tank really really close to your head. It has four slots for each cam band, two on each side, which means the band goes through the plate, then across the plate on the wing side, then through and out. (confusing description?) Anyhow, this is how the wing attaches, maybe like a transpac; no grommets or bolts needed.
What I did was cut a piece of the rubber decking you see a lot around boats or pools; the stuff is pretty dense, usually it's got holes, and has basically neutral buoyancy I think. Anyhow, I cut a strip of this stuff a couple of inches wide and about the length of my plate and slipped it under the cam bands. So when I tighten the bands the tank is resting on the rubber, not on the plate itself. (actually the part of the band that goes across the plate) This brought the tank 1/2" back off my head and also compresses a little under the tank, which really holds the bands tight and keeps everything really stable. If you design a singles plate, I'd consider something sort of along those lines. You'll have to find the spot for the tank to keep it in nice and tight, but avoiding the head banging.
Sunds like a fun project and a good market, as BP/W use with single tanks is definitely getting more popular.
What I did was cut a piece of the rubber decking you see a lot around boats or pools; the stuff is pretty dense, usually it's got holes, and has basically neutral buoyancy I think. Anyhow, I cut a strip of this stuff a couple of inches wide and about the length of my plate and slipped it under the cam bands. So when I tighten the bands the tank is resting on the rubber, not on the plate itself. (actually the part of the band that goes across the plate) This brought the tank 1/2" back off my head and also compresses a little under the tank, which really holds the bands tight and keeps everything really stable. If you design a singles plate, I'd consider something sort of along those lines. You'll have to find the spot for the tank to keep it in nice and tight, but avoiding the head banging.
Sunds like a fun project and a good market, as BP/W use with single tanks is definitely getting more popular.