Help on my first DIY Harness

[peepk]

Since everything is black it might be difficult to see the details, but it's simply approximately 4" of Velcro Hook and 4" of Loop, folded over so it sticks together. On the other strap is a Tri-bar which is sewn together.

Thanks, nice to see velcro is reliable on that place, will try. I have had neck injury and my fingers are clumsy and not very strong so I try to avoid quick releases whenever possible.

Peep

 

[kablooey]

I've assembled lots of harnesses for friends and myself.
Easy once you get the hang of it.
It's not rocket surgery.

What follows is just some of my personal choices and techniques.
There are a lot of ways of doing a harness, and I've learned to keep an open mind to the opinions of others.
(I've been blasted before in this forum. So beware, because in most cases they're right ! ).

My choices are based on cold saltwater diving, and warm water travel diving.
I don't always make the same choices for both types of diving.

I build for myself as much of the harness and crotch strap as I can.
I use a local shoe repair shop to box-stitch the webbing if needed.
Lighter sewing I do myself with a needle and thread or nautical auger.

I buy webbing at Strapworks. https://www.strapworks.com/default.asp
Not sure if the prices are competitive, but the products and service are good.
On request they will send you six inch samples of their various webbing types.
For each harness I usually buy twelve feet of their 2" black flat nylon scuba webbing. It's on the stiff side.
Keep in mind that stiff webbing holds it's shape, so it curves outward from the plate, making it easier to stick your arms through when it's behind you. That's the biggest advantage I've found for stiff webbing, but it also tends not to twist and bunch as it pass through the plate's slots.

I have, for special circumstances, occasionally opted for a softer webbing.
I'm currently building an airline compliant carry-on scuba system, and I'm using the backplate externally as a backpack frame. For this I went with a less-stiff flexible webbing. It folds easier against the plate, and so stores more compactly in the overhead (I hope).
Still experimenting.

You'll need to burn a hole through the webbing to facilitate an STA bolt, or a sex bolt if you're not using an STA.
Use something like this to burn the hole https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000302YM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Before burning the hole thread your webbing into the plate and see where the bolt hole actually lines up. On some plates the hole will not be completely center to the width of the webbing, so best to check first.
Burn the hole at the half-way point in your 12 foot piece of webbing, and you'll have a comfortable amount of excess at each end once the installation is complete. I don't completely trim the webbing until I've made a dive or two, in case adjustments are needed.

In the past I would add a grommet to the bolt hole, but I've stopped going to the trouble. The strap lays flatter against the plate without the grommet, and the melted area around the burn usually doesn't fray much anyway.

In addition, I add about a five inch piece of tubular webbing over each section of the harness webbing where it passes through the upper slots of the backplate, to prevent fraying.

I've done a lot of experimenting with inserting quick releases and other accessories.
In the end, I've reverted back to the simplest one-piece continuous webbing configuration.
I have friends who want a quick release on their shoulder strap because they enjoy the ease of just stepping out of their system that way.
But that's the beauty of DIY. You can experiment, and do it the way you like it.
My methods and choices seem to evolve with each harness I make... or DIY post I read.

EireDiver606 suggested using pre-bent D-Rings. Good advise, but I only partially agree IMHO.
Just a minor point, but if I'm putting two D-rings on each of my shoulder straps, I like the top ones to be of the pre-bent variety, and then a standard non-bent for the lower ones. That's so the lower ring doesn't interfere with anything clipped onto the the top ring.

I buy most of my hardware at Dive Gear Express® | Official Site
Or Northeast Scuba Supply
and sometimes Strapworks.
Stainless steel primary choice, plastic sometimes for lightweight travel, brass only as last option.


For a waist buckle I go for a standard stainless steel,
but I use this one for my lightweight travel rigs.
XS Scuba Clear-Path Buckle
Hands-down the best and easiest to install and remove buckle I've ever used.

Sorry for the long post.
Dull day at work today.

K

 

[Sam Miller III]

I certainly enjoyed and appreciate your very complete informative post-- Bravo ! '
( You should have been around in the 1950s in SoCal- when diving was just beginning)

I am currently in the process of restoring a set of "Orange County twin 44s" for my son
The tanks are dated in the early 1950s the back plate was a Sea Craft from the same era
The webbing which I have is cotton but aging and has faded

I have washed the webbing and considering using commercial die to restore it to its original color

Any thoughts or advice ?

Thanks again for a great informative post

Sam Miller, 111

 

[kablooey]

Thanks Sam.
You made my day.

I have no experience dying webbing, but I can point you towards a colored webbing I have used. It's sold by Strapworks in a variety of colors https://www.strapworks.com/Flat_Nylon_Webbing_p/fnw2.htm.
It's a soft webbing and very flexible... maybe too flexible for hard use. Although it's nylon, it might approximate the feel of cotton. It feels good in use, and holds up well. My friends and I have used it successfully on lightweight travel systems. The one problem, like a lot of soft webbing, is it tends to bunch up in the plate's slots. This can be controlled by selective use of tubular webbing covers.
I'd recommend requesting a sample from Strapworks first.
Thanks for asking.

I love to read your posts, and I've I learned a lot from them. I day dream of diving So Cal back in the pioneering era of scuba. That must have been some exciting days of discovery.

Amongst my dive buddies I'm known as our "historian". I own and occasionally dive a Voit double-hose and J-valve cylinder just to feel what it was like back then.

When they finally build that time machine I want to take the first ride with you, Sam.

K

 

[JamesBon92007]

I
I
I'm currently building an airline compliant carry-on scuba system, and I'm using the backplate externally as a backpack frame. For this I went with a less-stiff flexible webbing. It folds easier against the plate, and so stores more compactly in the overhead (I hope).
Still experimenting.

Are you using a SS backplate for this? Very recently I was going to use my SS backplate/harness for my backpack frame but at the last minute decided against it thinking that TSA might consider my backplate to be a weapon. Mine was going to go under the seat.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Thanks, nice to see velcro is reliable on that place, will try. I have had neck injury and my fingers are clumsy and not very strong so I try to avoid quick releases whenever possible.

Peep

I have a couple of backpacks that are about 50 years old and the velcro still works fine

 

[kablooey]

Are you using a SS backplate for this?

Yes, and no.
The bag part will fit on both a Reactor aluminum cut-out travel plate, and an Apex soft plate.
I don't think I'll have any trouble with the soft plate, but I am a little worried about the aluminum. It's pretty "cut-out" so I don't think anyone would think it's a weapon, but I'm reluctant to make assumptions where security agents (respect to them and the important work they do) are making a judgement.

This is my first attempt at making a carry-on system so I have no field experience to date.

I'd be very worried about taking a steel plate, but I've read posts where divers say they've never had a problem.

There have been some great threads here on SB on exactly this topic.
See Regulator in carry on baggage, anyone had any issues at security?
and
Carry-On Backplate-Backpack?
and do a search for "carry on".

BTW, the Reactor is a fantastic travel plate, but I haven't seen them for sale on line for a couple years now.

 

[saxman242]

Are you using a SS backplate for this? Very recently I was going to use my SS backplate/harness for my backpack frame but at the last minute decided against it thinking that TSA might consider my backplate to be a weapon. Mine was going to go under the seat.

Have you ever heard of someone actually having that problem? People carry on their BP/w all time.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Yes, and no.
The bag part will fit on both a Reactor aluminum cut-out travel plate, and an Apex soft plate.
I don't think I'll have any trouble with the soft plate, but I am a little worried about the aluminum. It's pretty "cut-out" so I don't think anyone would think it's a weapon, but I'm reluctant to make assumptions where security agents (respect to them and the work they do) are making a judgement.

This is my first attempt at making a carry-on system so I have no field experience to date.

There have been some great threads here on SB on exactly this topic.
See Regulator in carry on baggage, anyone had any issues at security?
and
Carry-On Backplate-Backpack?
and do a search for "carry on".


BTW, the Reactor is a fantastic travel plate, but I haven't seen them for sale on line for a couple years now.

I just went with my instincts this time and it may have been a good thing. Our return flight was somewhat peculiar--it was delayed about 1 1/2 hours, they asked everyone in the boarding line if they'd left their luggage unattended at any time, the seatbelt sign was on during almost the entire flight, everyone was given a mini-lecture when they finally went to the restroom, and way less than the usual drinks and snacks were served. I was beginning to think that they wanted everyone strapped in just in case....

 

[JamesBon92007]

Have you ever heard of someone actually having that problem? People carry on their BP/w all time.

No. This was my first time traveling with my SS backplate and I hadn't researched it.