Setting up BP/W - Questions....

[Genesis]

Genesis-

Thanks for the reply. I'm a bit confused how to do this, however. If you look at the pics of my BP, the webbing seems to naturally course the back of the backplate, covering the bottom of the 2 holes. I'd have to bow the webbing vertically to get it to align with the top hole in order to put in a grommet.

The STA (Oxycheq as well) spans the plate fine, using either of the 2 sets of holes (note that there are 2 holes at the bottom of the plate as well, both obviously unobstructed, and equidistant from the top two holes). The height of the tank, however, was going to be my concern (haven't yet rented a tank to test the thing out).

Jim

No, you want it across the bottom of the two holes, and you want a hole and grommet in the webbing there.

If you mount on the higher of the two holes your tank will be too high and/or the plate too low. With a single you'll almost certainly ram your head into the tank and it will make you REAL head-heavy in the water.

My Halcyon plate doesn't have the "top" hole, and I wouldn't use it if it WAS there.

If you to to West Marine store you will find large grommet kits that will work just fine. They include a tool for punching the hole in the webbing as well as two iron pieces used to install the grommet and "form" the inside edges to lock it in place.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

I was wondering what he put through the hole he was left with - a grommet of some sort, as genesis did?

Sorry, I didn't mean to restate the obvious Jim. You can seal the hole with the soldering iron (or in my case a lighter) just like you burn the end of cut webbing and alleviate the need for a grommet. Some guys might buy the grommet punch at Home Depot and attach one there but I think it's not necessary from a functional standpoint, and not visible from a cosmetic standpoint. People go without them FWIW.

 

[roakey]

I was wondering what he put through the hole he was left with - a grommet of some sort, as genesis did?

Nothing, the soldering iron leaves a very well sealed hole that won't unreavel or anything. Plus it's flatter than putting a grommet through it. After building a number of plates I think the grommet is a waste of time.

That plate's a couple years old, see any problems with the hole?

Roak

 

[GoBlue!]

OK, now that I've got a dive trip a couple weeks away & am getting excited about diving the new configuration, I've found that I have a couple more questions.

First, I'm putting together 2 setups, one for me & one for my wife. They're identical (Oxycheq STA, wing, Scubapro Cam straps) except for the backplates (one Oxycheq, one FredT).

Two questions (for now):

1. I'm confused by the vertical positioning of the wing on the plate with respect to the STA. The wing has two grommets in both the top & bottom positions, and the plate has two holes in both the top & bottom positions; but, they don't align (with the Oxycheq plate; with the FredT plate they do). It seems that the STA must get bolted through the bottommost grommets of the wing & subsequently through the bottommost holes of the plate (see the thread above....the STA-plate question has been answered, I'm just trying to work in the wing). I suppose that this is the correct wing position, as if I move the wing down (i.e., bolt the STA through the TOP holes of the wing), the slots for the cam straps no longer align. See the attached pictures if this doesn't make any sense.

2. How do I route the cam straps? Do they only feed through the slots of the STA? Do they somehow thread through the wing+STA? Wing+STA+plate??

Thanks!
Jim

 

[COVCI]

No need to thread them though the wing slots.

That way, if you need to use the adjustment option of using a different set of holes on the plate, you just loosen the bolts and then put then in the other set of holes.

Hope this helps.
Chris
COVCI

 

[Genesis]

You normally thread the cam bands through the STA only - not through the wing slots.

The wing can be mounted in whatever position gives you the best trim. You will need to try both to find out which you want to use; with Oxy's doubles wings there are three choices.

I usually dive my singles wing with it in the top set of holes, but YMMV depending on how much weight you wear and where it is.

 

[czzzaar]

Oh man, all this confusing talk has me worried. I have an Oxycheq BP/W system on order...that should arrive in about 2 more weeks.

I have a question Genesis. What plate did you get (size and weight), and what is the weight of your STA? Just wondering if I should have gone for the 6 pounder?

Was there a previous thread on what lead to your choices? (I just did a search on oxycheq to find this one).

 

[hantzu701]

No need to thread them though the wing slots.

That way, if you need to use the adjustment option of using a different set of holes on the plate, you just loosen the bolts and then put then in the other set of holes.

Hope this helps.
Chris
COVCI

The Oxycheq hardware provided w/ the bp and STa consist of bolts, wing nuts and washers. The washers are flat. As a result, the wing nut can loosen. If the wing nut loosens enough, you could lose your Tank, the STA and your wing. Not very pretty.

Adding split washers seems to fix this problem. The bolt provided is short, so you may have to discard the flat washer.

Don't forget that you'll need to burn a hole in the webbing and the webbing will stretch. You'll need to readjust your harness as necessary.

 

[GoBlue!]

Adding split washers seems to fix this problem. The bolt provided is short, so you may have to discard the flat washer.

Guess I'll have to go to home depot & look at split washers...are they that much thinner? I noted the bolts are pretty short, and that's what led me to wonder if the cam straps were only supposed to go through the STA. Seems like if the wings nuts loosened up, the tank is gone & the wing is floating away from the plate! Sounds like securing the STA is the most important part of this.

Jim

 

[Genesis]

Oh man, all this confusing talk has me worried. I have an Oxycheq BP/W system on order...that should arrive in about 2 more weeks.

I have a question Genesis. What plate did you get (size and weight), and what is the weight of your STA? Just wondering if I should have gone for the 6 pounder?

Was there a previous thread on what lead to your choices? (I just did a search on oxycheq to find this one).

I have both a SS and AL plate; use 'em for different things. Most of the time I dive the SS plate.

My STA is the OMS 1-piece ans weighs about 2lbs.

A lot of my common configurations are dove without any ditchable, or very little. My typical "warm ocean" single-tank config is a SS BP + STA and 2lbs of lead with a steel tank - full 3 mil suit.

My "light ocean doubles" rig is an AL BP, 0 ditchable, and twin 72s or HP100s, again diving wet.

With a drysuit and light doubles I need a variable amount of weight (depending on the insulation I am wearing.)