Some stuff I've been up to.

[Eric Sedletzky]

I wanted to make a few old school strap harnesses for some tanks I have.
Here are my results.

I found some 1 1/2" green cotton military harness webbing at a salvage company. They have rolls of the stuff and sell it by the pound (cheap). I thought it would make excellent retro harnesses. I made my own 1 1/2" D-rings out of 3/16" stainless rod and tig welded the seams together. I made my own twin D-ring waist buckle with the folded back tail for quick release. It works pretty darn good.
I like having the tank right on my back. With my thick wetsuits and the spine pad it doesn't bother me at all. I made my own J Rods, and the stainless bands I also found at the salvage company. I think they were originally something off an electrical component, but I got them cheap ($2.00 Lb.) I had the do some fab work to make them into bands.
One tank is a 72 and the other is an 8" LP 95. I like the 72.
I'm going to get rid of the 95 as soon as I get it back from hydro.

 

[simonbeans]

Or you could have just gone here:
Reproduction Vintage Harness by Allan Klauda [AK-RVH] - $36.00 : Vintage Double Hose!, Your online source for all things related to vintage diving

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Or you could have just gone here:
Reproduction Vintage Harness by Allan Klauda [AK-RVH] - $36.00 : Vintage Double Hose!, Your online source for all things related to vintage diving

Yeah, but it's more fun for me to make the stuff.
That's part of the joy for me.

 

[duckbill]

Looks like it should work fine, ZKY. Looks good and vintage!

Yep, Mr. "simonbeans" Allan makes some wonderful harnesses that match the original commercially produced ones. Yours is reminscent of one a diver would make on his own back in the day. I think ingenuity is a big part of what "vintage diving" is all about, on top of the equipment and methods of diving. We're always coming up with ways to make things work. It is a mindset.

One thing I noticed, though. It looks like your shopulder strap bottom attachment pieces are just stuck under the bottom band, since it seems you didn't make slots. I'm sure it is secure enough, but for extra measure I would turn them around so the rings face the bottom of the tank. That way, when the tank is on and the weight of the tank is partially on those straps, the weight will be supported along the whole width of the resulting reverse bend in the strap against the bottom edge of the bottom band, rather than trying to pull itself up and out from behind the band. I hope this makes sense.

BTW, I don't have any extra spine pad, and my harnesses (ala simonbeans) feel fine on my back too. Doubles feel even better on a harness.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Looks like it should work fine, ZKY. Looks good and vintage!

Yep, Mr. "simonbeans" Allan makes some wonderful harnesses that match the original commercially produced ones. Yours is reminscent of one a diver would make on his own back in the day. I think ingenuity is a big part of what "vintage diving" is all about, on top of the equipment and methods of diving. We're always coming up with ways to make things work. It is a mindset.

One thing I noticed, though. It looks like your shopulder strap bottom attachment pieces are just stuck under the bottom band, since it seems you didn't make slots. I'm sure it is secure enough, but for extra measure I would turn them around so the rings face the bottom of the tank. That way, when the tank is on and the weight of the tank is partially on those straps, the weight will be supported along the whole width of the resulting reverse bend in the strap against the bottom edge of the bottom band, rather than trying to pull itself up and out from behind the band. I hope this makes sense.

BTW, I don't have any extra spine pad, and my harnesses (ala simonbeans) feel fine on my back too. Doubles feel even better on a harness.

I see exactly what you're saying. I might try that. The other thing I might do is attach the D-ring on the sides of the bottom band with a swivel keeper of some sort. I would have to tig weld a small plug weld on each side and bend the tab over the D -ring so it could move, similar to a fold away strap tie down on the inside of a car trailer floor. I would also place it an an angle like it would naturally be for the proper shoulder strap to waist strap angle.

I got impatient and wanted to just use the thing, so that's why I just came up with a quick and dirty solution for the time being.