VDH flat backplate and doubles?

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reefrat

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Houston Texas and Grand Turk
Anyone tried the flat VDH backplate (designed specifically for DH regs) with a set of doubles? I am curious how well the narrow plate fits between the two tanks as I am thinking about buying an LP50 set.
 
drill the holes in the plate , but I suspect they wont hold anything above twin 72 s
 
The VDH backplate is very narrow and non taperered, the width is 7.5 inches as opposed to typical backplanes with a with of around 12 inches at the base tapering to maybe 9.5 inches at the top. I am hoping that with a LP50 twin set (as supplied by Piranha Dive) that the VDH plate would fit between the tanks and just below flush. If this was the case I could use sexbolts to secure the plate (I think I could anyway) and when worn the BP would not actually touch my back- only the tanks through the wing material.
This might also create a little more angle on the harness to human interphase and help pull the unit against my back- all of this is trying to achieve a better position for a DH reg can.
 
I occasionally dive a 63 twinset on a military manifold with my VDH plate. I have set the bolts deeper, have a delrin spacer/support on the bolts, and use a book/cap screw to hold it to the plate.. There are some pics either here or on the VDH forum of it...

With it all being so compact, I use the DiveRite CCr wing which also has the benefit of an offset elbow so it isn't in conflict with the can.
 
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that wing is a touch wide in that application, and will really be so on a 2x50 rig (oh, I want one so badly!), so I do suggest using the bungie system that the wing comes with. It is not the fabled "bungied wing of death" of distant past lore...
 
here are some pics you can somewhat see it is fairly wide without the bungie...

vlcsnap-00038.jpg
GOPR1063.JPG
 
@reefrat & @abnfrog

The VDS back plate is nothing more than a modern copy of the Seacraft (3 A church Street Wilmington Mass)1950s /1960s back plate. (last produced in 1962)

It was produced in three tank sizes
cat, # A320 single tank..,.,.$15,95
cat.# A321 double tank..,.,.$21 95
cat. # A322 triple tank..,.,.$24, 95 ( specifically designed for the US divers 44cuft tanks- AKA women's tank block Part # 0600, $70.00 last featured in the 1959 US Divers Catalog on page 6 )

For comfort and ease of assembly you will need to copy and reproduce in aluminum "cat. # A321 double tank...$21.95"
Just so happens I have a A321 back plate disassembled in my garage ready for restoration which I would be happy to trace on paper and send to you -- Just PM your stateside address .
I purchased my first A321 and attached 2 -40s to create the ":famous OC twin 44s" - shop description who created and promoted the twin 44s.- not mine (Bob "bumbford" Retherford was the shop owner and responsible for the units development and popularity-fyi Bob also developed the first UW signaling system- aka Sea sabre signing system )

Conforming to the mantra of the 1950s and 1960s "If a product didn't exist or costs over a dollar we made it" I made several full size back plates for my personal use and several for the children's thermos size MSA tanks and finally the US Divers CBA tanks.

I suspect you can also produced you own back plate from my traced pattern but you will also need a piece of 1/8 +-sheet aluminum 3/16 drill, a hack saw and a file..

Now you know... a little history of the genesis of diving which began in California

Sam Miller,III





 
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@John C. Ratliff
John,
you do a lot of experimental & evaluati9n of dive equipment
If you would ever like to make an A321 back plate just drop an PM on me..
But doe it fast I will be reassembling the back plate with straps and the bands & tanks in the very near future

Sam
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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