VDH Backplate + 71.2 tank + Phoenix DH now fits
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2019 3:36 pm
In my never-ending quest to find the quintesentially perfect rig for beach diving I did the following.
I love my VDH backplate and I like using a 71.2 steel tank and DH reg for beach diving. I also want the option to put a small 18# BIU on the rig. For the latter I use my Kraken or a Phoenix conversion DH so I can have a LP inflation hose attached. However, when I attach my VDH plate directly to the 72 with cam-bands I have a problem with my Phoenix DH since it sticks out too far from the valve and protrudes out from the backplate into my back. (With my steel 95 I don’t have that issue but, again, I like 71.2's for beach dives). A neighbor gave an old beat up 71.2 the other day. The tank was thrashed but the valve was good and it had a set of AT-PAC metal bands on the tank. Got me to thinking. I took out the too-long (1.25 inch) attachment bolts from the metal bands and replaced them with a shorter (0.5 inch) bolt. I drilled a hole in an old OMS single tank adaptor plate I had laying around, and another hole in my VDH plate, so that both bands would fit the tank (and I could raise the VDH plate high enough to be as close as possible to the bottom of the DH cans). I used “Tee-Nuts” to mount the VDH plate on so that I didn’t have bolts jutting into my back. Using the single tank adapter extended the tank off the VDH plate about 3/4 inch which was just enough to bring the exhaust can even with the plate - problem solved. All of this metal also added about 2.5 pounds to the weight of my rig so I can take that off my weights.
I know, I know, I should really get a life but it’s these little projects that keep me going. Mark
Mark
I love my VDH backplate and I like using a 71.2 steel tank and DH reg for beach diving. I also want the option to put a small 18# BIU on the rig. For the latter I use my Kraken or a Phoenix conversion DH so I can have a LP inflation hose attached. However, when I attach my VDH plate directly to the 72 with cam-bands I have a problem with my Phoenix DH since it sticks out too far from the valve and protrudes out from the backplate into my back. (With my steel 95 I don’t have that issue but, again, I like 71.2's for beach dives). A neighbor gave an old beat up 71.2 the other day. The tank was thrashed but the valve was good and it had a set of AT-PAC metal bands on the tank. Got me to thinking. I took out the too-long (1.25 inch) attachment bolts from the metal bands and replaced them with a shorter (0.5 inch) bolt. I drilled a hole in an old OMS single tank adaptor plate I had laying around, and another hole in my VDH plate, so that both bands would fit the tank (and I could raise the VDH plate high enough to be as close as possible to the bottom of the DH cans). I used “Tee-Nuts” to mount the VDH plate on so that I didn’t have bolts jutting into my back. Using the single tank adapter extended the tank off the VDH plate about 3/4 inch which was just enough to bring the exhaust can even with the plate - problem solved. All of this metal also added about 2.5 pounds to the weight of my rig so I can take that off my weights.
I know, I know, I should really get a life but it’s these little projects that keep me going. Mark
Mark