Vintage Double Hose

I was wondering if the vdh plate is strong enough for my double 72's. I was planning on bolting it to the tank bands with stainless carriage bolts and wing nuts for easy removal. I saw a pic of Luis with doubles but it looked like he had four individual tank straps holding the plate to the tanks. I would post a picture of my setup but I cann't figure out how to upload pictures to the forum. A hidden button perhaps?

The best way to attach a photo is to upload it to Photobucket or Picasa and link it to your post.

tripplec wrote:I was wondering if the vdh plate is strong enough for my double 72's. I was planning on bolting it to the tank bands with stainless carriage bolts and wing nuts for easy removal. I saw a pic of Luis with doubles but it looked like he had four individual tank straps holding the plate to the tanks. I would post a picture of my setup but I cann't figure out how to upload pictures to the forum. A hidden button perhaps?

I don't use a plate with my doubles. With doubles I just use an original (or modified) harness that attaches directly to the tanks.

I find doubles very comfortable without any plate. And doubles don't tend to roll around a move (side to side or diagonally) like a single tank does.

With a single tank you need to use a back-plate or backpack if you want the rig to stay in place, so that the a double hose performs at its best, but with doubles they tend to stay in place if you use a good harness that is adjusted correctly. In that situation I prefer that the tanks are closer to my back without any plate.

The straps that you see on my rig are not for the plate, they are for my Zeagle wing. It is a horse-shoe shaped wing that I attach directly to the tank and it is open in the middle so it doesn't interfere with my harness.


If you still prefer to use a plate, make sure your hardware does not protrude too much and that it is not uncomfortable. I know that several other divers have used this plate with doubles, but I don't know any more details.

How to post pictures is at the top of every section in the forum.....

Click on Modern Era Double Hose Diving ....

1. Argonaut Contest
2. Sand Dog X
3. How to post pictures

http://www.vintagedoublehose.com/forum/ ... =47&t=5171

Does anybody have a picture of a doubles setup using the VDH plate they can post here? I'd like to see the setup.

Akita wrote:Does anybody have a picture of a doubles setup using the VDH plate they can post here? I'd like to see the setup.

This is my setup:
Start with a standard set of 7ltr tanks with standard bands.



Add the wing, i then hold the wing down with a washer and a nut and washer just threaded on hand tight.




I then picked up some of these guys from the local nut and bolt shop. they are designed to be a captured nut pressed into a hole.



But i just slotted them with a dremel and use them in place of the wing nuts you would use on a contemporary backplate. But i did have to drill out the holes on the plate a touch.






Works rather well the nuts are flush enough not to feel them and so far they are not scuffing up my wetsuit. Disadvantage is its a bit more of a faff to set up as you have to line up the bolts with the backplate holes before you insert the nuts so this is best done with the tanks lying down. And you need a tool to do them up but this is easily done with a one inch dia washer, blunt point dive knife or even a coin.




I am happy with it but if i were to be using a larger twinset i would seriously consider no backplate just a harness.

Thanks for the pics and the ideas! That's a nice rig.

I use these T-nuts for the same purposes:





They are stainless steel. Most Ace Hardware or similar stores or McMaster should have them.

Nem

Good find Nem. Are you guys using 6" bolts an the bands or something shorter?

Those nuts kinda remind me of the ones used to attach backplate pads... albeit without the holes for what I assume would be a pin spanner.

Bryan,

I for one really appreciate the cost cutting measures you've made over the years, but I think it is a sign of the times when one resorts to using materials that are believed to be urban legend.






Couv

couv wrote:Bryan,

I for one really appreciate the cost cutting measures you've made over the years, but I think it is a sign of the times when one resorts to using materials that are believed to be urban legend.






Couv

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Is it still possible to purchase one of the VDH backplates? They no longer seem to be in the store.
Thanks.

tursiops wrote:Is it still possible to purchase one of the VDH backplates? They no longer seem to be in the store.
Thanks.

They got real popular while we were in Cozumel and I just caught up with orders. There is one left in stock and it will be available as part of a plate/wing/harness combination when the sale opens on Saturday morning. I have already sent an E-mail to the manufacture and they will start making more after Thanksgiving. Check back with the website store for updates.