Fun With Carbon Fiber

[mrarmyant]

Made a carbon fiber single tank backplate. Mares XR Wing doesn't fit it like I had hoped (they only have two tank slots, I wanted a single center one)

Fun project none the less, save a dive cf wrench cut outs on the side.

 

[Akimbo]

Very cool. Have you ever considered a more form-fit design with some of the features of 1960-70-era backpacks?

 

[mrarmyant]

I had, but pack ability for travel was the primary concern. If I could make it flexible, or maybe pack with a similar shape like force fins instead of freedive fins, that could be doable.

Lastly this is just a machined piece of carbon fiber plate and doesn't require a mold which makes it very cheap and easy to make.

If I found a used one might be easy to do in kydex with areas maybe reinforced with CF.

Very cool. Have you ever considered a more form-fit design with some of the features of 1960-70-era backpacks?

View attachment 591253

View attachment 591254​

 

[cruisekingkris]

Orange Poly coated webbing do tell!!!!

 

[mrarmyant]

Experiment with a more flexible inner webbing with a coating to make it easy to doff and don. The problem with it is the added thickness makes it a pain in the ass for existing quality buckles and triglides to use. One thing I'd like to try some time is ironing the strap, seeing if it can thermally reset to help with some of the needed bends at the upper back and at the buckle.

I did find a horse bridal manufacturer that has some good black coated webbing that works much better for the purpose but is quite a bit more. The goal was that the backplate and harness would be quick trying, since I've heard that was a complaint of soft back plates. As it turns out my bcd and the rest of my gear hold water for about the same time, making the solution irrelevant in the overall scheme. Orange was just to see how much it would stand out on raw carbon.

Orange Poly coated webbing do tell!!!!

 

[cruisekingkris]

You made that webbing by coating it your self? I have Black webbing with Poly coating and love it. Orange would be better but I can't find anyone who sells it in orange.

 

[mrarmyant]

Oh, no, I ordered it direct from China on Alibaba.

You made that webbing by coating it your self? I have Black webbing with Poly coating and love it. Orange would be better but I can't find anyone who sells it in orange.

 

[-JD-]

Cool project. I love the idea of the save-a-dive wrench slots!!!!!

Did you seal the machined surfaces? I may be wrong, but I think I remember some discussions on here about CF plates wicking and de-laminating.

 

[-JD-]

Here you go ...

Personally I wouldn't be taking a carbon plate anywhere near water.
@Yellowdog Some precautions for you

The outer layer of the plate is glass fibre used as an abrasion protection. Take care that you webbing straps don't abrade through this layer, otherwise you'll get water ingress and possible delamination of the carbon layers. For the same reason protect teh plate from scuffs and scratches that penetrate teh glass layer

Metla, Carbon and water make a battery. If you can't' isolate the metal components keep an eye out for corrosion

While strong in (depending on the direction of the layup) carbon fibre composites (CFC) are easily susceptible to impact damage. If say you dropped a metal ball on the plate, the impact side might just show a small depression (a compression force) the rear side however might splinter and delaminate because CFC doesn't' like a tensile force

While light and strong keep in mind that it's more fragile than a metal plate with regard to damage tolerance.

from this thread ... Added weight pockets to my Halcyon Carbon Fiber Backplate

 

[mrarmyant]

These will definitely delaminate unsealed (I'm an engineer) but this was just a POC. The cuts would also have to be sealed because a raw carbon edge would make quick work of cutting through anything that isn't super hard (webbing, paracord, shockcord)

Cool project. I love the idea of the save-a-dive wrench slots!!!!!

Did you seal the machined surfaces? I may be wrong, but I think I remember some discussions on here about CF plates wicking and de-laminating.