Just purchased vintage depth gage any info?

[Nemrod]

Well, did the guage work? I have several old guages and some not so old and they all work just fine. I have a voit that goes to like 240 feet and was made in Germany. It is a fine guage and very accurate. I like my new age Tekna (1986) though for deep diving because it has an expanded scale at shallower depths, the old Voit does not. I have another Voit, goes to 140 feet. It has an open port that allows seawater into the bourdan tube, it works but it is not so good in the long run.
Speaking of old guages, I have a Princeton Bottom Timer. It is an analog, wind up, depth actuated dive timer. Darn thing works fine, bought it in about 1982 but the decal that forms the face is curling up and there is no way to get in there and fix it----drat! Does anyone know of an analog timer being made today? N

 

[jetfixer]

Well, did the guage work?

Hi Nemrod,

I actually have not had a chance to try it out. I've been in Hawaii (on business) for a couple weeks and have unfortunately too busy to dive here. I did bring it, though so hopefully I will have time to try it in the beautiful Hawaiian waters

 

[justleesa]

are you here now???

 

[jetfixer]

are you here now???

Aloha justleesa!

Yes I am and will be here till possibly the weekend. Busy schedule working with Hawaiian Airlines...hope to get some diving in before i leave!

 

[justleesa]

hence the name , cool...well, I'm planning on going diving Tues, Wed and Thrus....than alas I have to return to the real world..

 

[Nemrod]

Hope you got to dive the guage! In any case I sorta am a minor collector of such stuff as scuba diving wrist instruments. I got a few compasses and guages and whatnot. Some of the old stuff is really kinda junky but still cool because you realize people --like me--used to dive the stuff. Of course, some of the old stuff is finer than anything you will ever find today and just as accurate.
I used a piece of 12 inch diameter PVC schedule 80 (I think it was---about 1/2 thick) to make a pressure vessal. The top is a laminated piece of 1/2 inch, 1/4 plexi and with a piece of 1/8 inch lexan over that. The bottom is capped with a PVC cap of the same schedule as the pipe. The top end was grooved for an O-ring. There are six wing nuts that go into lugs that I cemented on to the pipe. There is a bleed off port, a safety vent and an inlet regulator with ball valve from my 175 psi air source. Inside the vessel is a known accurate instrument. I use air tool fittings to plug into the air source line. The vessal is filled with water and then the guages are placed in it and then I run the pressure up. I have never taken it past 130ish feet. The water keeps the explosive force to a minimum--just in case---!! I can also pull a vacum (no water in the vessel) for other purposes. No, I do not test or work on other peoples guages for obvious reasons, I am just playing around. It is fun taking them to depth and watching the dials move. N

 

[jetfixer]

Very cool Nemrod! I am a bit fascinated with the old wrist gauges myself. I've recently purchased more. I'm back on the mainland now, and hoping to dive my new treasures soon.

 

[Nemrod]

Just a pic of some of my guages, some from my earliest years, some from gifts, some thrown away by computer users, some rescued from ebay. This is just a representive sample, I got more!! N

 

[fmw625]

Our LDS has a chamber that he uses to calibrate and service depth gauges. Looks almost like Nemrod described, except made of cast Iron and has a thick lexan top bolted on by a heavy ring to 4 lugs.

 

[Nemrod]

Frank,
I said 12 inch but mine is actually 6 inch ID. Sorry about that, just going off the top of my head. It is still plenty spacious for a couple of guages! I am making a new one of 6 inch ID aluminum tubing, 6061T6. It will have a welded alum plate bottom and several other improvments including a new 3/4 plexi top and a 1/4 inch lexan cover plate. If anyone builds something like this please remember that compressed air can kill you. The chamber MUST be filled with water, preferrably distilled water, to the brim when it is pressurized. Yes, some air will enter the chamber as it is pressured but it will be fairly small. Limiting depth to 130 to 150 feet is equal to 4 to 5 atmospheres or about 75 psi max. You can make a pop off valve from those designed for air compressors and reset it to a lesser pressure etc. Warning, 75 PSI can kill you. The small 6 inch chamber filled to the brim with water will only kinda go kapumph with not much fanfare--I know because the first one I made I tested to destruction after making number 2. Nonetheless, compressed air must always be approached with extreme caution. I am a professional aviation mechanic, ex professional scientist, self taught amateur engineer, ex HS science teacher, and all around under achiever, if you are not confident in your judgement/skills/common sense please do not build such a device to kill yourself with. I would feel awfully bad for you (generic you)!!! N