Depth gauges-Which is the most pleasing to your eyes?

[Greg Barlow]

Rob is a big time gauge collector, and I caught the bug of collecting them from him. The bulk of my meager collection are various Voit/Swimaster models from the 1970's.

My favorites, as far as aesthetics go, are the Swimaster capillary gauges that were produced in the 1970's. While they are not real accurate, particularly in deeper water, they are about as simple as it can get.

Here is a link to a photograph of the Swimaster DC250. It has a tapered inner barrel, which is designed to keep the depths more evenly spread out.



So, what gauges are among your favorites?


Greg

Greg I hooked you up on Photobucket.............Bryan

[Bryan]

I like the Taylor with depth and compass....I think there is a Voit like this as well? I would really like to have a Drager in feet with the compass!!

[Nemrod]

Taylor made the same guages with and without the compass and sold them under their name and Voit. I have owned both versions and brands. I like that guage a bunch, especially the one with the compass. I use mine often. It is a open bourdon tube. After use it should have the wrist band pulled away from tube opening on the bottom and then let it soak in clean fresh water.

The Taylors were green rubber cases and the Voits were black rubber cases. I have a bunch of guages also, never had much luck with capillary guages, they look cool but not much use beyond being looked at.

I have kind of entered a new era in my vintage career. I don't buy anything anymore that don't work or cannot be actually used as intended, the little Taylor guages have always worked well and are pretty accurate, at least that has been my findings with them. They don't much like saltwater though and if the water don't taste salty, it ain't worth diving in.

My three favorites--at the moment--the Scuba Pro 0-500 and the old Voit orange face diaphram guage and the Taylor made Voit with compass:



Nem

[capn_tucker]

IMO the coolest depth gauge of all is of course the Sportsways Navy as used by Mike Nelson. The Voit gauge with compass is also very cool, as used in Thunderball. I have not had good luck with that type of gauge though. I have 3 of them, and all of them read wrong.
I've even soaked them in Salt-X to no avail. Maybe if they could be soaked in it while under pressure, but I don't know how that could be done..

[Vintagediver]

OK Greg; you asked and I know it's not a Voit; but I'll cast my vote for The U.S.D. Calypso! You gotta admit that the all chrome case with the black strap looks pretty good, and I guess it's a favorite since it was the first type of depth gauge I owned way back when. By the way; not to change the subject; but we're gonna look real good next summer at Portage in those new Voit Navy T shirts. Even Mike Nelson didn't have one of those! Terry

[JES]

My favorite is the USD PRO. It is a large depth gauge with an orange face, made of stainless steel with a black rubber wrist strap, and it reads to 250 ft.

[Scuba Cowboy]

Nemrod posted a picture of my favorite, the Scubapro 0-500. I like it cause its big and gawdy and it reads to 500 Ft.! How much cooler can you get?

[JES]

Nemrod posted a picture of my favorite, the Scubapro 0-500. I like it cause its big and gawdy and it reads to 500 Ft.! How much cooler can you get?

That is a sweet looking gauge... and it reads to 500 ft!

[Nemrod]

Rob has a nice Navy guage, those really are to die for.

That Scuba Pro 0-500, 12 dollars NIB. It was incorrectly listed along with a Suunto compass, two thermometers, an arm console and another depth guage. Nobody bid so I picked it up, every now and then I luck out before the sharks smell blood.

Another thing, that 0-500 really intimidates the tech diver bunch, when they see that thing and then notice the guage reads to 500 feet their eyes bug out an then they start to foam at the mouth.

Darn thing does not have a following needle, to bad that, if it did it would be my number one, unfortuately that falls to my non vintage Tekna 0-235, it is dead on accurate and has a following needle.

Nem

[Greg Barlow]

Rob has a nice Navy guage, those really are to die for.

That Scuba Pro 0-500, 12 dollars NIB. It was incorrectly listed along with a Suunto compass, two thermometers, an arm console and another depth guage. Nobody bid so I picked it up, every now and then I luck out before the sharks smell blood.

Another thing, that 0-500 really intimidates the tech diver bunch, when they see that thing and then notice the guage reads to 500 feet their eyes bug out an then they start to foam at the mouth.

Darn thing does not have a following needle, to bad that, if it did it would be my number one, unfortuately that falls to my non vintage Tekna 0-235, it is dead on accurate and has a following needle.

Nem

For a real fun time, you can do a wall dive using the depth gauge and a double hose. Casually mention to the tech group as to your concerns about the gauge reading accurately below 300' or so...

Watch em' squirm...

Greg