Question Regarding Sportsways Depth Gauge Adjustme

[Terry]

This past fall I acquired an old Sportsways depth gauge which I am sure is from the 1960's, and I am wondering if there is any way to adjust or calbrate the readings on this gauge. I had a chance to take it for a test dive last friday and it works fine; except for the fact that it appears to read 5 - 10 feet less than the correct depth. This gauge has a black plastic case, with a black plastic strap, and will cover depths up to 150 feet. I prefer not to open this gauge up until I know more about; but it does appear that the cover / face of this gauge does unscrew from the body. As I look through the glass; the gauge has (2) screws on the left side near the 150' mark, and I am wondering if these (2) screws are for adjustment / re-calbration of this depth gauge. On the face of the gauge it does say Sportsways; but there is no other name on this gauge to indicate what model it may be. If anyone has any info regarding this gauge and whether or not I will be able to re-adjust it please let me know. Thanks You! Terry Stevens

[admin]

Hi, Terry-
Can you post a picture of the gauge here, or send a pic to Linda and she will post it? Most of the plastic depth gauges were very inexpensive, and they were not serviceable or adjustable. The two screws probably just hold the back plate to the mechanism. But if you can get inside it, you may be able to figure out how to zero it again, because they obviously had to do this when it was made in the first place.

Dan

[Terry]

Hi Dan:
Thanks for your reply. I'll have to see what I can do in regards to a picture and getting it posted. I'm not sure that the digital camera I have will take a good enough close up to be of any benefit. As for the screws; ?. Both screws are located on the left side of the face at the 9 o'clock position; one above the other and they are spaced about 1/4" apart. They are the only screws visible and you may be right that they are there to mount the back plate. When I first looked at them I wondered if they were screws to make adjustments on the gauge. Right now it's anybody's guess. Once aging "Thanks for your help and all that you and Linda have done and are doing for the vintage diving community"! Terry

[SeaRat]

Dan and Terry,

I have a 1978 New England Divers Co. catelog with this entry:

SPORTSWAYS OIL-FILLED DEPTH GUAGE. A superior quality, oil-filled depth meter designedspecifically for the sport diver. This oil-filled instrument records depth to 170 feet with amazing accuracy and eliminates internal corrosion. The large clear markings on the new luninous dial make easy reading. One piece rubber housing and strap.

1405 sportsways Oil-Filled Depth Gauge..........Retail $40.00

I read in Basic Scuba what Fred Roberts said about depth guages:

It may happen that the needle does not indicate zero when the gauge is purchased. This does not impair its operation. The dever must determine a correction factor if accuracy is desired. One method would be to go down a marked line to 10 feet and observe where the needle points. If it shows 20 feet, always subtract 10 feet from your gauge reading. Then try it at 20 feet. If the unit does not prove consistent, and it is a new unit, return it at once to your dealer as defective.

Like any device this gauge can fail. If you find that after a dive to, say, 70 feet, the gauge does not return to start, the diaphragm has bent the lever arm (9) and it will not return to normal position. When this happens the gauge is useless. It would be a simple matter to bend the lever down again if you could get into the sealed case, but to examine one I had to saw it open.

Terry, in your case it appears that the gauge is working, but off. If it is consistent and you know what it is, then probably don't mess with it. If it's not, you probably cannot fix it or adjust it. If it is the 1405 Sportsways gauge I have in the catelog, the two screws appear to simply hold the face on so it won't rotate.

John

[Terry]

Thanks Dan and John for your replies. I was also at the dive shop earlier today in Traverse City and decided to pick there brains as well in regards to this depth gauge. There opinions were pretty much along the same lines of what both of you had said; agreeing that those two screws were for the mounting of the dial face, and better to leave well enough alone. Of course it would have helped if I would have remembered to take the gauge with me so they could have actually seen it; but that would have made way too much sense. Hey; how do you like my new avatar picture; Linda did a great job working her magic to adjust the picture I sent her to size it properly. Damn; don't I look good; almost as good as you John. They shouldn't be allowed to put both of our pictures on the same post at the same time; it might be too much for some people! Thanks again guy's and also to you Linda for your help. Terry Stevens

[SeaRat]

Terry,

'Glad I was able to help. Dan's got a lot of expertise too. Also, I do like your avatar. If I had mine to do over again, I'd get the sun in my face rather than behind me. But that's what you get when you hand a Nikonos II to a lifeguard and say "Push this lever toward the case with you finger to take the picture."

John