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Thread: Switch to Metric? Yes or No

  1. #121
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,688
    Chris, a lot of industry is already there. It's use "mere mortals" that are left. Change is hard, but my experience is that once I choose to use the system seriously, its REALLY hard to go back. But that's me...
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  2. #122
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    NE Connecticut
    Posts
    695
    I side with those who see the metric system as better - it just makes sense. That said, I work in imperial measurements since I grew up in the U.S. and most domestic woodworking materials (fasteners, lumber, etc.) is imperial.

    One thing I've noticed as a result of using imperial measurements is that I tend to use measurements that avoid fractions - not always, but often enough. I was making a drawing yesterday where everything was in 16ths of an inch. I was spending a lot of time adding and subtracting fractions when, as I was just about finished, I realized that almost everything I had done was 1/16" shy of a full, 1/2, or 3/8 inch. Since I was just developing the idea and knew I was going to be changing a lot of things, I added that 16th to make the numbers easier to work with. Sure enough, my revisions went much faster.

    I wonder if I would have done the same with something that was, say, 49mm and rounding to 50mm? I don't think I would. It really made me think about the design implications of my preference (am I alone in this?) for round numbers vs fractions, or at least bigger fractions, and whether by doing so I was abandoning a better design in favor of easier math. Those classical proportions are pretty precise and don't look quite right if they're off even a little bit.

    Of course, maybe this is just the comeupance my math teachers always promised me.


  3. #123
    I like nice even numbers, and that's why I prefer Imperial --- if need be, I can grab a DTP ruler and get 72 points per inch, and I'm fine at estimating a half-way or one-third/two-third position between them if need be. Maybe I'd be happy if I could find a good quality ruler which had half and quarter and third millimeter divisions on it. Problem is, the ruler I'd really like to replace is a 4-fold brass bound one and the only replacement I can find is ~$400.

    Anyone know of a good source of scaled and folding rulers for metric work?

  4. #124
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    275
    What puzzles me is why many of those who use metric spend so much effort trying to convince others that its better than imperial and that they should switch to metric. Why would they care what other people use? If I'm happy using imperial then what difference does it make to them? Could they be subconsciously trying to convince themselves? On the other hand, you seldom see people who use imperial trying to convince metric users to switch. Maybe its rooted in the culture, admittedly dying, of the US that has historically said, "go your own way and I'll go mine", vs. the European tendency to micromanage society.

    As for the micromanaging socialists on this thread, you can take my imperial ruler when you pry it from my cold dead hand.

  5. #125
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    Quote Originally Posted by Brian W Evans View Post
    I side with those who see the metric system as better - it just makes sense. That said, I work in imperial measurements since I grew up in the U.S. and most domestic woodworking materials (fasteners, lumber, etc.) is imperial.

    One thing I've noticed as a result of using imperial measurements is that I tend to use measurements that avoid fractions - not always, but often enough. I was making a drawing yesterday where everything was in 16ths of an inch. I was spending a lot of time adding and subtracting fractions when, as I was just about finished, I realized that almost everything I had done was 1/16" shy of a full, 1/2, or 3/8 inch. Since I was just developing the idea and knew I was going to be changing a lot of things, I added that 16th to make the numbers easier to work with. Sure enough, my revisions went much faster.

    I wonder if I would have done the same with something that was, say, 49mm and rounding to 50mm? I don't think I would. It really made me think about the design implications of my preference (am I alone in this?) for round numbers vs fractions, or at least bigger fractions, and whether by doing so I was abandoning a better design in favor of easier math. Those classical proportions are pretty precise and don't look quite right if they're off even a little bit.

    Of course, maybe this is just the comeupance my math teachers always promised me.
    Brian, that's exactly what I do when designing furniture, I make pieces 20mm thick, or 30mm, or 50mm for legs........regards, Rod.

  6. #126
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh, Australia
    Posts
    2,700
    Quote Originally Posted by Ted Derryberry View Post
    What puzzles me is why many of those who use metric spend so much effort trying to convince others that its better than imperial and that they should switch to metric. Why would they care what other people use? If I'm happy using imperial then what difference does it make to them? Could they be subconsciously trying to convince themselves? On the other hand, you seldom see people who use imperial trying to convince metric users to switch. Maybe its rooted in the culture, admittedly dying, of the US that has historically said, "go your own way and I'll go mine", vs. the European tendency to micromanage society.

    As for the micromanaging socialists on this thread, you can take my imperial ruler when you pry it from my cold dead hand.
    You do not know my politics and why the reference to politics? I could assume your political leaning from that statement but I won't as I might be wrong.
    Chris

    Everything I like is either illegal, immoral or fattening

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