I must be OLD! I HATE the Metric System!!

[Hilton Ralphs]

WHY !!! can't they make Metric sized Chisels that are equal in size to STANDARD size Wood Chisels ????

You mean like 6.35, 12.7, 3.18 etc? You would have two sets of identically sized chisels, just different markings.

The mortise doesn't know you're using a metric chisel though.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

The title of your message brought me some hope. Thank you!

Seriously, I felt your pain but at the reverse side: I live in the metric world but sometimes I face something using imperial! I maintain a set of imperial sized tools (nuts, Allen's, filling gauge,...) just to preserve my sanity.

Fortunately as time goes by less and less I need those imperial sized tools. Actually I think last time I needed it was a couple of years ago.

Please accept my solidarity!

[Curt Harms]

I grew up with metric, it's easy. In any case, I try not to measure.

Growing up with it is key. Once we learn something and practice it for a while, unlearning it ain't easy. I imagine living in a country that is metric only would help to become 'bilingual' re measures.

[mike stenson]

Growing up with it is key. Once we learn something and practice it for a while, unlearning it ain't easy. I imagine living in a country that is metric only would help to become 'bilingual' re measures.

I'll point out growing up knowing metric, then learning 'imperial' is the same as someone growing up in the US learning metric. It's really not terribly difficult, easier than another language, it does take commitment to learning it..

[ken hatch]

I'll point out growing up knowing metric, then learning 'imperial' is the same as someone growing up in the US learning metric. It's really not terribly difficult, easier than another language, it does take commitment to learning it..

It is pretty easy to do. If this dumb old West Texas farm boy can do it anyone can. Once done life is easier. BTW, I live just down the road from the only metric signed Interstate Hyw in the USA, I-19. It will come some day, the sooner the better.

ken

[John Gornall]

Grade school imperial
College science metric
Engineering school imperial
First job Swedish company metric
Australia metric
New Zealand imperial but changed to metric while I was working there
USA imperial
USA metric equipment on Imperial job
Now in my shop where I make a living Imperial
But in my home wood shop it's both - when I start a project it just seems easy to choose but no logic behind it. Smaller jobs with hand tools at the bench are in fractions imperial - kitchen cabinets metric

[Rafael Herrera]

Back in the home country, Peru, my father used metric and Imperial his whole life. I never heard him complaint about it. After near 30 years in this country, Imperial comes naturally to me, like English, I think and dream in Imperial, most of the time. If I have to count in my head, however, I count in Spanish. Since I use mainly old tools, I'm also Imperial in my workshop. At work we use metric.

[Jim Koepke]

I have both Imperial and metric tools in my shop, truth is it makes no never mind which is used other than a 8mm chisel matches up with a 5/16 mortise chisel and no one that I know of makes a 5/16 bench chisel.

There are some 5/16" bench chisels available. Mine is made by Witherby. If you want a modern example you will have to settle for an 8mm chisel.

From working on bicycles in my youth and owning a few VWs most of my wrenches and socket sets are metric. SAE tools came later.

The wrench size equivalents were easy to remember. A chart was made as an aid to others:

Metric to SAE Wrenches.png

For use in the shop there is a handy chart, on my plane wall, picked up somewhere years ago:

Plane Wall.jpg

It sits on the shelf below the bevel gauges. It is mostly used when converting fractions to decimal to select numbered drills.

If you get a Starrett catalog there are some useful charts in the last section. They are also in the online catalog:

Inch to Metric.pdf

This should be a .pdf people can print if desired.

jtk

[Tony Zona]

Let's see here.


Clarence Martinn said in his original post that he hates metric and seems to really love Imperial chisels.


Osvaldo Cristo lives in metric-land and has unused Imperial tools.


Here is a solution. Maybe Osvaldo could send a few Imperial chisels to Clarence as an international gesture. And Clarence could send a metric chisel or two to Osvaldo.

Done.

[ken hatch]

There are some 5/16" bench chisels available. Mine is made by Witherby. If you want a modern example you will have to settle for an 8mm chisel.

From working on bicycles in my youth and owning a few VWs most of my wrenches and socket sets are metric.
jtk

Jim,

Yes you are correct, you can still find 5/16" vintage chisels just not new ones. I should have made that clearer in my post. I still find it strange current makers of chisels do not make a 5/16" chisel because a 5/16" mortise hole is the best fit for a mortise in a 4/4 board and there are many 5/16" mortise chisels. Go figure.

I'm pretty much the same on hand tools, most are metric. My best guess is we will never get to a single standard, shame but that is the way it is. BTW in the aviation world it is also a hodge podge of metric and Imperial. Altitudes are Imperial except in a couple of countries, Russia and China. There may be a couple more but I've been out of the game so long my memory isn't great. When you fly into either country it often turns into a goat rope although the newer avionics can do the conversions for you. Temperature is metric, even though most altitudes are Imperial, altimeter pressure setting can be either and so on. There are more examples but you get the picture and the mix can vary with country.

It is a pretty dumb way to run things and it is mostly because of the USA refusing to join the rest of the world.

ken

[Tony Wilkins]

Jim,

Yes you are correct, you can still find 5/16" vintage chisels just not new ones. I should have made that clearer in my post. I still find it strange current makers of chisels do not make a 5/16" chisel because a 5/16" mortise hole is the best fit for a mortise in a 4/4 board and there are many 5/16" mortise chisels. Go figure.

I'm pretty much the same on hand tools, most are metric. My best guess is we will never get to a single standard, shame but that is the way it is. BTW in the aviation world it is also a hodge podge of metric and Imperial. Altitudes are Imperial except in a couple of countries, Russia and China. There may be a couple more but I've been out of the game so long my memory isn't great. When you fly into either country it often turns into a goat rope although the newer avionics can do the conversions for you. Temperature is metric, even though most altitudes are Imperial, altimeter pressure setting can be either and so on. There are more examples but you get the picture and the mix can vary with country.

It is a pretty dumb way to run things and it is mostly because of the USA refusing to join the rest of the world.

ken

I know lie-Nielsen makes 5/16 and I think Blue Spruce does too.

[Jim Koepke]

A good reason for having metric chisels is when cutting a dado a slightly undersize chisel will help at avoiding chipping at the edges.

For a hand cut 3/4" dado a 5/8" chisel is often used.

jtk

[ken hatch]

I know lie-Nielsen makes 5/16 and I think Blue Spruce does too.

Thanks Tony,

I forget about looking at either LN or BS because their chisels are A2 and my sharpening system doesn't play well with A2. A 8mm works well.

ken

[Tony Wilkins]

Thanks Tony,

I forget about looking at either LN or BS because their chisels are A2 and my sharpening system doesn't play well with A2. A 8mm works well.

ken

Thought I would avoid that part of the discussion lol. FWIW, my LN 5/16 & 7/16 are both O1.

[Jim Koepke]

If you are interested in a story of a metric to imperial mix up becoming a story around the world look into the 'Gimli Glider'.

Gimli Glider story > https://www.cbc.ca/archives/when-a-m...ency-1.4754039

It is a pretty dumb way to run things and it is mostly because of the USA refusing to join the rest of the world.

The Gimli Glider saga was actually on a Montreal-to-Edmonton Air Canada flight. Of course it was almost 40 years ago.

The USA completely changing to metric would likely cause as much confusion and problems as if we tried to change from driving on the right hand side of the road to driving on the left hand side of the road.

jtk