Times article on Imperial/Metric and the UK

[Jim Koepke]

2.47 hectares per acre

It's the other way around:

Hectare to Acres.png

A lot of my shop work uses a story stick instead of measurements.

Most of my measuring devices are in imperial not metric.

Here we layout studs on 16" centers. What are they in metric? Framing hammers usually measure 16" from the head to the end of the handle. Smaller hammers are often one foot. Things like this make it easier for people to do their work.

Metric might be used world wide but there are too many things in my life that are still measured with imperial standards.

One funny thing is some inexpensive (assembly required) items from overseas often have SAE fasteners. Likely spec'ed that way for the U.S. market.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

Metric is for saps. Decimal inch rules. RPN calculators are the best too.

[Jim Becker]

Interestingly, when I started a little project today, I initially pulled out the inches tape to get a general size for a work surface that was part of the project since it was "for the house" and a built-in thing. That was the only time I looked at inches all day as millimeters was easier to see and work with as I was slicing and dicing, both with various saws and with my CNC. That wouldn't have happened three years ago. The only reason I still tend to do "construction" type things in inches/feet is simply because of materials and conventions. Fractions just don't float my boat...

[Jim Barkelew]

With a calculator the units are irrelevant. I worked in CAD/CAM/CNC shops for 40 year and always used decimal inches. Also used metric cutters mixed in with inch cutters no problem. The software code was written in metric with a switch for inch user interface.

I think the argument over units is meaningless since we all have computers in our pockets. Not sure what units story sticks use.

Jim

[Harold Patterson]

I find it easy to think inches and feet for woodworking but I find fractions a pain hence decimals inches for me.

[Curt Harms]

It's the other way around:

Hectare to Acres.png

....................
One funny thing is some inexpensive (assembly required) items from overseas often have SAE fasteners. Likely spec'ed that way for the U.S. market.

jtk

A number of years ago Grizzly fasteners had metric threads but SAE sized (or so it seemed) heads. I guess the thinking was that most purchasers wouldn't have metric tools. I haven't bought any Grizzly machines in a long time so don't know if that is still true.

[Jim Koepke]

A number of years ago Grizzly fasteners had metric threads but SAE sized (or so it seemed) heads. I guess the thinking was that most purchasers wouldn't have metric tools. I haven't bought any Grizzly machines in a long time so don't know if that is still true.

Many of the more common sizes of bolt heads have close equivalents in the SAE and metric world. The most frustrating exceptions are 3/8" & 10mm. Both sizes are common.

A mechanic friend told me a long time ago if a complete metric tools set was purchased there were about four SAE sizes that would be needed to have a complete set of tools for both. If a full set of SAE tools were purchased there would be seven wrenches needed to complete a set to use for both systems.

jtk

Just for the heck of it here is an equivalent chart of mine made up in the past:


Metric to SAE wrench sizes. 6.5mm is common in many wrench sets. A t next to the wrench size indicates this wrench will be tight on its equivalent size nut, i.e. a 14mm wrench is snug on a 9/16 nut.

Millimeters Inch
6 ------- N/A
6.5 ------- 1/4t
7 ------- N/A
8 ------- 5/16
9 ------- 11/32t
10 ------- N/A
11t ------- 7/16
12 ------- N/A
13 ------- 1/2t
14t ------- 9/16
15 ------- 19/32 (not common)
16 ------- 5/8
17 ------- N/A
18 ------- N/A
19 ------- 3/4 (This is such a perfect match, it is used internationally for automobile wheel nuts)
20 ------- N/A
21 ------- N/A
22t ------- 7/8

32 ------- 1-1/4 If memory serves me well, this is the size of the hub nut on the rear axle of Volks Wagons before '68 or so.

That has 7 metric sizes throughout the range not covered by an SAE wrench set.
3/16 would be tight on a 5mm, neither size is included with most sets.
Three common SAE sizes, 3/8, 11/16 and 15/16 are not covered by the metric sizes.

[Roger Feeley]

I’m on team metric. I wish we would just rip off the band aide and get it over with. I know it would mean adjustment and confusion for old codgers like me but my grandsons would be the beneficiaries.

[Dave Zellers]

I know it would mean adjustment and confusion for old codgers like me but my grandsons would be the beneficiaries.

Personally I think your Grandsons would benefit most from learning both because fractions are a huge part of Imperial and fractions extend far out beyond measuring length.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

Many of the more common sizes of bolt heads have close equivalents in the SAE and metric world. The most frustrating exceptions are 3/8" & 10mm. Both sizes are common.

A mechanic friend told me a long time ago if a complete metric tools set was purchased there were about four SAE sizes that would be needed to have a complete set of tools for both. If a full set of SAE tools were purchased there would be seven wrenches needed to complete a set to use for both systems.

jtk

Just for the heck of it here is an equivalent chart of mine made up in the past:


Metric to SAE wrench sizes. 6.5mm is common in many wrench sets. A t next to the wrench size indicates this wrench will be tight on its equivalent size nut, i.e. a 14mm wrench is snug on a 9/16 nut.

Millimeters Inch
6 ------- N/A
6.5 ------- 1/4t
7 ------- N/A
8 ------- 5/16
9 ------- 11/32t
10 ------- N/A
11t ------- 7/16
12 ------- N/A
13 ------- 1/2t
14t ------- 9/16
15 ------- 19/32 (not common)
16 ------- 5/8
17 ------- N/A
18 ------- N/A
19 ------- 3/4 (This is such a perfect match, it is used internationally for automobile wheel nuts)
20 ------- N/A
21 ------- N/A
22t ------- 7/8

32 ------- 1-1/4 If memory serves me well, this is the size of the hub nut on the rear axle of Volks Wagons before '68 or so.

That has 7 metric sizes throughout the range not covered by an SAE wrench set.
3/16 would be tight on a 5mm, neither size is included with most sets.
Three common SAE sizes, 3/8, 11/16 and 15/16 are not covered by the metric sizes.

Thats a great list! I have found a lot of variance in 9/16 nuts, bolts and fittings. Sometimes the 14mm works, a tight fit, sometimes 15mm fits better.

[Jim Becker]

Personally I think your Grandsons would benefit most from learning both because fractions are a huge part of Imperial and fractions extend far out beyond measuring length.

Learning fractions is an important part of math curriculum. It just so happens it also applies to measuring systems.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I do not know how public school let me graduate high school with so little Math. Regrettably, my last math class was 1/2 semester of fundamentals of Algebra in the 9th grade. I think I got a D.

[Jim Becker]

I do not know how public school let me graduate high school with so little Math. Regrettably, my last math class was 1/2 semester of fundamentals of Algebra in the 9th grade. I think I got a D.

My school district's program took me all the way through calculus in HS, not that I actually understood the calculus. I didn't understand it in university, either, and barely squeaked by as it was required for my business degree. I just didn't make sense to me. Algebra, Trig, Geometry...no issues. But I still didn't like the math around fractions even back then! LOL

[Jim Koepke]

I do not know how public school let me graduate high school with so little Math. Regrettably, my last math class was 1/2 semester of fundamentals of Algebra in the 9th grade. I think I got a D.

During my days at public school, we chose our own classes up to a point. Some chose more history/civics related classes some more towards writing and literature. Those who liked math or the sciences went off on those paths.

If the school counselors chose your courses they may have seen you as not being one to put on the math track.

jtk

[andrew whicker]

if ever got into wrenching on cars you memorize a lot of the conversions since cars are half and half.

Plus 350 cubic inch motor is 5.7 liters.

1.8 liters per flush / 0.5 gallons per flush on every urinal in America that I've seen.


350 ml per 12 fl ounces on every can of drink


It's all out there.