Metric -- How many of you use it?

[Chris Kennedy]

I like the language analogy. My family is Australian, and whenever I am there, everything is in metric. When immersed in it, I have no trouble using it. I quickly become accustomed to measuring in it, and don't really need to convert back to standard. Coming back to the States, I have no trouble going back to standard.

On the other hand, I find the mm too small for most measurements. The other thing is that 12 is more natural for some design purposes. We tend to like 2,3,4,5,6-fold symmetry, with 2,4,6 being more common. 12 is naturally divisible by all but 5, and 16 is divisible by 2 and 4. 10 is only 2 and 5.

Also, if it is the fractions that people are avoiding, you can divide an inch into 10 parts. LV sells measures in decimal inches.

Cheers,

Chris

[J. Z. Guest]

I'm torn, and read this thread with great interest.

The problem is that I've got at least a few hundred dollars (not Euros) invested in Imperial measuring equipment. $100 Starrett square, $20 tape measure, $25 2' ruler, 4" dial caliper, etc. Two of my main machines, my table saw and my jointer, are both graduated in inches too.

If I switched, I'd have to replace them all, and convert every plan to metric before starting. Then, I'd have to convert board feet and memorize sheet good thicknesses in metric.

Using reference measurements is OK for some things, but one still has to start with measurements to create those references.

By the way, those of you who are remembering one inch as 24 mm, 25 mm is much closer. (since 1" = 25.4 mm)

Something that isn't mentioned is that if we gave up the imperial system, we wouldn't be as sharp, mathematically-speaking. What would be the motivation in remembering how to do fractions? Once in a while, I'll balance my checkbook without a calculator or divide or multiply something on paper, just so I don't lose the skill. Going to metric would be a lost skill. I feel bad enough having forgotten how to do calculus and the more advanced 2/3 of algebra I used to know. Algebra is bloody useful too.

I think the real reason the US doesn't switch is fear of costly errors on a huge scale from folks who are used to the imperial system. Or even just the initial cost of switching.

One last brain dropping: Imagine how much more Chinese junk we'd have here if we were on metric? They wouldn't even have to convert anything to ship it over! </devil's advocate>

[Bob Slater]

I had metric foisted on me around grade 7 in school. I still far prefer Imperial for Temperature and speed, and most measurements. 100 MPH =very fast, 100 degrees f = very hot, 0= very cold. Celsius for temp is kinda vague other than the freezing and boiling points. Same with speed. Is 147 KMH/Hr ridiculously fast or the speed of traffic?
For building I prefer inches. For working on cars, I much prefer Metric. For purchasing and measuring liquids, I prefer metric.

[Ray Schafer]

Well, has anyone tried Bob's Rule?

[Ray Schafer]

Hase anyone tried Bob's Rule: http://www.bobsrule.com/index.htm

[Mark Singer]

I use metric often. I also use feet and inches especially for overall and breking down measurements

[Ray Schafer]

Good point about 25 mm being closer to an inch. Someone made a good point earlier though ... if you always use multiples of 2, you can breakdown the parts better ... halfway is 12 mm, as and example.

Another good point made earlier ... the tools, sheet goods, plans, etc. are all typically in imperial (I said English earlier ... I think either may be correct). Tying to constantly switch between the two may just cause more possibility of error.

I read an article in one of the "important" magazines lately. (Around my house "important" means "woodworking.") It talked about Bob's rule. The benefit is supposed to be that the inch is divided into the right number of parts to make just the right level of accuracy. It sounded very intriguing, but again, the idea of taking a plan and changing 23/32 into twenty-fourths of an inch does not really appeal to me. But I am thinking about it.

[John Keeton]

Hase anyone tried Bob's Rule: http://www.bobsrule.com/index.htm

That is really interesting!! I could work with that concept - maybe it will catch on.

[William OConnell]

Never. If its not broke don't fix it. Moving up to the highest denominator in fractions has become second nature for me and frankly is simple. I don't see the benefit in woodworking for the metric system for me.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

And inherently dangerous is something the gnat's wing expert knows well......Rod.

Darn tootin~!!

[harry strasil]

LOL, I am old fashioned, I don't use Muttrick at all, some foreign made stuff was muttric when I was in the Blacksmith shop, if I needed to use Muttrick guess ing, I converted it to American.
Millie Meter should have drowned on her way across the pond in my opinion.

On the other hand, most of my farm customers had me convert Muttrick stuff to American so parts were easy to come by.

[Tim Put]

All three at once, decimal inches, fractional imperial, and metric. Lutherie is a mess of measuring systems, 34" scale length, 17mm string spacing, 0.022" fret slots, and 7/32" truss rod routs.

[chris yount]

I have to use both at work the cnc machine (Italian) is setup on metric and we get our measurements in inches and convert numbers as we enter them.after 20 years I can think both ways and convert numbers in my head without thinking about them.
I relate the mm measurement to inches as cents to quarters.
25 cent =1quarter, 25mm=1 inch then break things down in between from there. 100 mm = 4" or a dollar for bigger numbers.
A little simplistic but I can run fairly large numbers quickly through my mind this way.

[Lee DeRaud]

I have to agree that the metric system is much easier to do the math with.

Yes, but...

That comment reminds me of a similar 'metric' thread on rec.woodworking many years ago. There was one twit there who was convinced that the whole world should convert to metric because "then we could do everything in decimal arithmetic, which would make computers run faster". (In the words of Dave Barry, "I am not making this up.")

Made my head hurt, I tell ya.

[Mike Henderson]

I like metric because dealing with fractions is hard. But whatever you get used to works.

It would be nice if we only had one system to deal with worldwide. The conversions between systems introduce errors every now and again (because someone makes an error - not because the measurements can't be converted accurately).

Mike