Metric Measurement
Nov 4, 2023 09:53:33 #
I watched a guy in England working on a project last night. He'd take out his tape measure, "145." "237." "118." Not once did he have to hesitate and say "4' 3 and 5/6," Or, "2' 8 and 3/16." All the measurements were fast and accurate.
I have tape measures with both inches and mm, and I often find it faster and more accurate to use the metric scale. The US will never switch completely to metric because of cost. As a result, we are stuck using two systems - with two set of tools required. I once had to remove the front bumper from a Buick. Exactly half the bolts were SAE and half were metric. I wonder if that was done on purpose to keep toolmakers happy.
I have tape measures with both inches and mm, and I often find it faster and more accurate to use the metric scale. The US will never switch completely to metric because of cost. As a result, we are stuck using two systems - with two set of tools required. I once had to remove the front bumper from a Buick. Exactly half the bolts were SAE and half were metric. I wonder if that was done on purpose to keep toolmakers happy.
Nov 4, 2023 09:59:05 #
I don't know but the switch to metric never happened was because the majority of the American people don't want it. If you take a survey the majority of American do not want metric.
Nov 4, 2023 10:05:29 #
BebuLamar wrote:
I don't know but the switch to metric never happened was because the majority of the American people don't want it. If you take a survey the majority of American do not want metric.
That's because they don't want to learn/get used to a new system.
Change can be very difficult.
Nov 4, 2023 10:12:45 #
Longshadow wrote:
That's because they don't want to learn/get used to a new system.
Change can be very difficult.
Change can be very difficult.
I wasn't born in the USA and I didn't understand why but now I understood why. When they started to implement the switch they didn't change the size of the products but simply stated the product size in metric which made many people thought it was silly. Instead of 16 Oz bottle they said it 473.2 ml. Now they did change the bottle size to 500ml or 16.9 oz but that is too late.
Nov 4, 2023 10:20:19 #
bikinkawboy
Loc: north central Missouri
And then you have the reverse. A country like China was metric but with all the stuff they make for export to this country, they have had to change to SAE tooling to produce items like nuts, bolts, pipe fittings, drill bits, saw blades and on and on.
Nov 4, 2023 10:22:08 #
bikinkawboy wrote:
And then you have the reverse. A country like China was metric but with all the stuff they make for export to this country, they have had to change to SAE tooling to produce items like nuts, bolts, pipe fittings, drill bits, saw blades and on and on.
And it's no big deal for them. So cost isn't the issue here. The reason the USA doesn't switch to metric is that the people of the USA don't want to.
Nov 4, 2023 10:38:15 #
Be careful when you measure. A Chinese inch is a different length than a U.S. inch. Rulers or tape measures marked in inches can be decieving.
Nov 4, 2023 10:46:04 #
jinx wrote:
Be careful when you measure. A Chinese inch is a different length than a U.S. inch. Rulers or tape measures marked in inches can be decieving.
What's the standard for Chinese inch? The standard for US inch is 25.4mm (oh yeah the inch has been redefined in metric measurement).
Nov 4, 2023 10:46:35 #
Metric is so much easier to work with.
Unlike 1 foot, 11/32 or 13/16.
23/64ths???
Unlike 1 foot, 11/32 or 13/16.
23/64ths???
Nov 4, 2023 10:50:21 #
Longshadow wrote:
Metric is so much easier to work with.
Unlike 1 foot, 11/32 or 13/16.
23/64ths???
Unlike 1 foot, 11/32 or 13/16.
23/64ths???
What would 23/64ths be in metric?
Nov 4, 2023 10:52:05 #
alberio wrote:
What would 23/64ths be in metric?
I love Google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=23%2F64+in+metric&sca_esv=579460677&source=hp&ei=V1pGZcfjE9LJptQPyPKR2AE&iflsig=AO6bgOgAAAAAZUZoZ8gZ14S3AxZRVNY6J5SQPvm6UfTF&oq=23%2F64ths+be+in+metric&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IhUyMy82NHRocyBiZSBpbiBtZXRyaWMqAggAMgYQABgWGB4yCBAAGIoFGIYDMggQABiKBRiGA0iKElAAWABwAHgAkAEAmAFooAFoqgEDMC4xuAEByAEA-AEC-AEB&sclient=gws-wiz
9.1mm
A LOT simpler than finding 23/64 on a tape measure.....
Nov 4, 2023 10:53:25 #
alberio wrote:
What would 23/64ths be in metric?
And you don't know? Probably that's why you don't like metric.
Let me ask you what is 0.359375 in lowest terms?
Nov 4, 2023 10:59:05 #
BebuLamar wrote:
And you don't know? Probably that's why you don't like metric.
Let me ask you what is 0.359375 in lowest terms?
Let me ask you what is 0.359375 in lowest terms?
Inches.
Nov 4, 2023 11:20:40 #
Roger Dickinson
Loc: Boston
Don’t we tend to physically measure in metric but mentally measure in SAE? It is the easiest path for me as I can convert one to the other later if needed.
Nov 4, 2023 11:24:27 #
Well 23/64th of an inch is 0.359375 inch. That's easy just a division however if the question is how to express 0.359375 in fraction with the lowest terms. It's not so easy.
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