Going metric

This is a great topic. In college physics and other science classes (in the US) we used nothing but metric and I got really good grades. Doctors and nurses mainly use metric. The world uses metric. Maybe if we all used metric it would make selling some US products abroad simpler (less need for modification). If we didn't have to worry about conversion we would not have crashed a hundred and twenty-five million dollar space probe into Mars. More importantly, if we all used metric I would reduce by half the choice of allen wrenches I need to pull out and toss all over my bench each time I need one!

I am new to woodworking, but the whole 16th and 32nd thing is error prone especially since so many rules and measures make it hard to read these increments. Come on, admit it. You have made the same error yourselves many times (3 16ths instead of 5...). One simple decimal number is a lot easier to remember as you go to the saw. However, there is a problem. My tools. For example, I have a small Bosch table saw. Can I get a metric replacement strip for it? I'm going to check into it. What about my expensive Forstner bits... It's not easy in a mixed world.

 
tallgrass said:
...it is just a arbitrary measuring system that is based on 10 units just like imperial with the limitation on no- fraction...
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Nothing at all to stop you using fractions; all you hot-shot woodworkers must surely be working to the nearest half or quarter-millimeter, right?? Or if you're really fastidious you could always work in microns... ;) ;D

Cheers, Pete
 
actually i am an ME at a place called JPL if you have heard of it.... ;D. we work to in tight tolerances. We have run into problems with whole unit issues and rounding errors. when things get very tight and parts are fitted (not toleranced) and temp compensation is taken into account, the the problems with set unit size become a problem, and the benefits of analog measuring becomes imperative. as i have said in past threads i use both and even use the wave length of  certain wave length of light to measure....(not a metric spectrum) ;D I have notice an interesting thing though. IT seems to depend on the direction of the dimensioning. As one of the guys that does the design work it is easy to work in what ever units i want, but the machinists have a different view of things, especially when you are modifying parts in a development phase in the real word. As to the metric standard cause of the crash on mars, that was human error. the actual story is interesting and i wish i could discus it in length here. it is funny.
 
:o So ....... you're actually a rocket scientist who fiddles around with wood in his spare time? That's cool .......  ;D
 
Sure metric is easy if your whole culture goes metric.  I worked in Ontario Canada for a few years and always thought it was funny that the car speedos were all metric and directional signs are metric.  However, when you stop and ask directions Canadians will tell you the distance in miles!  So is it a 2x4 or is it a 26.2X102.3? ::)
 
acbuilder said:
Sure metric is easy if your whole culture goes metric. ...snip... So is it a 2x4 or is it a 26.2X102.3? ::)
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Well, up to a point; how you measure, and how you refer to commonly-used sizes are different things, I think. Here in Britain timber is sold by the linear metre, but commonly referred to by its imperial dimensions - so you can go to your local timber yard and ask for 14 linear metres of 4x2 (actually 50.8 x 101.6mm btw...) and everybody knows exactly what you mean. If you're lucky, you might even get what you asked for ;)

Cheers, Pete

p.s. And welcome to FOG...  :)
 
tallgrass said:
As to the metric standard cause of the crash on mars, that was human error. the actual story is interesting and i wish i could discus it in length here. it is funny.
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It's not the only such error tallgrass, I have solid evidence of a measurement errors causing materials to crash into the planet Earth! Indeed, I and others I know have been known to throw botched cut pieces on the shop floor! :-)
 
I had a steel tape that had both metric and inches on it.  Inches were at 16's and the metric was in centimeters with the mm's in between.  i had been listening to those who told me how much more accurate it would be to work with mm's than with inches, so when i found the tape with both, i snapped it right up.

Problem:  The little tick marks for the inches edge of tape were right up against the edge of the tape.  It was no problem to transfer a measurement from tape to material (provided i could stop my hands from shaking  :( )  On the metric edge of the tape, the tick marks were held back a couple of mm's from the edge and it became a matter of judgement as to where to make my mark.  I was on a job where somebody broke his own tape and he needed to borrow one.  I gave him mine and told him i was in a generous mood that day.  ::
Tinker
 
I got my true 32 tape the otherday and replaced the scales on my SCMS extensions with metric tapes.  I've never used metric before and I noticed a difference already in ease of use.  I'm looking forward to the adjustment since I'll be using metric exclusively on the next job..
 
eventually, I did get a decent mm tape as well as a couple of mm rulers and other measuring tools.  I have no problem in following plans in metric as long as somebody else does the original designing.  Where I have a big problem is trying to design anything, no matter how simple, in metric.  I just don't have an inkling of a picture in my head for dimensioning in mm's.

I have to admit that when trying to divide a piece of lumber, whether lenght or width, it is easier to work out the proportions with mm.  again, it comes down to who does the original dimensioning for a project. Me or thee.
Tinker
 
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