oldschoolcraft
Well-known member
Does anyone here intermix metric and standard size tools in their toolbox/cart?
For example: 4mm, 3/16", 5mm, 7/32", 6mm, 1/4", etc
I imagine if you are a professional working on a known item (car, airplane, water pump, etc) then it would be much slower to organize tools this way, because you already know in advance if you're dealing with metric or standard sizes.
You might not know offhand which size it is, but you know it's metric and can try 2 or 3 sizes until you figure it out. If you intermixed metric and standard, you might have to try 4 or 5 to figure it out, since the SAE ones would be wasted tries.
But, if you not a professional, like myself, I almost never know whether it's metric or standard by looking at it. For example, I took apart a broken office chair left in the dumpster last night because I wanted to donate the base to another chair. It was hex fasteners, but no idea if metric or standard. So I had to try 3 different standard hex keys. And then switch to metric set and tried a few there until I found it.
If I had intermixed my metric and standard, I'd have found the right one faster.
Also as a non-pro, sometimes you see worn fasteners. Maybe it is a metric hex fastener but worn to the point where the slightly larger SAE hex key will fit it better. I really don't care what works, just that it works properly without damaging the fastener.
I also imagine handyman type work to be uncertain. Show up at a friend/family/customer house and they have an old lawnmower or something to take apart. Might have no idea if the fasteners are metric or standard. Or maybe it was old and repaired with different replacement fasteners, some are metric and some are SAE. Having your sockets/wrenches/hex keys set up intermixed would let you use them like a size gauge to find the right size.
The biggest downside I can see in doing this strategy is I will need all custom storage solutions since everything is made to separate metric from standard. Every nice socket organizer I've seen is built separately. My high quality Wiha Hex Keys have a storage container that separates them.
Here's what I'm asking:
1- What downsides of intermixing metric and standard are there that I might not be thinking about? And do these downsides apply to non-professionals?
2- Anyone else here every try or think about intermixing?
3- Any advice on how to handle storage so that it can be set up in this way?
I apologize to the pro wrenches reading this since I know the thought is painful and awful!
For example: 4mm, 3/16", 5mm, 7/32", 6mm, 1/4", etc
I imagine if you are a professional working on a known item (car, airplane, water pump, etc) then it would be much slower to organize tools this way, because you already know in advance if you're dealing with metric or standard sizes.
You might not know offhand which size it is, but you know it's metric and can try 2 or 3 sizes until you figure it out. If you intermixed metric and standard, you might have to try 4 or 5 to figure it out, since the SAE ones would be wasted tries.
But, if you not a professional, like myself, I almost never know whether it's metric or standard by looking at it. For example, I took apart a broken office chair left in the dumpster last night because I wanted to donate the base to another chair. It was hex fasteners, but no idea if metric or standard. So I had to try 3 different standard hex keys. And then switch to metric set and tried a few there until I found it.
If I had intermixed my metric and standard, I'd have found the right one faster.
Also as a non-pro, sometimes you see worn fasteners. Maybe it is a metric hex fastener but worn to the point where the slightly larger SAE hex key will fit it better. I really don't care what works, just that it works properly without damaging the fastener.
I also imagine handyman type work to be uncertain. Show up at a friend/family/customer house and they have an old lawnmower or something to take apart. Might have no idea if the fasteners are metric or standard. Or maybe it was old and repaired with different replacement fasteners, some are metric and some are SAE. Having your sockets/wrenches/hex keys set up intermixed would let you use them like a size gauge to find the right size.
The biggest downside I can see in doing this strategy is I will need all custom storage solutions since everything is made to separate metric from standard. Every nice socket organizer I've seen is built separately. My high quality Wiha Hex Keys have a storage container that separates them.
Here's what I'm asking:
1- What downsides of intermixing metric and standard are there that I might not be thinking about? And do these downsides apply to non-professionals?
2- Anyone else here every try or think about intermixing?
3- Any advice on how to handle storage so that it can be set up in this way?
I apologize to the pro wrenches reading this since I know the thought is painful and awful!
