Recent content by Mechanical Noise

Thanks! That clears things up. Imperial now incorporates metric standards. US auto engineers have been working in the metric system for decades now. This makes the meaning of SAE tools unclear.

I have a bunch of BSF and CEI hardware. Should I just toss them in with the inch sized nuts and bolts and label it IMPERIAL? Seems like there's an even more distinct difference considering thread sizes (which is relevant to this convesation) than there is with liquid measures (which is not...

Yes, and old US wrenches commonly were sized to the bolt diameter, not the head dimension. That changed sometime around the 30s

It would be interesting if any tool manufacturers from an English speaking country refers to their inch tools as SAE.

Is imperial an informal standard or is it governed by somebody? SAE is metric these days.

I still associate SAE tools with cheap K-Mart type sets. SAE and Metric Hey, a 60 piece tool kit for $5! And it's approved by Engineers!! Life is good!!! It occurs to me that the term IMPERIAL might have been marketing code for tools that were as soft as butter.

Anyway, what's with the love for the word IMPERIAL? Especially on Independence Day!!

As far as taps and dies go, the British Empire is generally metric nowadays. At one time, British taps and dies were normally Whitworth, BSF, CEI, and BA. BA had a metric pitch on a fractional inch rod, if I recall. I guess you could call those FIRST IMPERIAL. Sometime after WW2, US coarse...

I have an old Master Appliance heat gun. it's very well made and will likely outlive my heirs. Actually, the MA gun is better than what I need. If I didn't get the MA gun for a very friendly price, I'd probably go with the middle one out of the three HF sells. You might be able to fabricate...

Inch and metric would be my choices. Simple and clear. US customary would work if "inch" seems too concise. SAE means Society of Automotive Engineers. Today, an auto engineer would specify metric threads. And I have no idea what SAE drill bit sizes would be. Inch size bits are most clearly...

No Whitworth?

I had the plastic mityvac for years. Never had any problem with the seals or check valves but it cracked a few times and I epoxied it back together. I got the metal one at Harbor Freight and I think the HF one is better in almost every way. The HF vacuum pump doesn't do pressure, however.

If you need a 5mm x 20mm fuse, an AGC fuse won't fit. AGC series fuses are 1/4" x 1 1/4".

Maybe the members of the Horrible Freight fan club have found good deals for the money. I know that's why I buy stuff there. It's not all junk and I can tell the difference. I can't believe there are enough stupid people who would keep buying junk, over and over, to keep a business successful...

I used to hear that all the time. If that happened, it's hard to believe any significant number would have got past customs. Any actual products still around? I'd think they'd be collector's items. Should be a few pictures, at least.