Lx460
Well-known member
Do you use a 3/8" drive ratchet or it a 9.525mm ratchet? Just curious
"Metric" countries question
- Thread starter Lx460
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Fretters
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They're still referred to in Imperial.
ctb
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In Europe they mostly don't use 3/8 drive, just 1/4 and 1/2.
Tronyadorable
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p_mori7
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1/4, 3/8, 1/2...
SAE is the world standard.
SAE is the world standard.
MikeF2316
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And we still have tire rim sizes in inches too!
espyking83
Well-known member
We really need to get onboard with this metric thing...
Was at work work the other day and 4 mechanics couldnt covert 215 MM to a fraction, just stood around with our eyes crossed and our thumbs up our asses until break time.
Was at work work the other day and 4 mechanics couldnt covert 215 MM to a fraction, just stood around with our eyes crossed and our thumbs up our asses until break time.
creativecars
Well-known member
Why would you need to convert to a fraction???
Did nobody have access to the internet?
Google it.
8.46456693"My first guess would have been 8 5/8".
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Tronyadorable
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Yeah but do you have an L60-14 ?
dnschmidt
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I'm a scientist so obviously I appreciate the metric system. But the fact is that the size of the kings arm, foot and knuckle are a hell of a lot more human scaled than the millimeter. An inch is a lot more able to be though of in the head than 25.4mm the millimeter is just too small. Likewise a Kilogram is too big and a gram too little.
The reality is that imperial units are just of a size that makes more sense. Now when I was using an electron microscope in the semiconductor industry microns were perfect in size. But for everyday things the metric units just aren't the right size.
The reality is that imperial units are just of a size that makes more sense. Now when I was using an electron microscope in the semiconductor industry microns were perfect in size. But for everyday things the metric units just aren't the right size.
foghorn1966
Well-known member
Temperature & liquid volume ( milli-litres, litres, cubic meters) make a lot of sence to me. Distance and weights not as much. Was in elementary school when metric was rolled out here in Canada.
But here in metric countries (Europe at least) they are exactly the right size as everything is designed and made to metric measures. For everyday things we never need to convert anything. Of course if you are thinking current US package sizes or item dimensions: when converted to metric they are something cumbersome as almost nothing will end up even number. But when everything is designed to be metric from start then nobody here has any problems with them as they are very logical and everybody understands what you are talking about.
daddy2coull
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Outlander
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^^This. I still notice that some of us in transition during elementary school do mental conversions. Since most of my work colleagues are in the US, I am forced to convert temperatures quickly (as well as dollars, but that is another thread).
Kin Creed
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I totally agree with this. They say the meter was originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole (at sea level), so not exactly meant to correspond to every day measuring needs!
It depends on what you are used to, but inches and feet are just more to scale for typical building and construction projects.
I used to do quite a bit of windsurfing and it's pretty common to ask guys about what size gear is working for the present wind conditions. Guys who got their gear from the US would always tell you in inches and feet. Guys who got their stuff from Europe would tell you metric. So I got pretty good at converting things, and learning who used what gear so I could talk to them in their preferred measurements.
Metric is definitely the way to go for scientific units, but for every day life I'll take inches and feet.
When you use an 8mm socket do you refer to it as 5.0394/16ths?
knobby
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No worries metric conversion gives rocket scientists fits as well
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/space/9909/30/mars.metric.02/
Dave455
Well-known member
Agree with a lot of the above!
For scientific purposes the metric system is often easier to use, but the units havn't had the same evolution as Imperisl units, and are often cumbersome to use. If you're machining something, a thousandth of an inch is about the smallest amount of metal you can sensibly remove with a manual machine, so you're always working in whole numbers of thou, and life is easy!
If you reload, you measure your bullet weight and powder charge in grains, again, whole numbers and easy!
But 5 thou is point zero something millimetrics, 125 grains is something point something grams, so neither are particularly convenient units!
There are areas where metric is convenient, drill sizes for one, and I tend to use litres where there might be confusion between U.S. and Imperial gallons, but generally you're better off using the units that have evolved for the purpose!
I once went to buy some three quarter inch plywood. "We've only got metric sizes" I was told, "So it'll have to be 19mm"! "Fine" I said, "What size sheets do you have?" "8 foot by four of course" was the reply!
For scientific purposes the metric system is often easier to use, but the units havn't had the same evolution as Imperisl units, and are often cumbersome to use. If you're machining something, a thousandth of an inch is about the smallest amount of metal you can sensibly remove with a manual machine, so you're always working in whole numbers of thou, and life is easy!
If you reload, you measure your bullet weight and powder charge in grains, again, whole numbers and easy!
But 5 thou is point zero something millimetrics, 125 grains is something point something grams, so neither are particularly convenient units!
There are areas where metric is convenient, drill sizes for one, and I tend to use litres where there might be confusion between U.S. and Imperial gallons, but generally you're better off using the units that have evolved for the purpose!
I once went to buy some three quarter inch plywood. "We've only got metric sizes" I was told, "So it'll have to be 19mm"! "Fine" I said, "What size sheets do you have?" "8 foot by four of course" was the reply!
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abk241
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So you work for the county???...or state.
theoldwizard1
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What ever the rest of the world calls a "2 by 4", it is very close in size to the ones here in the US and Canada ! (100mm by 50mm rough cut, unplanned)
you guys must never have worked with tires lol...
as for metric hell no, they tried that in the 70's and 80's with some rims, didn't work out well. Try to find tires for an 82 mustang with metric trx rims... good luck.
215 is just under 8.5" 8.464
slyonedoofy
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I guess I don't fit in because I use 10ths of a foot in my field.
Stuart in MN
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Oh, good - another metric rant.
You left out the part where they measured wrong... so it was a flawed system from the get-go.
drives are imperial, commonly 3/8 and 1/2. Bits are metric, eg 8-32 mm.
although im in a 'metric country' New Zealand - there is still a mix. height of a person is typically feet, but weight is kg. Everything in aviation everywhere is imperial, roading and cars are exclusively metric bar rim sizes. most cars are Japanese/Korean, with a bit form Australia and Europe so all fastners etc are metric.
Same as Australia.
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MagnumForce
Well-known member
I think farenheit for temp makes the most sense as 100 is really hot and 0 really cold and both are close to the extremes we feel at least here in the Great Lakes. Perfect human based system. Now distance, weight and volume make much more sense in metric but 40 degrees being blazing hot makes little sense.
For scientific purposes Celsius and kelvin rule but I think farenheit for the weather is a brilliant system.
Add to that that a degree Celsius is just too big and we end up deal with fractions of a degree.
For scientific purposes Celsius and kelvin rule but I think farenheit for the weather is a brilliant system.
Add to that that a degree Celsius is just too big and we end up deal with fractions of a degree.
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creativecars
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Review your conversion chart again...
dudutzu905
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pretty sure the temperature in the metric system is based around the properties of water
0 degrees - freezing point
100 degrees - boiling point
nickjj
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Kin Creed
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Which is another example of the system being designed more for science than people.
MagnumForce
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No pretty sure about it, and it is fine for that but not the temperatures a human experiences.
Kelvin, Celsius and Farenheit all make perfect sense depending on the application needed. I just think Farenheit is what makes perfect sense for weather.
Over here is almost all metric: temperatures, weight, length, speed, volume, area.
But as far as ratchet drive handles, extensions and accessories is still goes 1/4, 3/8, 1/2. Also 3/4 inch drive.
Fasteners are most of the time metric and it is very easy for us to pick the right wrench or socket for the bolt.
Whenever we do encounter an imperial bolt head or lets say imperial thread for tapping - it is just a pain to pick the right socket or if you were wrong - to know what is the next bigger or small imperial socket
Same goes for imperial threads for picking the right tap.
But as far as ratchet drive handles, extensions and accessories is still goes 1/4, 3/8, 1/2. Also 3/4 inch drive.
Fasteners are most of the time metric and it is very easy for us to pick the right wrench or socket for the bolt.
Whenever we do encounter an imperial bolt head or lets say imperial thread for tapping - it is just a pain to pick the right socket or if you were wrong - to know what is the next bigger or small imperial socket
Same goes for imperial threads for picking the right tap.
MagnumForce
Well-known member
Numbers are numbers the world round. Are you writing it out to prove a point?
Hell, they are even called Arabic Numerals.
Hell, they are even called Arabic Numerals.
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How many 16ths of an inch do you think 8mm it is?
barnonline
Active member
To the imperialist's (it must be the correct term, no?)
in this thread who says metric is good for scientific purposes, but for everyday use, imperial system is more fitting.
Are you really really sure that don't come down to familiarity?
Another thing with the metric system is that it is decimal based. It is so much easier to do simple addition and substraction.
9/16 + 1/2 = ??
14 + 13 = ??
witch one do you solve fastest?
in this thread who says metric is good for scientific purposes, but for everyday use, imperial system is more fitting.
Are you really really sure that don't come down to familiarity?
Another thing with the metric system is that it is decimal based. It is so much easier to do simple addition and substraction.
9/16 + 1/2 = ??
14 + 13 = ??
witch one do you solve fastest?
ctb
Well-known member
Even though I've lived there, I've never associated the UK with the rest of Europe. Neither have most of its citizens
Actually I should stated my post differently. 3/8 drive isn't as common as the rest. In all the years I've lived here I can't even remember seeing any 3/8 drive in the tool stores I've been in, and even top manufacturers like Wera routinely bundle 1/4 and 1/2" in their combo sets, leaving out 3/8 completely.