To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

SAE and Metric

T

ToolGlutton

Banned
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
398
Location
Washington, DC
IMO, using both is a huge waster of resources, although it is a boom for tool manufacturers.

How nice it will be if we could press United Nations to pass an international law to forbid all manufacturers from using metric (or SAE) bolts from 2009! :bounce:

In that way, my tool box could be much lighter, and I will have much more money to buy high quality tools. :spit:
 
Last edited:
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
E

eschoendorff

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
8,991
Location
Michigan
logical said:
All the laws in the workld won't change my 1968 Ford tractor into metric.
Click to expand...

True...

And this debate has been around for decades. The steady switch to metric fasteners has been going on for years.... most people keep SAE stuff just to either work on old equipment (cars, tractors, etc) or for plumbing...
 
6

64merc

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Messages
2,816
Location
Texas
ToolGlutton said:
IMO, using both is a huge waster of resources, although it is a boom for tool manufacturers.

How nice it will be if we could press United Nations to pass an international law to forbid all manufacturers from using metric (or SAE) bolts from 2009! :bounce:

In that way, my tool box could be much lighter, and I will have much more money to buy high quality tools. :spit:
Click to expand...


You're right, that would be great, but I think the damage has been done already. That is, unless you worked exclusively on the new stuff only.

It would certainly be a lot cheaper to not have to invest in 2 sets of tools for almost everything. Dare to dream....
 
W

wrenchr

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
11,603
Location
Michigan
ToolGlutton said:
IMO, using both is a huge waster of resources, although it is a boom for tool manufacturers.

How nice it will be if we could press United Nations to pass an international law to forbid all manufacturers from using metric (or SAE) bolts from 2009! :bounce:

In that way, my tool box could be much lighter, and I will have much more money to buy high quality tools. :spit:
Click to expand...

Your Name ToolGlutton and this idea seem to clash.:headscrat:confused:
 
OP
T

ToolGlutton

Banned
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
398
Location
Washington, DC
But I'd love to have more speciality tools instead of wasting money on two sets of sockets when one could get the work done.


BTW, it is true that they can not change your 1967 tractor to metric. However, 30 years later when our grandchildren work on their cars, they do not need to worry SAE or metric.


wrenchr said:
Your Name ToolGlutton and this idea seem to clash.:headscrat:confused:
Click to expand...
 
W

wantedabiggergarage

Member Emeritus
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
3,897
Location
Independence, MO, USA.
One BIG way to save money, is buy all new in metric, and watch the garage/estate/flea market sales for old stock, SAE.

Or you can go the REALLY expensive way like I started, and inherit the SAE stuff.
 
M

Merkava_4

Banned
Joined
Dec 26, 2007
Messages
14,518
Location
Clovis, CA.
My 1978 DeVille must've been built during the change over period because it had both metric and SAE fasteners all over it; you had no idea what sizes you were going to run into.
 
B

billymade

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 2, 2008
Messages
7,461
Location
New Mexico
I think we are going to be dealing with metric/standard issue for a long time; so just get both and be ready for working on any and everything! The power trip is being able to open your rollaway and having the right tool for the job at your fingertips; at the ready, to get the job done! The Craftsman sets have both so, for average quality tools, start out with one of their sets and then add quality when you want or need them.
Can you ever have too many tools?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluttony
 
D

dps

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2007
Messages
610
Merkava_4 said:
My 1978 DeVille must've been built during the change over period because it had both metric and SAE fasteners all over it; you had no idea what sizes you were going to run into.
Click to expand...

My 79 Cad at least marked most of the metric with blue paint if I recall.
 
S

speed bump

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
6,317
Location
Butte Montana
Well other than cars it seems most stuff in the US is SAE including HVAC, plumbing, most civil work, and most industrial machinery.

American cars for a long time have been very confusing becuase instead of either staying with SAE or converting completely to metric whenever they added something new they made that metric while keeping everything else SAE.

BTW the UN can pass a law but no one has to follow it and in fact if I was a manufactuer I would build SAE specific components only just to thumb my nose at them.
 
S

SteveU

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 20, 2006
Messages
1,243
Location
Michigan
Merkava_4 said:
My 1978 DeVille must've been built during the change over period because it had both metric and SAE fasteners all over it; you had no idea what sizes you were going to run into.
Click to expand...

83 ****** was the same way, 93 corollas have yet to find anything SAE on other than the sparkplugs.
 
OP
T

ToolGlutton

Banned
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
398
Location
Washington, DC
Because American cars could have parts from Asian. For example, Ford Escape could have a transmission from Mazda Tribute, or vice versa.



speed bump said:
Well other than cars it seems most stuff in the US is SAE including HVAC, plumbing, most civil work, and most industrial machinery.

American cars for a long time have been very confusing becuase instead of either staying with SAE or converting completely to metric whenever they added something new they made that metric while keeping everything else SAE.

BTW the UN can pass a law but no one has to follow it and in fact if I was a manufactuer I would build SAE specific components only just to thumb my nose at them.
Click to expand...
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
V

v8garage

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
901
Location
Texas
ToolGlutton said:
But I'd love to have more speciality tools instead of wasting money on two sets of sockets when one could get the work done.


BTW, it is true that they can not change your 1967 tractor to metric. However, 30 years later when our grandchildren work on their cars, they do not need to worry SAE or metric.
Click to expand...

When my grandchildren are working on the 1950 Desoto, the 1953 F-100 and the 1963 Safari wagon that are being handed down through the generations, they will still need standard wrenches. This is not to mention the antique tractors and shop equipment that all has standard fasteners. A lot of us on this board are old car enthusiasts. I hardly ever need a metric wrench. I don't like working on late model stuff.:)
 
N

nissan_crawler

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
9,638
Location
Wichita, KS
logical said:
All the laws in the workld won't change my 1968 Ford tractor into metric.
Click to expand...

Don't forget airplanes. There are TWO metric tools in my box at work, a 1/4" drive 10mm socket, which happens to fit a bolt on an air compressor pump pulley, and a 6mmhex wrench for hydraulic pump bolts.
 
C

Coach James

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2005
Messages
8,933
Location
Sandhills of North Carolina
My '90 Dakota, '02 Grand Prix and '05 Grand Caravan have both.

Keep in mind, if the UN was involved, the process would have to involve $$$ under the table and USA bashing by murdering dictators. Can you guess I hate the UN?

Coach
 
C

caper

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 12, 2006
Messages
3,185
Location
cape breton
UN or not its only you Americans who keep sae alive.The rest of the world went metric years ago.
 
S

Stuey

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 8, 2008
Messages
11,034
Location
28m above sea level
The debate will continue until possibly a new standard is put into place, or the US finally goes metric. Once that happens, it will still be many years before SAE starts to disappear. In other words, both systems will survive the foreseeable future.
 
S

speed bump

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2008
Messages
6,317
Location
Butte Montana
ToolGlutton said:
Because American cars could have parts from Asian. For example, Ford Escape could have a transmission from Mazda Tribute, or vice versa.
Click to expand...

No, its becuase the government passed a law in 1975 to metrificate the US and car manufactuers said okay whenever we design a new part it will be metric. Using parts, designs and technology from other countries just made metricificating easier. Interestingly enough tires have ended up being a hybrid with the tread width being in millimeters and the wheel size in inches.
 
M

Merkava_4

Banned
Joined
Dec 26, 2007
Messages
14,518
Location
Clovis, CA.
I know it costs more money but I like the variety of both sets. :)

You guys should be happy the drive sizes are one system. :D
 
V

v8garage

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
901
Location
Texas
If you love freedom be careful about wishing for the United Nations to pass any laws like this or even have the power to do so. For the United Nations to have that kind of power and the ability to enforce it would amount to global fascism. :(
 
U

Uncle Buck

Banned
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
Messages
9,120
Location
Kansas
v8garage said:
If you love freedom be careful about wishing for the United Nations to pass any laws like this or even have the power to do so. For the United Nations to have that kind of power and the ability to enforce it would amount to global fascism. :(
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more, worthless as **** on a bore hog! :beer:
 
S

SpiderGearsMan

Banned
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
12,074
Location
Now Leaving , NJ
ToolGlutton said:
IMO, using both is a huge waster of resources, although it is a boom for tool manufacturers.

How nice it will be if we could press United Nations to pass an international law to forbid all manufacturers from using metric (or SAE) bolts from 2009! :bounce:

In that way, my tool box could be much lighter, and I will have much more money to buy high quality tools. :spit:
Click to expand...

the un does not have authority like that , or much power at all , although they want it
say no to world government
 
S

SpiderGearsMan

Banned
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
12,074
Location
Now Leaving , NJ
the old big blocks and small blocks were never retooled for metic , costs too much , so thirty years after metric has bee a standard , those engines were phased out
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom