sae vs. metric

[kidatari]

The majority of my tools are are metric. I do have a full set of SAE, but most of my work is on import vehicles. I personally prefer metric, as it seems like there are certain sizes of metric that are mainly used (more than come in a normal set)

6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 25... You rarely see the ones in the middle

 

[Dan5speight]

I don't understand why you guys waste so much money on all those "special" tools.
I work on metric, SAE, and Whitworth and these are the only 2 tools I own.

.

the reason I dont use these tools is 1 I value my health not slipping off with those universal tools and 2 I love collecting tools

 

[kiatech]

Well in my new career everything is standard. When I worked on cars it was all metric.

 

[rick carpenter]

I work in a print shop. We have machines with SAE fasteners and machines with metric fasteners. Type is measured in points. Twelve point to a pica, and in the 800 lb Adobe gorilla world, six picas to an inch. My software can measure in points or standard inches or decimal inches. I've used each but 95% of the time it's standard inches, but ".125" etc not "1/8" etc. Paper is made in different 'weights' called 'pounds', but that's determined by the weight of a ream of given paper in the several different basis sizes. Cut paper is identified in about 20(?) standard sizes, some numeric and some named. Gotta know lotsa 'different' numbers and measuring systems!

 

[Skin]

in terms of fastener sizes, 32nds and 64ths hardly exist anymore, and haven't for many years. Fairly simple these days. In areas of severe rust its worth having both just to have inbetween sizes to hammer onto bolts that have shrunk from their original size.

 

[Ft.ValloniaStreaker]

I work in a print shop. We have machines with SAE fasteners and machines with metric fasteners. Type is measured in points. Twelve point to a pica, and in the 800 lb Adobe gorilla world, six picas to an inch. My software can measure in points or standard inches or decimal inches. I've used each but 95% of the time it's standard inches, but ".125" etc not "1/8" etc. Paper is made in different 'weights' called 'pounds', but that's determined by the weight of a ream of given paper in the several different basis sizes. Cut paper is identified in about 20(?) standard sizes, some numeric and some named. Gotta know lotsa 'different' numbers and measuring systems!

I do you ever catch yourself talking in "our" language and can tell you are by the look on other peoples faces? And come to think of it...a case of A2s=1,000, a case of #10s=2,500 and a case of 20lb 5,000....it's no wonder we drink! So while I'm derailing the OP, beer and oil use to be 24 to a case now its 12, thats got nothing to do with standard or metric...just greed!

 

[sk farmer]

I feel a little different - why collect 3/8" when i can handle 98% of all jobs with my ½" sockets - and the remaining 2% with the 1/4"?
3/8" feels a little weak, when you´re working on rusty, old Land Rovers...
From the selection in the toolshops here, i guess most europeans tend to choose ½" or 1/4". Maybe 3/8" is an distinctly american thing?

But back to the topic - yes, you need both metric and SAE

we don't "collect" 3/8 drive, we use them. i could not imagine working under a hood with exclusively 1/2 drive stuff. there just isn't enough room. often times the sockets are too deep, the handles too long and the heads are too big compared to 3/8 drive. even under the hoods of large tractors and heavy trucks. i bet i grab 3/8 drive over 70% of the time with the rest following in this order 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4. i think i may actually use my 3/4 more than 1/2.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

I don't understand why you guys waste so much money on all those "special" tools.
I work on metric, SAE, and Whitworth and these are the only 2 tools I own.

.

You forgot the carpenter's hammer.

 

[Farmall450]

For automotive work I rarely ever use SAE. For fixing older tools and machines its almost all SAE.
I do more with older stuff so my SAE tools get used quite often. If I was a mechanic I imagine SAE would be rarely used.

Same here. Antique tractors = all SAE.

 

[JonnFX]

My biggest pet peeve with metric wrenches is that they leave out so many sizes. I guess they can sell the set for cheaper, but I think it is stupid to leave some out.

My '06 Dodge uses 16 and 18mm and my previous VW bugs used 11 and 13mm, which a lot of sets don't have and sometimes I can't find those even sold individually. Dang it.

In my SAE set of wrenches, I don't use the 11/16 near as much as the others, but I sure wouldn't want to be without it.

 

[Skin]

My biggest pet peeve with metric wrenches is that they leave out so many sizes.

That's something I really only saw with Craftsman sets for some reason. The Europeans do it as well but that's based on region (not going to find mostly Japanese/Korean in Germany and vice versa).

For the most part American tool companies are actually pretty good about offering 10-19 complete and more recently 8-19 or even 8-24.

 

[JonnFX]

Maybe it is Chinese. I've seen it on tools from HF, Lowe's, Home Depot, Gearwrench, and maybe some others. I imagine that Snap-On and Mac only offer the complete sets.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Price point is a big factor for the manufacturers.

 

[rick carpenter]

I do you ever catch yourself talking in "our" language and can tell you are by the look on other peoples faces?

Yeah, my wife still hasn't gotten used to it after nearly 31 years. Others give me the same dismissive look no matter what I say...

 

[nicksmurf111]

I'm a DIYer and have to have both Metric and SAE. I have a utilize full sets of 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" sockets. I have a few 3/4" stuff, but I'm lacking larger size tools. One of my next purchases will be large open/box end wrench sets, both Metric and SAE.

Since I own older vehicles, there is still a lot of SAE fasteners mixed in. Plus, half of everything else is still SAE. Darn Americans. They told me in kindergarten it would change.

 

[crewchief888]

i've been working on const eq for close to 30 years,
seems like if it's made in the USA, it's held together with SAE hardware,(but i've seen some random, running changes in hardware sizes lately) anything around the engine has pretty much gone metric in the past few years, even on engines built in the USA.

personally, i'd like to cut the nuts off the engineer that decided to use torx headed bolts.