- Thread starter SVcummins
- Start date
fastfarmall
Well-known Member
I am sure they do, The metric system is here to stay, you might have to order them!
fastfarmall
Well-known Member
They get enough for the shipping, you suppose they hand deliver it to you!
"The metric system is here to stay..."
Back in the 1990's, the "Feds" mandated a switch to the Metric System for all highway projects in the country. They finally decided it was not a good idea, and put it on hold. Meanwhile Kansas jumped in with both feet and all design plans came out - first in English/Metric, then within a few months in total Metric. This didn't last long, though. After spending untold tax dollars on the switch (including a good amount on highway signs), they realized that as soon as the contractor got the plan sheets, he automatically converted them back to "English" measurements and quantities. Guys who have been working with "cubic yards", "pounds", and "tons" for 40 years, weren't too keen on "cubic meters", "metric tons", and "kilograms"....
I don't have a problem wit it, but most people do. It will be a long time before you see the US do a total conversion.
The Metric System might be here to stay, but this ain't France.
Back in the 1990's, the "Feds" mandated a switch to the Metric System for all highway projects in the country. They finally decided it was not a good idea, and put it on hold. Meanwhile Kansas jumped in with both feet and all design plans came out - first in English/Metric, then within a few months in total Metric. This didn't last long, though. After spending untold tax dollars on the switch (including a good amount on highway signs), they realized that as soon as the contractor got the plan sheets, he automatically converted them back to "English" measurements and quantities. Guys who have been working with "cubic yards", "pounds", and "tons" for 40 years, weren't too keen on "cubic meters", "metric tons", and "kilograms"....
I don't have a problem wit it, but most people do. It will be a long time before you see the US do a total conversion.
The Metric System might be here to stay, but this ain't France.
Russ from MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- Bemidji MN
If we would of switched to the metric system when Canada did we would be better off, we're the only country in the world not using it, reduces our export market.
Janicholson
Well-known Member
We are realistically the only place that does't.
From history: It was in 1866 that the use of metric weights and measures became legal though not standard in the U.S. and, as TIME pointed out during a later debate over the metric system, some non-metric measurements are actually officially defined by the metric system (a yard, for example, being a specific percentage of a meter). Many industries and sciences used the metric system, and, like Chafee does today, men of the turn of the century—like Elihu Root, Thomas Edison and John Pershing—argued that switching would save the U.S. both money and time.
Our lack of a mandate to do it has cost the USA from that point in time. Add together the following: 15/32, 3 yards, one rod, 2 chains, one furlong, .5125", and the width of an H drill bit. Puke. Jim
From history: It was in 1866 that the use of metric weights and measures became legal though not standard in the U.S. and, as TIME pointed out during a later debate over the metric system, some non-metric measurements are actually officially defined by the metric system (a yard, for example, being a specific percentage of a meter). Many industries and sciences used the metric system, and, like Chafee does today, men of the turn of the century—like Elihu Root, Thomas Edison and John Pershing—argued that switching would save the U.S. both money and time.
Our lack of a mandate to do it has cost the USA from that point in time. Add together the following: 15/32, 3 yards, one rod, 2 chains, one furlong, .5125", and the width of an H drill bit. Puke. Jim
Oregon Tractor Jack
Member
That's all well and good, but when are the auto parts stores going to start carrying metric roll pins?
OTJ
OTJ
Crazy Horse
Well-known Member
Yes, you're probably right Russ but even up here, things are still in limbo. For example, I have yet to hear anyone refer to their height in cm or their weight in kilograms (although it is on your driver's license) and medical records, etc. No question though, things you experience every day lie temperatures in Celsius end up being lodged in your brain, I have a hard time with Farenheit temperatures now. Most still build things using the inches and feet on their tape measures. Crazy thing is that a standard sheet of plywood is still 4' x 8' but not 3/4" thick ...... 19mm thick. I found that out the hard way building cupboards 25 years ago using my 3/4" router bit. It's gonna take forever for everyone to think totally metric, no question though it is a bulletproof system
Real reason (probably) that the USA didn't switch to the metric system was because the civil engineers of the era (think of George Washington - politician, engineer & surveyor) had already converted all measurements to tenths and hundreths of a foot. Therefore it didn't make sense to them to use the "new French" measurement system. Civil engineers still measure everything in decimal parts of a foot & didn't want to support the change in the 70's either.
Metric makes sense if you are a mathematician, work with numbers.
It doesn’t make so much sense if you work in the trades, when you actually handle a piece of wood or tge like.
Multiplication and division is easier in metric.
Using 1/2 or 1/3 or 1/4 of something is easier with 12 as your base number.
Paul
It doesn’t make so much sense if you work in the trades, when you actually handle a piece of wood or tge like.
Multiplication and division is easier in metric.
Using 1/2 or 1/3 or 1/4 of something is easier with 12 as your base number.
Paul
fastfarmall
Well-known Member
When the mfg started using them.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
Canadian football fields are still in yards,that is the Gold standard for measurements.So why didn't you fellows go to a 100 minute hour too?
Crazy Horse
Well-known Member
TF, your football comment is interesting. For whatever reason our football fields are 110 yard long (not 100 like the US versions) which strangely enough is just a smidge over 100 meters, so 100.584 meters to be exact. Sure, we could flip over to that no problem. Well, everyone borrows something from somewhere else, North American use of the term "football" is hardly accurate since the to rest of the world football is what we call soccer. As for the time comment, our football games on TV would be way too long with 100 minute hours, it's already boring enough at 60 minutes .... ha! Speaking of boring, did you know that the average North American football game (Canada or the US) has about 12 to 13 minutes of actual true "play action"? The other 47 or 48 minutes is spent standing around or getting untangled from the pile ups. I guess that might explain my boring comment.
John Garner
Member
3/4 inch is 19.050 millimeter. Or, put the other way, 19 millimeter is, to four decimal places, 0.7480 inch. The difference between 19 millimeter and 3/4 inch is 0.050 millimeter or 0.002 inch.
That difference is about half the thickness of a sheet of printer paper . . . Pretty much inconsequential in cabinetmaking.
I don't know why plywood thicknesses have been reduced by 1/32 inch from their old standard thicknesses, but I suspect it had more to do with increasing the number of sheets from a given volume of wood than anything else.
That difference is about half the thickness of a sheet of printer paper . . . Pretty much inconsequential in cabinetmaking.
I don't know why plywood thicknesses have been reduced by 1/32 inch from their old standard thicknesses, but I suspect it had more to do with increasing the number of sheets from a given volume of wood than anything else.
Crazy Horse
Well-known Member
I won't question your math John but I know after my first run of routering for the shelving in the cabinets, it was surprisingly sloppy. I think most cabinet makers prefer a nice snug (but not too tight) fit. I bought a 19mm router bit right away and finished up with that. I think there might have been some kind of an idea to make the 4x8 sheets metric, not sure about that. This info below says that metrication started here in '70, I thought it was after that ....
"Metrication in Canada began in 1970 and ceased in 1985. While Canada has converted to the metric system for many purposes, there is still significant use of non-metric units and standards in many sectors of the Canadian economy and everyday life today. This is mainly due to historical ties with the United Kingdom, the traditional use of the imperial system of measurement in Canada, proximity to the United States, and strong public opposition to metrication during the transition period."
"Metrication in Canada began in 1970 and ceased in 1985. While Canada has converted to the metric system for many purposes, there is still significant use of non-metric units and standards in many sectors of the Canadian economy and everyday life today. This is mainly due to historical ties with the United Kingdom, the traditional use of the imperial system of measurement in Canada, proximity to the United States, and strong public opposition to metrication during the transition period."
Crazy Horse
Well-known Member
Paul, most of us would probably agree with you BUT ONLY because we grew up with the Imperial system and know it front to back and side to side. Had you grown up in say Europe, you would be saying today what a ridiculously confusing and clumsy system British measurement is. Even within itself for example, mix some gas and oil mix for your chainsaw. If the word "pint" or "gallon" is in the instructions, better make sure if it is a US pint/gallon or an Imperial one.
I was starting to work when Canada changed to metric. We grew up in feet and gallons, but science classes in school were usually in metric. There was a big push in the machine trade to convert over, but we usually ended up converting the dimensions on the drawings back to Imperial. At the same time,we bought our gas in litres, and got used to 20*C being a nice day. Like most of my generation, I pick and choose systems. I like my steel in 4X8 sheets, and my wood in 2X4s. It doesn't bother me to buy 20 litres of gas, but I still say I need a gallon of paint. For weather, Celsius temperatures are okay, but my metal and heat treating temperatures are firmly entrenched in Fahrenheit.
I worked for a forging manufacturer in the nineties- most drawings were in Imperial, but we did a lot of work to metric specs. We had a few stubborn workers who fought the metric system, but a younger work force who had grown up in metric. As you might guess, there was considerable potential for screwups on a massive scale- and there were. It took new ownership to finally lay down the law- you worked in the system required by the customer.
Our leaders at the time of conversion pushed too hard. They did not consult with business people, or those that actually were affected by the change- they just rammed it through, full speed ahead. The change must be gradual, and people are more accepting if they are convinced of the need for the change.
That's my ramble for this morning. I'm pretty happy on my five acres, but I've got an appointment this morning, and it's 20 KM away. unc
I worked for a forging manufacturer in the nineties- most drawings were in Imperial, but we did a lot of work to metric specs. We had a few stubborn workers who fought the metric system, but a younger work force who had grown up in metric. As you might guess, there was considerable potential for screwups on a massive scale- and there were. It took new ownership to finally lay down the law- you worked in the system required by the customer.
Our leaders at the time of conversion pushed too hard. They did not consult with business people, or those that actually were affected by the change- they just rammed it through, full speed ahead. The change must be gradual, and people are more accepting if they are convinced of the need for the change.
That's my ramble for this morning. I'm pretty happy on my five acres, but I've got an appointment this morning, and it's 20 KM away. unc
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Motion industries sells individual metric pins, and assortments. Jim
I worked as a route surveyor for the Illinois DOT, and they forced us to work with metrics for around ten years, then switched us back to tenths/hundredths of a foot. It was tough on us old guys. The kids took it in stride.
I told them if they were gonna get serious they needed to change from 360 degrees in a circle to 1000 degrees.
I told them if they were gonna get serious they needed to change from 360 degrees in a circle to 1000 degrees.
caterpillar guy
Well-known Member
If there was only 1 metric system it might make sense to change. Since there is not just one it doesn't. Now think how many different thread pitches and threads per cm there are then look at the Standard where there are only the 2, fine and course. There are other threading systems like the British stuff different yet though most people in the US don't deal with that. I watch my Brother and Brother inlaw work with all that nonsense. Metric and SAE. The biggest problem is when dad doesn't look at the bolts or nuts and puts them all in the same can.
I think it’s all a conspiracy to sell more tools are more bolts
nuts and washers and pins hydraulic fittings and then more
taps and dies to fix it when it screws up . And the next thing
why does a metric bolt cost 4 or 5 times or more than an
inch bolt does ? I can but a pound Of 3/8 bolts for under 5$
but If I want an m10 it’s 5$ a bolt
nuts and washers and pins hydraulic fittings and then more
taps and dies to fix it when it screws up . And the next thing
why does a metric bolt cost 4 or 5 times or more than an
inch bolt does ? I can but a pound Of 3/8 bolts for under 5$
but If I want an m10 it’s 5$ a bolt
Eldon (WA)
Well-known Member
Yeah what a fricked up mess when I was designing machine tools back then......most designs had to have both metric and English dimensions.
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