Metric Vs Imperial

[Bushranger1]

Since this discussion started on an oil mix thread I thought I would start a new thread on this topic because no-one reads those oil threads any more. Boring

Anyway this is how the discussion goes to this point starting with my input.

No offence meant directly to you guys but when will the USA get rid of that stupid antiquated imperial system. Then this calculation would be made so simple.
I am involved with mechanical engineering in Australia & we import a lot of USA built equipment to our campany & it drives me nuts trying to adapt locally made replacement parts which are metric to fit imperial sizes. You would not believe the amount of scrap it creates when our tradesmen get totally confused working between Metric & Imperial sizes. I speak from experience because I have made some major stuff ups too!

I am sure it drives you guys nuts too when trying to get metric fastners for your European built saws & as I said since metric works in 10's its impossible to screw up your mix ratio because the calculation is so simple.
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Then I got this reply;-

metric sucks

nope it is simple to get metric fasteners

and it drives me crazy to get that European stuff that has all that metric stuff on it...like jeep, chevy, dodge etc....

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I can't see why you think it sucks.
It all works in 10's. For example 1 litre of water measures 10cmx10cmx10cm & weighs 1 KG.

As for that ridiculous fractional system when using length measurement. Try putting in a fraction to a Computer Numerical Machine Controller. You can't! you have to convert it to decimal. How dumb is that.

And I say again it's virtually impossible to screw up a 2 stroke mix ratio in metric.

**** Come on you Aussies back me up on this****

 

[nanuk]

Biggest screw up converting...

.... I heard of was AirCanada B767 ran out of fuel half way to destination cause the Captain was too <snip> to dip the tanks, when his procedures called for it, and only half load was put on.
B767 tanks in Liters. have to convert to KG, then to LBs so the fueler could add correct amount... seems fairly straight forward for us who used metric in school science.

 

[Bushranger1]

.... I heard of was AirCanada B767 ran out of fuel half way to destination cause the Captain was too <snip> to dip the tanks, when his procedures called for it, and only half load was put on.
B767 tanks in Liters. have to convert to KG, then to LBs so the fueler could add correct amount... seems fairly straight forward for us who used metric in school science.

Yes I did hear of this screw up.
We have a show called "air crash investigations" which I saw this incident on.

I have damaged some machinery over the years because the controllers have been shipped switched to inch from the US & I have programmed an axis move in what I thought was MM & it turned out to be inches.
Think about what happens when you command a robotic arm that has a $27,000.00 measuring head to move what you think is 30mm & the controller moves it 30 inches instead & there happens to be an obstruction in the way! Ouch! Expensive & you need to change your pants too. Some people would need to look for a new job too when they finish explaining to the boss what happened.

Mind you at least you don't kill a plane load of people doing it!

 

[tdi-rick]

Yep, I think the same thing when I read the fuel mix threads and people are trying to work out how many ounces to a US gallon.
I almost slip in the Imperial vs US fluid measurements to really confuse things, but I've resisted so far

Just to throw things a little, I asked a mate one day who is a Qantas sign off engineer what the story was on fasteners in an Airbus and, I can't believe I'm going to say this, and it must have really killed the Frenchman that signed off on it, they all use AN/NAS/MS hardware, ie fractional Imperial nuts and bolts.
Boeing and the US military have such a stranglehold on aeronautical engineering that everyone had to comply with their standard, although I have no idea what the Russians use.

From Wiki

The U.S. is the only industrialized nation that does not mainly use the metric system in its commercial and standards activities

Basically the US stands with Liberia and Myanmar (Burma) as the only countries on earth not predominantly using the metric system.
I wonder how much it costs the world in straight $ and stress by having two separate systems running concurrently

Apparently Thomas Jefferson proposed the metric system be adopted in 1790, but only decimal currency was accepted.

 

[jeeptj19992001]

imperial is easy

you have ounces, pints, quarts, and gallons.......
1/64, 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 super easy

it just takes a higher intelligence, to know how to use and calculate with them, not like that sill metric stuff .


and us Americans are always going to different, not like you sheepleople with your metric this metric that .... by the way how is that going?

oh and my jeep tj and my chevy pick up is metric... now that pisses me off

 

[galde]

About 35 years ago there was a big push in the U.S. to make a mandatory switch to metric, but it was abandoned in the face of fierce lobbying and protest.

 

[SawTroll]

Metric leaves less room for mistakes, as it is totally logic - simple as that!

You don't have the figure out what a weight unit of oil, added to a volume unit of fuel means.......

 

[DANOAM]

The good thing about using both imperial and metric is the need for even more tools!

I don't have a problem with metric, I can use it without a problem for linear measurement, I even use a metric tape measure when I cut base and crown mouldings just because it is faster and easier for me when things have to be exact.
I do run into a problem with weights though

 

[roncoinc]

Or if you are really that slow or hard up you could just use this

http://www.worldwidemetric.com/measurements.html

 

[bigbadbob]

Metric leaves less room for mistakes, as it is totally logic - simple as that!

You don't have the figure out what a weight unit of oil, added to a volume unit of fuel means.......

So true!
I can use both, metric simple as pie!!!

 

[jeeptj19992001]

Metric leaves less room for mistakes, as it is totally logic - simple as that!

You don't have the figure out what a weight unit of oil, added to a volume unit of fuel means.......

nothing is easy unless you grew up with it

 

[jeeptj19992001]

http://www.boltdepot.com/Fastener-Information/Printable-Tools/

nice overlay chart

 

[bigbadbob]

nothing is easy unless you grew up with it

Never grew up with it, got converted about 1970.
Everything is 10 base and it's simple.
I can also easily use imperial or american gallons etc, makes everything more confusing! But metric is the same worldwide!!!
US is still behind on this!!! Kind of silly when you think about it.
Even worse when you got work on an american machine with a metric engine!!! The body or frame is standard and engine is metric!!!
Makes you warm and happy going to from the tool box!!!!

 

[AUSSIE1]

"Six of one, a half doz of the other"
Not really, but the metric system working in tens naturally has to be simpler.
Don't forget some of us have seen both and to an extent continue to use both.
The biggest problem some would have with the metric system is the hate of change.

 

[Bushranger1]

nothing is easy unless you grew up with it

Actually I started my career in the aircraft industry working on American Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engines & I was very comfortable with using the imperial system however when I changed my career path some years ago I started working in Metric & never looked back.

Sometimes I get sub contracted back to the aircraft industry & it drives me NUTS going back to the imperial system.

In fact I only learnt the imperial system at school & then Australia changed to the Metric system & I never looked back. (shows my age!)

Come on guys. Get out of the stone age!

 

[CGC4200]

In US, we have to deal with both

Most of the cars & trucks are going metric, but we have a lot of older
good equipment using the old system & ASAIF, construction is still done
that way.
You just have to deal with it.
I downloaded an add on program from Microsoft for XP a few years ago
that converts a lot of measures called Microsoft Calculator PLUS.
There is probably a newer version for Vista or 7.

 

[tdi-rick]

nothing is easy unless you grew up with it

hahahaha, the only metric user on this thread so far that 'grew up' with it is Niko !

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

US is still behind on this!!! Kind of silly when you think about it.

Okay, this is coming from a flag waving American. I despise the American left, and one of the many reasons for that is their fawning, simpering adoration of everything European.


Now that said, about the Imperial measurement "system":


Hanging on to it is not silly - it's downright STUPID. It makes no more sense than using firkins or furlongs or rods or any of the other antiquated measurements that we all tossed in the dustbin of history a long time ago.

The metric system was designed from the ground up to MAKE SENSE, to be EASY TO USE. It DOES and it IS.

The Imperial system is like Topsy - it just growed. Yes, we are used to it, so maybe don't always notice how stupid it is. But stupid IT IS!


Hanging on to this haphazard collection of units of measure, which can't even be called a system of measurement, simply because we are USED to it makes as much sense as a woman staying with an abusive husband just because she'd used to it.


Here's to you, Imperial measurements!

 

[roncoinc]

Actually I started my career in the aircraft industry working on American Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engines & I was very comfortable with using the imperial system however when I changed my career path some years ago I started working in Metric & never looked back.

Sometimes I get sub contracted back to the aircraft industry & it drives me NUTS going back to the imperial system.

In fact I only learnt the imperial system at school & then Australia changed to the Metric system & I never looked back. (shows my age!)

Come on guys. Get out of the stone age!

Stone age !! i like that !! addressed to the most progressed country on the planet too !!

 

[ironman_gq]

Metric leaves less room for mistakes, as it is totally logic - simple as that!

You don't have the figure out what a weight unit of oil, added to a volume unit of fuel means.......

Oil is still measured by volume ounces are both a weight unit and a volume unit. 8oz/1cup 16/pint 32/quart 128/gal. 16oz/lb not that hard really!!:sword: