metric/imperial question

Do people work in metric, imperial, both?

I work almost exclusively in metric, only buying imperial when really really needed - eg one tap or die for a special job - but what do other people use?

Peter Fairbrother

Reply to
Peter Fairbrother
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I was taught both systems at school more than fifty years ago so I'll happily work in either or both at the same time, however my preference is for Imperial. Being based on features of the body and the landscape around us it somehow seems more natural and comes more readily to mind.

Reply to
Clifford Coggin

As with Cliff, comfortable in both systems from long use (ever so long :( ) I tend now to work in the metric system but hold extensive tooling in both systems.

If something was originally made to Imperial measurements it seems only sensible to continue thus, and vice versa

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

I was amused to buy a piece of board the other day, and to see that it was still cut according to Imperial measurements, 4' x 4', but sold in Metric dimensions, mms x mms. The Imperial measurement is so much more useable, to me, using single digits as opposed to 4 digits for each dimension.

Reply to
Davey

After a lifetime of dismantling electrical gear for its components, when it comes to nuts and bolts, 4BA and 2BA are my favourite.

But, of course, the BA scheme was the first metrication in Brit!

Reply to
Gareth's Downstairs Computer

Peter,

I use whichever seems more natural for the job but predominantly use metric these days. I grew up in the US so practical stuff like machining woodwork etc was inch but all science in the US has been SI metric since the 1960s IIRC so was used to that as well in the US. When I came back to the UK I would mainly use imperial but have slowly switched to more metric.

Reply to
David Billington

A little different perspective over here in the U.S. where I use mostly decimal inch stuff. But sincs metric is so common the rest of the world and a lot of stuff I make is designed for international markets I use metric a lot. It used to be I would always be converting in my head to inch dimensions to get an idea of, roughly, of the size of a part. But I have been using metric so much it is now starting to become second nature. Metrification of the U.S. is surely going to come about because of goods made for the international market and goods shipped here from the rest of the world. The only metric system I can't seem to get used to is degrees C. I take showers here with 100 degree water and 40 degrees here is cold. Eric

Reply to
etpm

Eric,

I left the US in 1982 and can't recall seeing metric fasteners at all in the local places but from what I have read subsequently metric is quite common now, most likely as you say due to so much being made abroad and possibly also US goods being made for a world market where inch wouldn't be very readily accepted.

Reply to
David Billington

Greetings David, Any parts that I do that go into machines that are considered "High Tech" will be metric today. Often I will get drawings with dimensions that look strange. This is because the part was designed in metric and then the dimensions are converted to inch. I always check these drawings to look for conversion mistakes because it is common for them to occur. I wish everything would just be made metric. Since I always work in decimal inches working in metric is no different except for the metric (I meant that pun) being used. Meter versus foot. Cheers, Eric

Reply to
etpm

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com on Sat, 27 Jan 2018 16:14:54 -0800 (PST) typed in uk.rec.models.engineering the following:

As far as I know, still the same position in either alphabet.

Although I'm not sure if there is an ISO standard for alphabets.

Reply to
pyotr filipivich

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