Honestly, I love you all, and I admire your mental dexterity, but seriously, we need to talk.

When are you guys gonna get onto the metric system?

Here’s the back story to this polemic: My boss has an old lathe in the corner of the workshop. I asked him “If I look up on YouTube how to use a lathe can I have a go in my own time?” (I need some spacers for the bike) He said “Sure, as long as you look up safety aspects of using a lathe too”. Job done. So, I get on the lathe ... try to dial in my measurements. darn Imperial! ... and (I’m pretty sure) it was in metric increments of imperial measurements! I ended up using my (metric) Vernier Callipers to measure the job as I go.

The thing is, you guys already use metric anyway. What advice do you give newcomers about the white spacer mod? – 0.5 to 0.6 of the original size. In the specs you convert the original mm to inches, then give a metric version of the inches. You know why? ... because you don’t have a fraction for the job.
I’ve seen discussions about the correct internal diameter for the fuel line. Is it ¼” or 5/16”? ... you know what? It’s neither. The OEM spec is 7mm ... and you don’t have a fraction for that either!

You guys can launch a reusable rocket into space for heaven’s sake! You’ve done it many, many times. Do you think the control centre says “OK, we need to move the shuttle 5/16ths of a Roman thumb to the left, and 4/32nds of a Roman thumb to the North”? Of course not, you use metric when it really matters.

Let’s take it further. Do you know what 1 litre of water weighs – 1 Kilogram. And water freezes at zero. Every step above zero gets progressively better, and every step below zero gets progressively worse. It’s all tens, tens, and more tens.

Second back story:

I made a bracket to relocate my rear turn signals. I want to make a tech drawing for anyone on this site who might find it useful. It’s in millimetres. I thought, that’s ok. I’ll do an imperial version too ... but you guys don’t have “fractions of Roman thumbs” to match my measurements. So, I either convert to inches, then apply metric increments – or I look up some old-school chart to find the nearest fraction – which will be incorrect.

Unlike my country, one of your biggest advancements was your break from the British Empire. But you know what ... even the Empire has moved on from Roman thumbs!

Come on guys, help me out.
Tell me ONE good thing about imperial measurements.

There was a big push to convert the US to the metric system in the late 70's - in my college engineering classes we had to learn to solve problems in both systems.  Highway signs started listing the miles and kilometers, car speedometer had both mph and kph shown.

For some reason that has all disappeared, and I don't believe there is any plans on continuing the changeover.  About the only metric stuff I see anymore is on the containers for liquids...soda bottles, soap, etc.

If you want your lathe experience to be easier...buy a set of calipers that matches the lathe (and a calculator to convert your metric to decimal inches).

"The French originated the meter in the 1790s as one/ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the north pole along a meridian through Paris. It is realistically represented by the distance between two marks on an iron bar kept in Paris."

Right on - let's go with a French whimsy ... so much better than a thumb  

Island Road has stumbled across one of the reasons that makes it difficult to change over from inches to metric......there are hundreds of thousands of machining tools that are using inches all over the US, and a lot of this equipment has many, many years of functional life remaining.

As a wrench I find the metric system too easy,even boring. Not much there to to keep you sharp at math & conversions. Now being forced to know both and their conversions and needing to use both in my job keeps my old brain active.

stewmills wrote on 07/19/17 at 07:59:33:


I am almost afraid to ask what the "reference standard" is based on.  Seems the thumb, forearm, foot, outstretched arms and hand have already been used.

Dave wrote on 07/19/17 at 08:09:33:
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Probably something very very small.    

But they say size doesn't matter...

Australia changed to metric in the late 60's, just before my time. So I grew up hearing inches and feet while learning metric. When I played football as a  kid, I remember the coach setting us up for a drill. He said "You're gonna run down there for about twenty yards, then turn around ...." I had NO idea how far I was supposed to run! I just ran to where I thought he was pointing.

Buying timber is fun. We still use the term 4 x 2. I assume it's 4" x 2". Which is about 100 mm x 50 mm. But (of course) that's the rough cut size. After it's dressed it's nearer to 90 mm x 45 mm.

I have to admit, there is something more "colorful" about using Imperial. I feel like I'm being initiated into a club. And it's satisfying being able to talk the talk with some old biker or machinist who is giving me advice.

You don't get that with metric - once you know the one rule (divide by ten) you're good to go.