The Metric System vs. The Imperial System. Change?

2 X 4's : our house was built in 1963 and is a wood-frame construction. a few years ago i did some work in the basement and bought some (let's say 1995) 2 X 4's. i was quite surprised that the new 2 X 4's had shrunk quite a bit when compared to the original ones ! talk about cheating ! i could go into the basement to check the actual size of the old and new 2 X 4's .... i haven't bought any 2 X 4's lately ... i wonder what size they are now? i believe in the old days they used to shave silver coins, but there is probably more profit in shaving 2 X 4's. hbg

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What is also strange to me is that in Britain we use Imperial measures which the US doesn't seem to (please correct me if I'm wrong). Biological weight is commonly measured by most folk in stones, pounds & ounces (there being 14 pounds in a stone). So I weigh 12st 6lb 8oz, but in the US it would be 174lb 8oz. Where have the stones gone?

I will be mainly happy when we've gone completely metric, but it will make things harder for a while. British schools only teach metric for weights & distances, so most kids have to learn the Imperial system from their parents. I have only a vague idea how kilometres compare to miles for speed & distance, other than adding 60% to miles to get km's or using 2/3rds to go the other way. Crazy.

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Grand Duke

Since all these conversations were done already by millions (and dozens of years) before, I've no doubt, you can do so as well.

(Btw: I had no difficulties with two distance measarurements, when I was in the navy: nautical miles/knots on the water, meters and km/h on land.)

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Walter - I'm sure we'll cope (like when the currncy went decimal), but I just wish that they'd hurry up and get it over with. Can you see any logic in using mainly Imperial in real-life and only teaching Metric in schools? If they are going to keep Imperial, it should be taught properly in schools.

I understand (again, please correct me if I'm wrong) that when one of the Scandinavian countries went metric, it was done in a few days - all road signs changed overnight etc. It has been happening here very slowly for about 30 years. Which is probably because us Brits are resistant to change, and also because we are the lap-dogs of the US, and we'll keep Imperial as long as they do...

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Grand Duke wrote:

I understand (again, please correct me if I'm wrong) that when one of the Scandinavian countries went metric, it was done in a few days - all road signs changed overnight etc.

It was Sweden, but it wasn't the metric system (Scandivian countries adopted the Metric System in/about 1878, and since/about 1889 the metric system has been the only legal legal system for measurements).

In fact, it was the changing of the wrong :wink: traffic site, which was done nearly "over night".

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Morgen/Zollstock

Walter Hinteler wrote:

A folding rule is still called Zollstock, in German, and the unit of land measure (farmed land) is mostly counted in Morgen ("morning" = acre), btw.[/quote

Hi Walter or should I say Oldtimer!
Yes it is stii a Zollstock (inch stick) but only with trdes like carpenters, bricklayer etc. . As for " Morgen " - not used for the last fifty years.
It is "hectares" - 10000sq meters. Juergen Trodler

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a "zollstock" (with metal reinforcement)is always handy for opening a bottle of beer !
hbg

http://static.twoday.net/stuff/images/zollstock_ansatz.jpg

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Roger

au1929 wrote:

Roger
It is not as simple as getting a metric micrometer. What about all the other measuring tools. Height gages, Jo blocks, thread gages, calipers and on and on. that need be discarded. Aside from that machines with feeds not calibrated in metric measurements would have to be converted. Assuming that to be only a problem of cost considerable cost I might add, it would still leave us with a people problem since both the machinist, tool and die maker, setup man and the inspector and, etc., must make calculations. As I remember it that is why it never came to pass.

Hi Roger - Things have changed in the tool and die shop.
Micrometers, Height gages, calipers are now electronic and can be used in metric or inches by pushing a button. Machines - lathes, mills, grinders etc.can be switched to metric or inches - unless you have a real old machine.Than it would be time to get a new one. Thread gage - metric about $3.00. Jo blocks - you need two sets, unless you want to convert every metric job. Tool an die makers, setup men and inspectors will have to learn to work in metric. It is very easy. Main thing is - do not convert!!
As to why we are still trying to get 100% metric - one reason, POLITICS.
Reagan cut off all support $$$$. We paid the price. No more US Machinetool Industry.Almost no manufacturing left and Washington fiddles. Juergenwt.

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as i think i posted a while ago :
some 50 plus years ago in germany we had to be able to work in both metric and imperial measurements .
if it's taught in school as part of the regular curriculum , there should never be a problem using either system .
hbg

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Long prefered metric
I heard in 1975 that the USA will be switching to metric. I was 8 years old then and eager to learn the new system. I began using metric immediately Very Happy

! I even went so far as to measure my penis in centimeters! The first sign was gasoline being sold by the liter, which caused great confusion Confused

. Apparently no-one knew a liter is about equal to a quart. There were metric rulers everywhere, as well as metric scales, conversion charts, anything to get people to make the switch.
When I was in Science class in high school, we were instructed to use metric, and was introduced to the metric system. I was hooked right away, and continue to use metric to this day. My body measurements went metric immediately. I was well-prepared for the resulting big numbers.

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Everyone in America knows what a two-liter bottle of Coke looks like.

No one in America can figure out what two liters of gasoline would look like.

Joe(WHAT is wrong with us?)Nation

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Joe Nation wrote:

Joe(WHAT is wrong with us?)Nation

Is it that you can't spell litre?

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Perhaps. We are mediocre about things like that. We go to Theater Centers as well, people have goiters and eat fiber, it is something to be somber about, but we carry on, adjusting the louvers of our lives. completely ignorant of anything proper.

Joe(should that be propre?)Nation

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Joe Nation wrote:

Joe(should that be propre?)Nation

No.

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Someone must have pointed out that metric is easier because of the base 10 thing.

I've had this idea for metric time. You know, 100secs in a minute, 100 minutes in an hour, 10 hours in a day, 1000 days in a year, etc.

Imagine how easy conversions (eg. from days to seconds) would be. You just add zeros.

It would seem weird on Earth, but anywhere else, it would be more sensible than working in Earth time.

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The metric system is being implemented by most police forces in this country when they replaced their 38 and 357 service revolvers with 8mm Glocks.

Works for me.

Rap

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from medterms.com:

Quote:

Definition of Liter

Liter: A metric measure of capacity that, by definition, is equal to the volume of a kilogram of water at 4 degrees centigrade and at standard atmospheric pressure of 760 millimeters of mercury.

Metric equivalents -- There are 1000 cubic centimeters or 1 cubic decimeter in 1 liter.
U.S. equivalent -- A liter is a little more than a quart (1.057 U.S. liquid quarts).
The abbreviation for liter is L or l. The word "liter" derives from the French "litre" and that, in turn, is derived from the Latin "litra", a pound.

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hamburger wrote:

from medterms.com:

Quote:
Definition of Liter

Liter: A metric measure of capacity that, by definition, is equal to the volume of a kilogram of water at 4 degrees centigrade and at standard atmospheric pressure of 760 millimeters of mercury.

Metric equivalents -- There are 1000 cubic centimeters or 1 cubic decimeter in 1 liter.
U.S. equivalent -- A liter is a little more than a quart (1.057 U.S. liquid quarts).
The abbreviation for liter is L or l. The word "liter" derives from the French "litre" and that, in turn, is derived from the Latin "litra", a pound.

That should be Litre

The same as a meter is a measuring device, and a metre is a unit length.

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Wilso wrote:

That should be Litre

... if you use British English. Americans actually spell it liter. Same for metre/meter.

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old europe wrote:

Wilso wrote:
That should be Litre

... if you use British English. Americans actually spell it liter. Same for metre/meter.

I know. I'm having a go at the Americans Very Happy

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The Metric System vs. The Imperial System. Change?

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