Why is this so

[Rey Johnson]

Back in 1984 when I was in the fifth grade, the teachers drilled two things into our heads:

1. By the year 2000, everything in the US would be measured using the metric system, no exceptions.

2. Under no circumstances, ever, should you use improper fractions.

Just looking around in my shop, I see almost nothing measured with the metric system and I now see my wood sizes being measured with improper fractions. I have a 5/4 peice of something or other.

Boy, did my public school miss the mark in these math areas.

Really though, any real reason why the boards are being listed as 5/4 instead of 1 1/4?

[Randy Meijer]

Simple and less room for mistakes. 1 1/16 might be be mistaken for 11/16 if written carelessly??

[Don Baer]

someone on a thread sometime back said that the older saw mills were set up so the the sawyer had a lever and when he would move the lever the lumber would move over in 1/4" incriment. Thus if you wanted to cut a board 1 " thick he would move it over 4 times. Thus 4 4's or 4/4.

[Keith Burns]

The way our public schools are now, it's a wonder they can tell time.

[John Hemenway]

The way our public schools are now, it's a wonder they can tell time.

With digital clock only. Don't try it with analog!

[frank shic]

rey, i got so upset when i cut 3/32 instead of 3/16 two weeks ago that i've replaced all my former measuring tools with metric/english (tape measure, adhesive fence ruler, folding ruler). i must say that for all of the metric system support we've heard going through school in the united states, you would think they would make it a little EASIER to find appropriate measuring tools! my recent purchases were from THREE separate sources: oregon rule, forestry suppliers (?!?) and home depot. now to get used to cutting 5cm wide rails and stiles!!!

[Chris Padilla]

Rey,

I don't recall such statement from 5th grade (1980 for me) nor from 9th grade (1984 for me) but as I entered engineering in college, all we used was the metric system.

Now working, I'm back to inches or mils (0.001 inch) instead of millimeters or micrometers (microns).

As far as improper fractions, we often used 22/7 to represent the number pi in school however we were always taught to REDUCE our fractions whenever possible. 5/4 is less writing than 1 1/4 and somewhat sexier if you ask me.

For a while, I was reducing the written cents section on checkbooks (just to keep my mind thinking) but my bank asked me to stop! A couple of times their clerks would just use the numerator and not pay attention to the denominator and things got a little funny then....

[Steve Cox]

If I recall correctly the "official" change over date for the US to metric was 1976. I'm still waiting. It is interesting to me that all my wife works with is metric (nurse) and when I was doing electronics all my measurements were metric (wavelength etc) but we still measure distances by the length from Henry VIIIs nose to his upturned thumb (yards) or from Charlemagnes heel to his toe (feet). Metric makes so much more sense.

[Matt Meiser]

Someone should tell the people at 5/3 bank:

[Dan Racette]

I think that if you travel you will not find a lot of miles or miles per hour signs.

I used to work on an Israeli system and measured everything in MM and converted back and forth routinely. I think if an individual decided he/she wanted to use metric, you certainly could. I make my daughters aware and practice both systems. (celsius-farenheit, mm-in, miles-km).

the big problem is communicating specs. I know that working abroad with manufacturing it is often best to communicate specs in both. That way the manufacturer can chose the best system. Alot of manufacturing machinery has only metric on it, and vice versa, so since alot of the specs are in programs like autocad, you can simply output what you need.

I prefer metric for alot of things. but will listen to and communicate both if necessary.

As far as lumber, according to dear old dad, it isn't fractions, it is quarters, and it is just written to look like a fraction. My dad says that sometimes they didn't use a line, it was just a five on top of a four.

yeah, I remember the metric guy. Everything was based on the dime. We had all these classes about it. My teachers hated it and said they hated it the entire time. Oh well. Lots of us forget what we learned in school!

d

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Try carrying 2 set of tools....to work on a CT or MR or x-ray machine......some of it's metric....some of it's SAE.......Get a new piece of equipment....buy some more tools.........I won't mention the expense of buying non-ferrous tools in both denominaitons.....

[Norman Hitt]

If I recall correctly the "official" change over date for the US to metric was 1976. I'm still waiting. It is interesting to me that all my wife works with is metric (nurse) and when I was doing electronics all my measurements were metric (wavelength etc) but we still measure distances by the length from Henry VIIIs nose to his upturned thumb (yards) or from Charlemagnes heel to his toe (feet). Metric makes so much more sense.

............and it probably/hopefully won't EVER get changed over til all the other "Old F^&!$", like me, (who won't EVER change over to metric for WoodWorking) , die off, and hopefully, I'll be around for some time yet.

PS: I'm not into this "Politically Correct" thing Either.

[Roger Everett]

Sometimes you gotta go with the flow.
I remember when I was I high school ( late fifties- early sixties ), there was some talk about pay tv ( cable) !!!!!! NO WAY DUDE who would ever pay for whats free.
And buy water !!!! GET REAL it's a god given thing. Now there's more brands of yuppie water then you can shake a stick at.
And for other more mature guys-- Other than Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon or Tom Corbet and the Space Cadets, did you think in your life time, anyone would land on the moon.
Roger

[Keith Outten]

............and it probably/hopefully won't EVER get changed over til all the other "Old F^&!$", like me, (who won't EVER change over to metric for WoodWorking) , die off, and hopefully, I'll be around for some time yet.

PS: I'm not into this "Politically Correct" thing Either.

I agree with Norman

[John Seiffer]

The way our public schools are now, it's a wonder they can tell time.

I recall a story of a son saying to his dad: "Is it true when you were in school they told you to hide under your desk in event of a nuclear attack?"

When the dad replied "Yes," the son asked, "Is this the same school where you got the rest of your education?"