Why Not Convert to Metric?

[Rod Sheridan]

Yes it is a huge expense to convert to metric units of measure. This is why the united states will continue with Imperial units for a long time.

Unfortunately, it will also reduce trade....

I can buy metric tooling often for less money than imperial, the last shaper cutter I purchased was $120 less in 30mm bore than 1 1/4".........Rod

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Using metric?

I met a coworker in a 3 week class in Milwaukee, WI. He was the lead engineer on the south island of New Zealand. Some years later my wife and I were gifted by a son and DIL with a 10 day trip to NZ. My friend/coworker gave us a very thorough driving tour of Christchurch (before all the earthquakes). As we drove by a gas station, my wife noted the price of gas on a sign and said "The price of gas is about the same as it is at home in Idaho.". My friend, Ken, asked "Are they selling it by the liter now?"

[Art Mann]

In the US, materials are bought in units of fractions of inches, inches and feet. Most equipment is marked in distances of fractions of inches and inches. Nearly all plans published in magazines or by furniture designers are in inches. I can mark 60 inches on a board to within a few inches without the use of any measuring device. I would have to convert from centimeters to inches or feet to be able to do the same thing using the metric system. I will change to the metric system when it becomes more convenient for me to do so, not when somebody on a woodworking forum thinks it is smart. This is coming from an engineer who spent his entire career using the metric system.

[Pat Barry]

It may just be the hard headedness of many people. This makes me think back to when I was working in public transit. I had misplaced a socket and asked a couple of co-workers if they might have seen my 19mm socket. One responded by asking why on earth would someone have a metric socket in their tool kit. I explained that 19mm and 3/4" were equivalent sizes. He then asked why I didn't just ask if they might have seen my 3/4" socket. I tried explaining that it was labeled 19mm. Then he again asked why on earth would I have a metric socket in a shop that was all SAE.

That is why we will likely not change for a long time. Some folks are just too ignorant to 'get it.'

Jim, don't be so hard on yourself. You will get it sooner or later.

Edit - I should be more clear - you will get that they were asking you a valid question and you never came up with a good answer for why you had metric tools in an SAE shop.

[Pat Barry]

Its not a well known point of knowledge, but one of the key issues that caused Britain to last week opt out of the EU was that the general population did not want to convert to metric currency! They are perfectly happy with their pounds, and pence and quid and what not and didn't want to be forced to convert to Euro's. Thats a fact.

[John K Jordan]

I have a Hammer slider with a metric system installed on the fence. It's actually a much easier way to cut things and even build. Why haven't we simply adopted the metric system in the USA? It would prove much easier to figure fractions for those folks who are fraction challenged.

Rich,

Since metric is everywhere from plywood thickness to lawnmowers, we would each be wise to use it or at least become more familiar with it. I think the problem is not logic but inertia.

I found that over the years the metric system has become as familiar to me as the imperial without even trying. I can estimate a millimeter or 20 cm, I can stride a meter when estimating ground distances, when giving meds to llamas it's nice that a cc is the same as a ml, and I'm finally starting to recognize various metric wrench and machine threads. I'm certain that we would be all benefit from using it. 4mm is a lot easier to read and measure than 5/32"; less chance of mistake measuring 10mm than 25/64".

JKJ

[Jerome Stanek]

When I was installing fixture in CVS Pharmacies we would get some OSF from Canada and had to adjust the wall fixture to fit. There were some crews that didn't know that 4 ft Canadian fixture is just a little bigger than American Lozier fixture and it wouldn't fit in the spot that they had left.

[Rod Sheridan]

That Ken, is funny.

When I was in England I found most things cost the same as in Canada, except they were in Pounds Sterling instead of Canadian dollars............Rod.

[Prashun Patel]

"we don't use weight in the metric system at the level of the average person, we use mass, (Kg)."

Precisely, Rod. Metric uses mass. Imperial uses lbs = weight = force. So, when I sell 400 lbs of liquid to my customers, but need to convert it to kg for the shipping label, and then gallons or liters to figure out how to efficiently package it, it's just a pain.

[Jim Koepke]

Its not a well known point of knowledge, but one of the key issues that caused Britain to last week opt out of the EU was that the general population did not want to convert to metric currency! They are perfectly happy with their pounds, and pence and quid and what not and didn't want to be forced to convert to Euro's. Thats a fact.

The British changed their currency on "Decimal Day" February 15, 1971. In effect they already have 'metric money.'

The farthing was demonetized on the January 1, 1961.

The British in general may not want to convert to the Euro. That is a different story and likely wouldn't happen before the year 2020 if they stayed in the EU.

jtk

[John Stankus]

It has been so long since I used the imperial system I can't remember the unit of mass in it.

The imperial unit of mass is the slug.

[John Stankus]

The imperial unit of mass is the slug.

The US Customary units diverged from the British units in 1824. The US customary units are based on the pre-1824 British units. The Imperial system, enacted in 1824 modified the previous British system (notably consolidating the multitude of gallons used to one based on the Ale Gallon). An imperial pint is about 1.2X a US pint.

John

[roger wiegand]

I converted in daily life years ago, the only significantly non-metric part of my life is my shop, and one day soon I will pitch all my old rules and tapes and convert there as well. The combination of the insistence on staying with bizarre fractions with the demonstrated inability of 85% of the population to manipulate those fractions defies any semblance of logic or sense. If I want to I can figure out how many quarts are in that 2 l bottle of soda, but why should I have to care? To Prashun's point above the ability to trivially convert between mass and volume (and weight if we're somewhere close to the surface of the earth) for liquids is really nice.

[Chuck Wintle]

Ale Gallon)

John

Yeah the Ale Gallon!

[Rod Sheridan]

The imperial unit of mass is the slug.

Thanks John, yes of course it's the slug.

Haven't used a slug in calculations since about 1980................Rod.