Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: BrianB6 on September 18, 2021, 08:38:01 am

Title: Imperial V Metric
Post by: BrianB6 on September 18, 2021, 08:38:01 am
I see in BBC News No 10 wants t accept Imperial measurements again.The only reason I could see to join the EU was to go metric.  %%
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Peter Fitness on September 18, 2021, 09:10:51 am
I can’t imagine why anyone would want to go back to Imperial, it’s so clumsy. I grew up and lived with it for 29 years until we ditched it in 1966. There’s no way I would want to revert.


Peter.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Jerry C on September 18, 2021, 09:37:17 am
I’m working in both. I find imperial very good for mental arithmetic as no sums required. I just convert the answer into thousandths. With metric I need my calculator.


Jerry C.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: roycv on September 18, 2021, 09:39:59 am
I do not want to go back to Imperial but can't agree about clumsy!  I still use inches and feet and convert easily but I agree Rod, Poles and Perches have had their day.
But what about time units?  I sometime ago championed the micro fortnight in place of the second, it is 10 % longer and gives you a little but more time to do everything.  Also most of our packets of pills come in 14 day packs so it is coming!
Regards
Roy
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Rich griff on September 18, 2021, 10:10:12 am
I have to admit I still think in imperial, but have to use metric.

It's best to abandon imperial but I always find myself using it.

Materials these days come in metric which can cause problems for me, it's an age thing I suppose.

I will struggle on...
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Colin Bishop on September 18, 2021, 10:47:41 am
It rather depends on when you were educated. Those of us brought up on Imperial can mentally associate figures with actuals. I can still remember what a gallon tin of water looked like at Primary school (and how heavy it was!). But obviously we have subsequently learned to work in metric which, as has been said above, is very handy on a 'horses for courses' basis. I use a metric/imperial ruler all the time and apply whichever system is convenient to the job in hand. Imperial can be very flexible compared to metric. So we are doubly blessed!

When it comes to everyday life then then there is no going back on increasing metrication but Imperial will still be used indefinitely as it is already built into the national infrastructure and until all those old buildings and bridges are replaced then Imperial spare parts will still be needed.

Colin
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: derekwarner on September 18, 2021, 11:17:55 am
New Bridge parts ???.....the old original Drawings nominated 3/4" holes for the rivets?  %) .


Sorry Colin, the new Drawings must specify the holes be 19.05 mm dia  {-) ....cause you can't insert a 3/4" diameter rivet in a 19 mm hole, .....& inserting the same in a 20 mm diameter hole is like the proverbial p**** in a shirt sleeve


Derek
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Martin (Admin) on September 18, 2021, 12:01:59 pm
 
I must admit, I use a mixture of units depends on what I'm measuring;

 for technical, I use metric only... except when estimating, then feet & inches,
 for car distances, miles or minutes / hours,
 for time, solar time & Gregorian calendar,
 weights, bags of sugar or cement bags ( old double size ones! ),

 waiting for the wife & daughter.... ice ages!

 
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Peter Fitness on September 18, 2021, 12:25:36 pm
I no longer own any imperial measuring devices, rules, tapes, etc., but, paradoxically, I still think in feet and inches when it comes to a person’s height. We have been metric here in Australia for over 50 years, so a large proportion of the population have had little or no experience of imperial weights and measures.


Peter.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Kevin.Hutch on September 18, 2021, 10:08:12 pm
Metric is my choice, but somehow I still think boat lengths in feet, timber sizes in inches, televisions in inches, fine tolerances in thou (.001"), pressure in PSI, threads are just a blur, yet fluid in litres seems to come easy, except for tank sizes in gallons and just like my short period with a slide rule, I have trouble with the decimal point in metric. I now think in Millimetres/metres and have trouble with Centimetres, I have several rules and tapes with both inches and Millimetres.

At 75 most of my life has been metric and my cars started off French moving to British, Italian, Japanese so my tools are quite a mixture mainly A/F and metric.

Can not get my head around newton/metres, Bar or Kilopascals.

My recent foray into modeling has caused me to do a lot of conversions as all the 1940's information was in imperial and I worked in metric.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: BrianB6 on September 18, 2021, 11:02:00 pm
Lets face it, many of our boats are still built in imperial scales.   1/96 = 1/8" = 1 ft.  1/72 = 3/16 =1 ft.   Even Task Force 72 has not converted to Task Force 75 yet.   %%
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: raflaunches on September 18, 2021, 11:15:46 pm
Strangely enough I was taught metric at school only but my job on aircraft required both! Rolls Royce engines are still imperial (3/8, 5/16) but the aircraft I currently work on is purely imperial as it’s American. My classic car is all imperial AF so mainly work in imperial despite never really being taught it. I must admit I can only visualise my height and weight in imperial as well as roughly guessing how far a mile is in a car.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Jerry C on September 19, 2021, 06:59:17 am
Funny thing though, BA fasteners are metric.


Jerry C.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Netleyned on September 19, 2021, 09:30:01 am
Having been in electronics sincethe thermionic valve, I have happily worked in both.
Even Radio Luxembourg was on 208 metres,
and the Light Programme on 1500 metres😁
The one thingI cannot get my head round to this
day, is wind speed in metres/second.
Give me 20 knots of wind over the deck and I
know what's what.
Ned.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Baldrick on September 19, 2021, 09:45:51 am
When playing skip at the bowls club I find I give the bowler info on how short or long he was in all sorts. :-  four inches short , arferyard through, metre and a bit down , 600mm more, halfway,  Makes no difference they are all deaf to what I say.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: roycv on September 19, 2021, 09:57:31 am
Aha!  now you are getting onto fractions.  I do all my mental arithmetic in fractions it really is so much easier. 
I find many people do not understand percentages.
regards
Roy
 
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Jonty on September 19, 2021, 12:54:04 pm
  The French still use the word livre, a pound, to signify a half-kilo, and they measure bicycle frames in pouces, thumbs or inches.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: mrlownotes on September 19, 2021, 01:20:44 pm
Horses are measured in Hands and sold in Guineas.Rule Brittania.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: GG on September 19, 2021, 02:28:03 pm
I think the idea of the UK using the Metric System was first discussed in Parliament way back in 1818.  But it took joining the EEC in 1973 before any action was taken, even then pragmatism held sway with a mixed system of measurements.  Now, we can safely use either. Being initially educated in the Imperial system and then having to use use the Metric one professionally, I can happily switch between both.


The Imperial system is often stated to be "illogical" but it's units can be based on quantities that are easy to comprehend.  Yes, the inch is the "width of a thumb", the foot the "length of a foot", a yard the distance between "nose and the end of an outstretched arm" (remember how lengths of material used to be measured?).  The mile goes back to the Roman Empire as a measure equal to 1000 strides. The fathom being 6 feet long was around the height of a man.  OK, some are less easy to relate to, I never got along with rods, poles and chains![size=78%] [/size]


It's when you combine these units that you often see the value of the Imperial system.  Take Stress as an example,  I can visualize a value of 80 tons per square inch but the Metric equivalent of 1.3 G Newtons isn't so easy to relate to.  This has often been the cause of problems as mistakes don't always "jump out at you" when dealing with very large or small powers of ten.


So, when building my models (or doing other jobs) I'll happily work with inches/feet or millimetres/centimetres, it's usually the materials I'm working with that dictate the units used.  But, when discussing or explaining things I try to use both systems, if only to avoid upsetting those wedded to one and only one system of measurement.
Glynn Guest   
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: dougal99 on September 19, 2021, 02:40:44 pm
Horses for course. I use both.
I was serving in Cyprus in 1975 when the RAF went metric. My local staff had no comprehension of metric. I had a long discussion with my barrack warden on the difference between 1.7 and 1.70. I know they are the same, but I couldn't convince him. In the end he used a double sided tape measure. Measured in imperial, turned it over and recorded the metric. Simples  :-))
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: warspite on September 19, 2021, 02:55:41 pm
Yep - it's like me saying to my self, that boat I want to build is 1.8m long, so not that long then realising that it is just 30mm short of 6 foot, cr*p how would I fit that in a small car (just been looking at a mazda 2 as a replacement)
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: Martin (Admin) on September 20, 2021, 09:14:58 am
(https://www.modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/images/2021/09/20/242333832_10161369601004408_8738082029235676025_n.jpg) (https://www.modelboatmayhemimages.co.uk/image/akw0f)
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric .... again!
Post by: malcolmfrary on September 20, 2021, 09:19:06 am
Horses for course. I use both.
I was serving in Cyprus in 1975 when the RAF went metric. My local staff had no comprehension of metric. I had a long discussion with my barrack warden on the difference between 1.7 and 1.70. I know they are the same, but I couldn't convince him. In the end he used a double sided tape measure. Measured in imperial, turned it over and recorded the metric. Simples  :-))
There are lots of media people who are unable to read out the difference between "1.7" and 1.07".  Guessing at their ages, they were educated in the metric era.  Most of the general public take their cues in life from the TV, so these numerical illiterates are a major influence.
Oddly, they understand the difference between £1.70 and £1.07 very well, and will be capable of pointing out the difference at considerable length if offered the wrong change.
On my tape, they are both printed on the same side, so just a case of pulling it out and reading across. 
Metric has huge advantages in simple scaling, but imperial, with its base of 12 inches to the foot, is far more flexible.  You can divide 10 by 5 or 2.  12 divides by 6, 4, 3 and 2.  And railway modellers have been cheerfully mixing units since forever when describing scales.  How many understand what they are doing, as a percentage, is anybody's guess.


And Martins chart is spot on.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: radiojoe on September 20, 2021, 12:05:07 pm
Like most of you guys I have got used to using both systems using which ever one suits my purpose, during my Carpenter apprenticship I used a Rabone boxwood folding rule that only had Imperial markings, so later I bought my first "Stanley Tape" with the dual system on it and of course we have all got used to it, but even my Grandsons that range between 20 and 16 yrs. and have only been taught Metric talk of cars in miles per hour and miles per gallon, and say they are going on a 5 mile jog etc. Typical of former Governments to start something and not complete it, It's a wonder we don't have a dual currency system, mind you I still often mentally convert a price to the old school money.


Joe
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: KitS on September 20, 2021, 12:11:56 pm
Surely True Brits measure temperature in Fahrenheit?  :-)


We all know that 32 deg is the point at which water freezes.......
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Geoff on September 20, 2021, 12:31:04 pm
Personally whilst brought up on Imperial and I can still visualize a pound (in weight) I still can't visualize 500g. I've never understood the EU law that banned selling things in pounds and ounces. Why not just show both as its costs nothing to print a label.


Those who think in Imperial would be fine as would those who think in metric, (each would ignore the other) and everybody is happy and as us Imperial's die out the issue goes away. It was just this kind of attitude with the EU which put people backs up and there was just no need for it.


My two (old) Penney's worth!  :-)

[/size][size=78%]Cheers[/size]
[/size]
[/size][size=78%]Geoff [/size]







Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Tug Fanatic on September 20, 2021, 12:36:41 pm
Surely True Brits measure temperature in Fahrenheit?  :-)


We all know that 32 deg is the point at which water freezes.......

Don't we all know that water freezes at 0C & boils at 100C? Not everybody knows at what degrees fahrenheit water boils.

I much prefer metric and measure everything modelling in mm. Trying to scale 6 and 17/32in is beyond me whilst scaling 166mm isn't.

I dislike rulers with both metric and imperial as I often seem to want to use the side that is imperial but want to measure metric.

Around here imperial weight measurements are used by fruit/veg market stalls as a con. The put the price per lb in large numbers and the price per kg in very small numbers to comply with the law. They say they do it to help old people but it just makes their prices not comparable with those elsewhere & they are not cheap. 

We have caused a lot of confusion by allowing both. If weather forecast had just stopped giving both everyone would have adapted bery quickly. What we have now is a mess and the proposed changes are just going to make it worse.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: KitS on September 20, 2021, 12:45:24 pm


Don't we all know that water freezes at 0C & boils at 100C?



No................  :-)
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: jaymac on September 20, 2021, 12:50:09 pm
All nonsense when your Numbers up  as long as the undertaker gets it right its Sorted
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: colin-d on September 20, 2021, 12:54:30 pm
And there was me thinking that temperatures were mesured in Kelvin's...
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Colin Bishop on September 20, 2021, 01:29:00 pm
Forget veggies - the Americans lost a Mars spacecraft due to an Imperial/Metric error!

https://www.simscale.com/blog/2017/12/nasa-mars-climate-orbiter-metric/

Colin
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: dougal99 on September 20, 2021, 02:03:14 pm
And there was me thinking that temperatures were mesured in Kelvin's...
Kelvin's what?

I think of cold in Centigrade and hot in Fahrenheit. Does that make me ambidextrous, or just confused?
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Netleyned on September 20, 2021, 03:29:40 pm
Hospitals weigh newborns in Lbs/Ozs,
but when I'm attending a clinic and the
nurse asks if I know my weight, I reply 11 Stone
and she says ' do you know it in kilos?'
I think they measure the length of a newborn in cm's
 Auto engine displacement in UK has been Litres
as long as I can remember, as opposed to the
US who like the Cubic Inches measurement.
When will time go metric?
10 hour day. 10 day week ad nauseum[size=78%]🤔[/size]
[size=78%]Ned. [/size]
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: colin-d on September 20, 2021, 04:02:47 pm
Kelvin's what?


I would have thought at least you would have heard of  someone being called ...
zero Kelvin "absolute zero"   which is out a matter of interest -273,15 degrees C


Could be classed as "Richard krainium"  see if you can translate that..
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Netleyned on September 20, 2021, 04:05:36 pm
Knew his Mum Karen😁
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: dougal99 on September 20, 2021, 04:24:27 pm

I would have thought at least you would have heard of  someone being called ...
zero Kelvin "absolute zero"   which is out a matter of interest -273,15 degrees C


Could be classed as "Richard krainium"  see if you can translate that..
I know Kelvin, so temperature measured in Kelvins - no apostrophe. Nuff said
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: malcolmfrary on September 20, 2021, 05:53:02 pm
Shortly after we metricised (?) I needed some 1/8" bits to make holes for pop rivets for a marginal MOT job, and drilling rust was hard on bits.  Off to the hardware store.
"Can you do me half a dozen eighth bits?" says I.
"We've gone metric" says himself. 
"Half a dozen three point three millimetre bits, then".
He looks back over his shoulder and asks his mate.  "FRED.  HAVE WE GOT ANY THREE METRE BITS?"
I still ponder the size of the truck I would have needed.

Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Martin (Admin) on September 20, 2021, 06:21:27 pm
 
   {-)
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: kinmel on September 20, 2021, 07:36:40 pm


A U.S. self builder with a Youtube channel today is placing rafters for his balcony at 1617/32 inch centres. 
Even the timber's dimensions are not that precise.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: JimG on September 20, 2021, 07:42:32 pm
As an aeromodeller I think of engines sizes as either cubic centimetres or cubic inches. I may use a 10cc engine or a 61 (.61 cu in). Smaller glow engines are usually in cu in while larger petrols are in cc.

Jim
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Circlip on September 21, 2021, 10:05:33 am
Yes Jim, we could easily(?) decide what size and type of engine to use in our toys BUT now, look at the proliferation of in/outrunners, and will people STOP giving dressmaking sizes, ie cms.


   Regards  Ian.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: derekwarner on September 21, 2021, 10:35:11 am
.............."will people STOP giving dressmaking sizes, ie cms" :-))


Took a pair of new slacks that were a little too long to a local Tailor....provided the written inner leg dimension in mm........Lady Tailor  asked what are these?......we work in cm  >>:-( 

Derek
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: warspite on September 21, 2021, 10:36:08 am
I already work an 8 day week  ;D , for the uninitiated thats 5 days in work and 3 days off  O0
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Netleyned on September 21, 2021, 11:36:42 am
Look at  British Warships Armament.
4.5 inch guns in turrets,40mm Bofors,20mm Oerlikons  :o
Ned
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: redpmg on September 21, 2021, 01:23:59 pm
I also tend to think sizes in Feet & inches as that is what was taught at school - but use metric or imperial measurements - whichever suits the particular job


Easier to visualise a  2ft or 24in boat instead of a 60cm one......Bit different for continentals I suppose.

And as for temperature 100F in the shade sounds a lot more impressive than 40c - my desktop weather station displays both - Farenheit makes much more sense when you grew up with it - the difference between 60f and 85f is also easier to understand than 15c to 30c

Never used stones until attending college in the UK........... they were always things found in the ground or in river beds - not logical like feet, inches & yards.  Cant really understand it now - nor furlongs etc..............
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: alan cantwell on September 21, 2021, 04:12:12 pm
I’ve had a lifetime in engineering, did first 12 months in the Training school, where everything was Metric, released onto the shop floor, into the Prestigious No1 Turning shop, I was shown to my Lathe, imperial, oh dear, I asked if there was a Metric one, to be greeted by, we don’t use that crap here,  so, I had to start learning Metric,
          At the place I retired from, after 42 yrs, we used to convert drawings to imperial, until the bosses kids took over, then it was all Metric, guys used to convert with a calculator, until a monumental drop bollock, from then on, imperial was out,    But, we often got drawings in imperial, so they got converted in house to some strange metric sizes!   


Reminds me of the old timberyard joke,   Have you got a piece of 2x2, we don’t stock that, it’s 50mmx50mm, how much is it?  £2 a foot.   


I use Metric for dimensions, but weights?   NOT a clue!
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Ralph on September 21, 2021, 07:43:14 pm
Worked all my life in the UK gas industry, started off in the 1970s with cubic feet, therms and BTUs, never really caught up with cubic metres (as opposed to meters which are of course used to measure the cubic metres) and kwh.  Pipe diameters are still recorded in inches or millimetres depending on the age and material of the pipe and just to confuse everyone a bit more metal pipes are sized by their internal bore but PE pipes are measured by their OD.


Personally when I'm doing a bit of DIY or modelling I will use whatever dimension is easiest to read on my tape measure or ruler - totally confused the wife when I was cutting some slabs for the garden earlier in the year, coming away with things like "this one needs to be 450mm by 13 1/2 inches", well I knew what I needed!


Ralph
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: roycv on September 21, 2021, 07:51:37 pm
Hi REdpmg  if you reverse 16 deg C it gives the equivalent 61 F  also 28C reverses to 82F. 

But then you hear a TV announcer refering to minus 40 degs C  which is also minus 40 deg F.

At my Grammar school we had a 6 day week 1 -5 Mon - Fri.  The following Monday was Day 6 et al.

 In those days the metric system was an interesting folly propounded by our traditional enemy.

regards
Roy
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: redpmg on September 21, 2021, 08:10:55 pm
Ah Yes Roy - but if you reverse 40c you get 04 not 100 - must have taken you a while to work those out.  %%
It seems most of us over 60s - (some of us way over..) are stuck with the use of both imperial & metric - but I think it is a mistake to revert now - youngsters seem to be totally lost without their calculators ! - they wont be able to do pounds , shillings & pence either...........

Went though decimalisation in my sanctioned home country (north of SA)  and the UK at different times - the chaos then was bad enough...............

And -273c is classified  as absolute Zero - cryogenic freezers used by medics for specimens (and some nut cases......) are set at that temperature.......... Only know that and how expensive the freezers are as I worked with all types of researchers ....

Regards
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Colin Bishop on September 21, 2021, 09:33:25 pm
Quote
Went though decimalisation in my sanctioned home country (north of SA)  and the UK at different times - the chaos then was bad enough...............

On UK decimalisation day I was a cashier on the counter of a high street bank - it didn't get much more confused than that! I subsequently decided it wasn't the job for me.

Colin
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: roycv on September 21, 2021, 10:34:49 pm
Hi red I did not reverse 40C!  My fingers were too cold to work the calculator

 I think it was the day after St.Valentines day 1971 we went decimal.  I gave up smoking on that day stayed clear ever since.

I remember buying metric wood much the same as previously stated but charged for in feet.
Roy

 
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Baldrick on September 21, 2021, 11:11:25 pm



    On decimalisation day was working in the drawing office.  Asked the secretary if she could tell me what the actual time would be when the clock said 12.00 , got a long wait then very strange look.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: radiojoe on September 22, 2021, 12:50:56 pm
I remember going to get some 2x1 par. from local timber yard just after metric came in they sold it in what they called metric units of, you guessed it 12 inches.


Joe
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: mrlownotes on September 22, 2021, 02:06:41 pm
Metric versus Imperial is one thing, but have you seen the International Shoe Sizes comparisons :-

http://www.shoesizes.co/

Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Peter Fitness on September 22, 2021, 11:53:03 pm
I remember going to get some 2x1 par. from local timber yard just after metric came in they sold it in what they called metric units of, you guessed it 12 inches.


Joe


Same over here, it seems that we will never completely get away from imperial measurements.


Peter.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: RST on September 23, 2021, 02:45:16 am
I see in BBC News No 10 wants t accept Imperial measurements again.The only reason I could see to join the EU was to go metric.  %%


Going back to the OP and I read it at the same time originally.  It really does beggar belief what is going on in the UK the past couple of years.  Simply frightful that any kind of taxpayers money is going towards even thinking about this kind of backwards thinking.  I hope it is just usual media hype!  We may wax lyrical about times past but I hope this kind of pure guff is stomped out before any kind of "bill" is considered.  They'll be telling us TV has to go back to black and white programmes.  We have to wear bowler hats and waistcoats, and we all have to be able to whistle Mitch Miller and BBC radio 4 (only one left) stops broadcasting each night at midnight with everyone standing up, hand on heart while the national anthem is played. 


...Farenheit:  Never seen a UK weather forecast in it in my lifetime -forget lifetime :  Modern life.  I must admit this is one of the few conversions I just can't do in my head.  One case where I think decimal degrees wins absolutely hands down.  Kelvin is just an offset either way, 99% of folk don't need or never need to know kelvin thanks to the brilliant metric temperature scale
...Body weight:  I guess we may still think of stones and pounds.  But everything I see over last 20 years at least for a proper measurement like BMI, body classes, weights for competitions is all in kg.  Every time I've been weighed for work for medicals or helicopter transfers -sorry it's all kg.  When I back-calculate to stone and pounds etc. I'm afraid that's my bad, not others!
...miles and mpg:  I guess the "gallon" (imperial) part is the dafter part in mpg as we buy in litres but I just cannot get my head around litres per 100km because you have to work out your journey length first before you know your fuel rather than buying your fuel and knowing how far you will get with it.  Even dafter the US with their smaller gallons than imperial, nevermind their awful attitude to transport and cars
...kts and m/sec:  Well one of the very few things I remember as a nav. arch. is a knot is 0.5144m/sec so if you struggle to convert from kts to /sec then a simple 0.5 conversion is mostly close and add-on a few for much larger numbers.  kts to mph is roughly a conversion of 1.2.  I've never had a case of needing to convert kts to km/h so no idea
...Tons!  I work with Europeans and we work with Americans.  What is a "ton" as our Europeans use it far too casually:  Is it metric, or a long or short ton.  Everyone I work with in the UK refers very clearly clearly to Te (metric)
...Centimetres:  For me I find Europeans know centimeters intrinsically: 0.75 centimetres rather than 7.5mm.  They can't convert easily to mm or metres
...I had to check with a colleague in Paris the other month, he was sent a spec. sheet referring to a thickness in mils. I checked with him that a mil is not a mis-spelling of a mm unlike lots of people use -it's a carry over from imperial and pretty much the only place we see this stated is in US data sheets who are not interested in selling products outside the US
...standardisation.  My boss agreed everyone in our company uses a basis of a standard units on mandatory on-line calculators (no excel sheets allowed for calculations).  This means I have to use metres to describe a 30km long line, and I also have to enter the pipeline diameter of 200mm in metres, plus the corrosion coating of 1mm in metres, plus a corrosion allowance on a fraction of a mm in metres.  I don't have enough fingers to count how many decimal place shifts each time and apparently I'm not the only one complaining lots of mistakes are made for simple slip-ups of non-intuitive units. When I joined that team I said to that guy he was probably the only person I've met who would stipulate to measure the distance between the office and the moon in mm, but measure the thickness of a human hair in metres.

There was a post before about how a space probe was lost because of "English" measurements:  I found that very hard to read from an author in a country who can't even spell words in "English" for love nor money. My spelling and grammar is very bad since school but it's no more pedantic than any of the other discussions to say we should acknowledge English language and speak / write it rather than succumb to "American".  We also must pride ourselves on being able to write or say a word more than 2 syllables in length without needing to shorten it.



Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Jerry C on September 23, 2021, 07:13:27 am
The only time I’ve had to use “Short Tons” was when loading apples in USA. It’s a truckers measurement for 2000 lbs.


Jerry C.
Title: Re: Imperial V Metric
Post by: Dave_S. on November 05, 2021, 02:52:55 pm
Studio floor plans at the BBC used a compromise measurement system - the metric foot. One metric foot was 1/3rd of a metre. I don't remember whether it was divided into 13 inches or 12 'metric inches'. This is completely true, at least during the time I worked there (1980s and 90s).


I later lived in Finland and found I could buy good quality Finnish birch ply from a local timber yard. I would calculate the thickness I needed and ask for it in metric units - but it was in imperial, as intended mainly for export to the USA. The sheets they were selling in were measured in feet.