Offensive language

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Bob,

The original post was bang-on-target [although, inevitably the thread has drifted a little]

It is, or should be, offensive to any engineer to quote dimensions in non-preferred units.

MichaelG.

.

For info:

(a)

(b)

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/11/2012 06:13:49

[EddieParticipant @eddie]

Hi I got one back on that..

A friend ask me to build a cabinet and gave the sizes in cm. I directly used that as mm and build one as such.

Instant new scale model 1:10.

I did build the other one, converted it to mm and kept it out of view.

The LOOK I got were priceless.

and the LOOK I got when the real one were handed over also Priceless. Instant training.. all requests are now in mm.

Eddie

[MadMikeParticipant @madmike]

Aluminium extrusion is sold by the Kilo, and is fully dimensioned in the non-imperial metric system. However the billet used to produce the extrusion is made in various sizes, depending on the press to be used, and it is one of many imperial sizes…3 inch, 4 inch, 6 inch diameters etc etc . Funny old world innit.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Ra Rz anyone?

[Tony JeffreeParticipant @tonyjeffree56510]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 09/11/2012 05:47:41:

Bob,

The original post was bang-on-target [although, inevitably the thread has drifted a little]

It is, or should be, offensive to any engineer to quote dimensions in non-preferred units.

MichaelG.

.

Irritating? Maybe. Offensive? No.

Regards,

Tony

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Tony,

I'm not planning to argue semantics here, and I'm sure that the original post was exaggerated for effect

All I intended was to reply to Springbok's question.

MichaelG.

[Lawrie Alush-JaggsParticipant @lawriealush-jaggs50843]

Bill, If you are passed retirement now does that mean you are back at work?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Gray,

As always: You make some excellent points.

Especially regarding the [ab]use of calculators.

I must however, point out that [when started] the thread was not about "the OLD Metric versus Inch argument" … It was specifically about the use of Centimetres in an engineering context.

Dressmakers can count to 100 … but Engineers can count to 1,000

MichaelG.

[Lawrie Alush-JaggsParticipant @lawriealush-jaggs50843]

I had an ImpMet event happen to me on Saturday. I had to fill a sump in a lift well with concrete prior to the lift being installed.

After I had whacked about 50 KGs of cement in, I was talking to another bloke of about my age and a younger bloke. I said that it took a bit over a cubic foot of cement. The older bloke noded sagely and the younger asked "How much is that? I don't understand those old foot things, I have to ask people to convert." I don't have a problem with it as I think that Imperial is just about the stupidest system of measurement available (leaving ut the Mesopotamians and their base 60).

The one thing Imperial has going for it over Metric is that just about any Imperial measurement has fewer sylables in it that it's Metric equivalent. Talking Metric sounds like talking Commitee.

One foot is just easier to say than three hundred milimeters or thirty centimeters. Laziness is the one reason I find myself slipping back into Imperial.

[BubbleParticipant @bubble]

Hi all

There was a story years ago about a house built in Hollywood, designed by a noted French architect.

The French architect's drawings were in centimetres, the American builders worked in inches, the resulting house was 2.54 times too big. Unsurprisingly, being Hollywood, nobody noticed.

Jim

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi,

I don't want to poke the tiger about the metric/imperial argument ( I know what I use and am happy that way) but I agree that the cm should be quietly buried alongside it's deceased relatives the decimetre, hectolitre etc etc. in an unmarked grave. I used to find it really irritating that the teachers of maths and science insisted on using the cm while we Design and Technology teachers used strict ISO systems.

As an aside it may be of interest that the Florin coin (2/-) was introduced as a move toward the decimalisation of the pound in 1849. Typical British prevarication meant that it took 122 years to complete the process. Note the 'value' minted onto the coin.

 

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 12/11/2012 11:05:11

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Excellent, Terry

I don't think I had ever noticed "One Tenth of a Pound"

MichaelG.

[Bill DawesParticipant @billdawes]

Thanks MichaelG, you absolutely got it. My post was tongue in cheek as far as title was concerned but serious as regards contents, ie the use of cm, not a unit I can recall ever seeing on an engineering drawing and as far as I know not an ISO preferred unit.

Lawrie, yes you are spot on,retired 5 years ago and still working (2 days a week now which is the 5 day weekend I always thought was the civilised way of life)

When I did reach 65 I I bought a new Audi which I told people was my retirement present. "Oh you have retired then? No, can't afford to now I've bought this car"

Thanks for all the comments, raised quite a few more than I expected.

Bill

PS If you want to see my serious side have a look at my post in beginners, ref silver solder disaster.

[speelwerkParticipant @speelwerk]

You cannot use the metric system without the dm, a cubic dm is equal to one litre and is a vital link in the system.

Niko.

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

I was taught in imperial but learned about the metric system, nowadays I can work in either, but much prefer metric.

Defeats me why anyone would buy a (relatively) accurate digital caliper which displays fractions so (in the case of the one I have!) reducing the resolution to 64 divisions of an one inch.

I can see though that there are valid reasons to describe things in cm. I frequently use courier delivery services and package sizing is usually in cm. It would be silly to have to use mm precision and putting the sizes in decimals metres would confuse and would be prone to error.

Ian

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Hi Gray,

The dichotomy you describe in schools prior to the adoption of the metric system officially in the early 70s was one of the problems. Science has used the international metric system effectively since the 19th century. Unfortunately Industry and popular usage retained the old Imperial system despite the decision to convert to metric being first made by Parliament in the late 19th Century, the Metre Convention treaty having been signed by the British Govt in 1887 and the proposal for compulsory adoption recommended to take place in 1899.

The argument against metrication is somewhat ironic as it was British pioneering scientists such as John Wilkins who proposed a decimal system based on natural standards such as weight defined by a given cube of water. It was these proposals from the 17th and 18th centuries that was taken up by the French to overcome their impossible multiplicity of systems then in place. What is even more ironic is that the Imperial system was mostly based on the older defunct French system. C'est la vie

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 12/11/2012 14:55:36

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

What is even more ironic is that the Imperial system was mostly based on the older defunct French system. C'est la vie

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 12/11/2012 14:55:36

 

How true.

Brought up on i f m, use SI when it counts … convert to inches plonds etc. as required for the audience…

On the subject of irony..when napoelon decreed the metre it was defined as ( i think) 1 minute of arc on a great circle …so off trot his engineers / surverors etc. and present the metre.. as imortalised by two mark on a bit of metal kept some where in france…..time moves on….circumference of earth is measured more accuratly and tra la….1 second etc. comes out at nearer 36 inches than 39 ………life is some times very cruel ….

Edited By jason udall on 12/11/2012 16:35:07

[Robin teslarParticipant @robinteslar]

Why was angular measurement never decimated?

(but you do have grads with 100 deg to a rt angle and a 100 secs in a grad. Its used by land surveyors cos they have to do a lot of triangulation and it made it easier on their fiddlesticks

The Septics still stick to inches and feet and yards, funny how their gallon is 10% smaller than ours, what does that tell you about the land of carpetbaggers

I can say this cos I worked for Americorps for 25 years. I once asked my boss why he had hired me. He thought for a moment and said

"So I can blame you, you are cheaper, and you don't make so much noise on the job". We got on well

Robin

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