What's new
What's new

Metric vs Imperial: Who Would Win ?

rabtrfld

Aluminum
Joined
Oct 11, 2016
Location
WI USA
If you had a 1/2-inch boring bar and a 12 mm boring head, would you

* Turn the bar down to 12 mm?
* Drill the head out to 1/2 inch?
* Be more careful next time you bought stuff?

I'm in USA but Hate Imperial. If I accidentally leave my caliper overnight in Imperial mode, next morning I apologise to it. That gives the poor iGaging nightmares.
I'm the guy who left the Acu-Rite on millimeters again. Whose EDM patterns come out 25.4 inches wide. Don't even own a tape or scale with inches on it
(nobody borrows my tape). Once I even purged my home shop of anything smelling of 1/4-20 and replaced it with M6x1. (That was as successful as President Carter switching to the metric system in 1977.) Let's hear it from across the pond & down under - am I being obstinate or just boneheaded?
 
Referring to the Inch system as "Imperial" smacks of leftover Commie phrasing, e.g. "Imperialist running dogs and their lackeys."

Perhaps that's what the OP's middle-school teachers called it. So depending on the OP's age, perhaps it's unfair to blame him. But whether he realizes it or not, it's an offensive term to many Americans.

On second thought, never mind. Anybody who would use the expression "drill out the boring head" or, for that matter, think anybody could be dumb enough to confuse 1/2 inch with 12 mm isn't qualified to comment on machining.
 
On second thought, never mind. Anybody who would use the expression "drill out the boring head" or, for that matter, think anybody could be dumb enough to confuse 1/2 inch with 12 mm isn't qualified to comment on machining.

Old will introduce Capital Punishment for every infraction when he gets elected President.
 
Several organisations with the inch system changed to metric Never heard of a metric organisation that wanted to change to the imperial/inch system

So if I must point a winner it would be the metric system Not saying it is the best though
In this thread at least :D

Peter
 
With the greatest of respects, ladies and gentlemen, here in England, UK, we have had to cope with manufacturing items in metric and in imperial dimensions. We had to get used to using both/either equally. When you remember that it has been internationally agreed that 1" (inch) is precisely equal to 25.4mm (millimeters) it really doesn't matter which is used, provided you remember which!! It's just a case of calmly getting your head out of the sand, and get on with it, losing the fear of change as you get used to it!

Respectfully yours, Barry.
 
I'm equally comfortable in either system. I don't understand the hatred for either system. They are just tools. Learn how to use both. I was pretty familiar with metric until I went to work for the medical implant maker. They were 110% metric. Not a 1/4-20 in the whole building. The tool room across the street had a 12 drawer box of "imperial" screws. Very seldom used. These days I don't see how anyone can avoid metric.

Paul
 
If you had a 1/2-inch boring bar and a 12 mm boring head, would you

* Turn the bar down to 12 mm?
* Drill the head out to 1/2 inch?
* Be more careful next time you bought stuff?

I'm in USA but Hate Imperial. If I accidentally leave my caliper overnight in Imperial mode, next morning I apologise to it. That gives the poor iGaging nightmares.
I'm the guy who left the Acu-Rite on millimeters again. Whose EDM patterns come out 25.4 inches wide. Don't even own a tape or scale with inches on it
(nobody borrows my tape). Once I even purged my home shop of anything smelling of 1/4-20 and replaced it with M6x1. (That was as successful as President Carter switching to the metric system in 1977.) Let's hear it from across the pond & down under - am I being obstinate or just boneheaded?

Stupid question. Metric has already won. How many countries are still using the old inch system? How many of *those* are First World?

Once you answer those questions there's no need to go further.

Do as you will but whether you like it of not, the rest of the planet basically falls somewhere between gentle despair and outright mocking at your inability to master a superior system.

PDW
 
I'm all in as long as I know what units I'm working with, and beyond that I just don't care. Make up your own system, ok just let me know how to do the conversion to something I can reference!
 
Stupid question. Metric has already won. How many countries are still using the old inch system?
More than "just" the USA.
How many of *those* are First World?
The USA.

But there ARE NO other "first world" countries.

So that wasn't hard, was it? The rest of you lot will remain second, third, or lesser "world".

Once you answer those questions there's no need to go further.

Works for me...
 
Referring to the Inch system as "Imperial" smacks of leftover Commie phrasing, e.g. "Imperialist running dogs and their lackeys."

Perhaps that's what the OP's middle-school teachers called it. So depending on the OP's age, perhaps it's unfair to blame him. But whether he realizes it or not, it's an offensive term to many Americans. . . .

Marx was something like 6 years old when the British Imperial System of weights and measures was established (1824). Not everything has to be a Commie plot, offensive to many Americans. Back then they were happy to own up to having an empire. The US was also happy to pick up on that Imperial system, even after the Brits reformed and partially abandoned it in the 1890's. The Brits not for political correctness, but better standardization.

The units thing has been discussed a zillion times before. Given legacy equipment and designs, we'll likely be inching forward with both systems for decades to come. Shouldn't be a problem as most note (above).
 
If you had a 1/2-inch boring bar and a 12 mm boring head, would you

* Turn the bar down to 12 mm?
* Drill the head out to 1/2 inch?
* Be more careful next time you bought stuff?

I'm in USA but Hate Imperial. If I accidentally leave my caliper overnight in Imperial mode, next morning I apologise to it. That gives the poor iGaging nightmares.
I'm the guy who left the Acu-Rite on millimeters again. Whose EDM patterns come out 25.4 inches wide. Don't even own a tape or scale with inches on it
(nobody borrows my tape). Once I even purged my home shop of anything smelling of 1/4-20 and replaced it with M6x1. (That was as successful as President Carter switching to the metric system in 1977.) Let's hear it from across the pond & down under - am I being obstinate or just boneheaded?

I am not sure if your trying to solve the world's metric vs imperial problem or just the immediate problem. Holding on a boring bar while grinding is a problem. Potential for wrecking the tool holder if you bore it and hone it to 1/2 inch. The third solution is best. Send me the 1/2 inch tool and buy the correct 12mm shank tool.

Easy peasy.
 
There are two types of countries, those that use the metric system and those who have put men on the moon.

Who cares about measurement systems? What hardware system components do you have at hand, and which ones can you obtain 7am Sunday morning for the project that must be delivered to the customer Monday morning? Oh, yea. The metric based standards of JIS, ISO, and DIN don't necessarily interchange either.
 








 
Back
Top