Inches or mm

[grifftech]

 

[ProBang2]

If I remember correct:
An old thread about metric vs. imperial system already exists anywhere in this forum. 

[Ian.M]

I don't care whether its dimensioned in inches, mm or attoparsecs as long as the units are clearly identified. 

[madires]

Megameters? 

[Richard Crowley]

How long is a string?
How old is a duck?
When does the river come by this way?

You get more mm for your inch.

 

[rs20]

I'm staunchly metric 99% of the time, but I do have a guilty soft spot for thou in electronics. The pitch of DIP components being 100 thou is so much cleaner than 2.54mm, and using thou-based grids in PCB design often works out much more nicely.

[Muttley Snickers]

I'm still trying to fathom out the question, it might be too deep for me to comprehend.   

 

[ANTALIFE]

Let the flame-wars begin 

[ebclr]

I guess all USA people will vote for inch, everybody else mm

[IanB]

cm are feeling left out 

[zapta]

 I tried once to use millimeters but the guy at Home Depot didn't understand what a 50.8 by 101.6 is.

[Halcyon]

Isn't interesting that people always measure 'appendages' in inches, even in countries using the metric system?

[Mr.B]

I tried once to use millimeters but the guy at Home Depot didn't understand what a 50.8 by 101.6 is.

Even in a country using the metric system like NZ, the 'Home Depot' guy still wouldn't understand that.
They do of course know exactly what you want when you ask for a six foot stick of two by four.

[sleemanj]

I tried once to use millimeters but the guy at Home Depot didn't understand what a 50.8 by 101.6 is.

Fun fact, a 2x4 is not 2x4, the 2x4 is the unmilled dimension, after milling (what you buy) it has lost about 1/2 an inch on each dimension.  Your home depot guy would probably be just as confused if you asked for a 3.5x1.5 :-)

Conversely, at least here in NZ, if you waltz down to your local Mitre 10 or Bunnings and ask for a 2x4, you'll surely be helpfully directed to the 50x100 timber, which doesn't measure 2x4, or 50x100 (but is none-the-less what you wanted).

[Monkeh]

I tried once to use millimeters but the guy at Home Depot didn't understand what a 50.8 by 101.6 is.

Fun fact, a 2x4 is not 2x4, the 2x4 is the unmilled dimension, after milling (what you buy) it has lost about 1/2 an inch on each dimension.  Your home depot guy would probably be just as confused if you asked for a 3.5x1.5 :-)

Conversely, at least here in NZ, if you waltz down to your local Mitre 10 or Bunnings and ask for a 2x4, you'll surely be helpfully directed to the 50x100 timber, which doesn't measure 2x4, or 50x100 (but is none-the-less what you wanted).

Planed. Can't say I've ever seen timber get milled.

Rough sawn will be very close to advertised dimensions. Planed around 5-6mm less.

[ajb]

Being 'murican, I think in feet and inches by default, but I'm comfortable with either system.  The annoying part is being stuck dealing with both all the time.  We use some component assemblies that use metric hardware, and other components that use inch hardware, so we ridiculously have to stock both systems of fasteners, and often wind up with both in one product.  I try to stick with metric hardware when I can, but specialty nuts-and-bolts type stuff is at best much more expensive and at worst unobtainable* in metric sizes in the US.  Raw materials are, of course, also sold in inches, but that's easier to work around.  Who cares if Solidworks says the part is .063" or 1.6mm thick, as long as the CAM** is done with the right units, the part will come out right.  For PCBs, Altium has a single-key shortcut to switch between mm and mils, which is handy, but I've occasionally had weird problems with DRC and interactive routing that I suspect are due to rounding errors when using metric grids and imperial trace/space rules.

* in small quantities and reasonable lead times, anyway.
** could be Computer Aided Machining or Calipers And My eyeball, it's true either way.

[Monkeh]

Yeah, availability of metric hardware in the US is appallingly bad, along with sundry accessories (finding nylon washers proved an odd challenge last year, even in imperial sizes - I ended up flying out with a bag of them).

Mind you, imperial hardware isn't terribly different here. Trying to find sane prices on 4-40 hardware (despite being hugely common!) can be tricky, other sizes far harder. Thankfully a lot less of a problem, as with some exceptions (computers being one of them), 99% of equipment is metric these days.

[calexanian]

I prefer leagues and fathoms. Occasionally I will throw in a cubit. When speaking about living being height I will typically use hands, and  for weight I use stone primarily.  O0

[mtdoc]

Planed. Can't say I've ever seen timber get milled.

Rough sawn will be very close to advertised dimensions. Planed around 5-6mm less.

Ha!  Here in the US, logs are milled into dimensional lumber.  This is done at a sawmill.

Individuals may use planers sometimes to reduce the thickness of dimensional lumber or provide a smoother surface for finish carpentry or cabinetry.


As far as mm or inches.  I use metric for my day job but at home and work with wood or do other building projects in inches.

[Monkeh]

Planed. Can't say I've ever seen timber get milled.

Rough sawn will be very close to advertised dimensions. Planed around 5-6mm less.

Ha!  Here in the US, logs are milled into dimensional lumber.  This is done at a sawmill.

'dimensional' would be 'sawn'. ie. cut with a saw. The mill is the building or plant.

Individuals may planers sometimes to reduce the thickness of dimensional lumber or provide a smoother surface for finish carpentry or cabinetry.

You can buy it planed, either square or radiused. That's where the dimensional discrepency comes in, 4x2 PSE is planed out of.. 4x2 sawn. At least with modern sizes over here (47x100mm). The US apparently is, like with most things, different.

[mtdoc]

Planed. Can't say I've ever seen timber get milled.

Rough sawn will be very close to advertised dimensions. Planed around 5-6mm less.

Ha!  Here in the US, logs are milled into dimensional lumber.  This is done at a sawmill.

'dimensional' would be 'sawn'. ie. cut with a saw. The mill is the building or plant.

Individuals may planers sometimes to reduce the thickness of dimensional lumber or provide a smoother surface for finish carpentry or cabinetry.

You can buy it planed, either square or radiused. That's where the dimensional discrepency comes in, 4x2 PSE is planed out of.. 4x2 sawn.

Technically in the US, I believe dimensional lumber is planed and radiused at the mill, though you can buy square "rough cut" lumber - especially common when exceeding the standard sizes.

I believe the standard dimensional lumber sizes originated from what the "green" wood was cut to , then after drying it came down to the smaller size.  But I think now it is all computerized milling to give the standard actual sizes after drying which are obviously smaller than the nominal.

[ProBang2]

If my memory does not work completely wrong then was in the late 70´s (?) a big campaign in the USA for the change to the metric system. What happend?

[ivaylo]

If my memory does not work completely wrong then was in the late 70´s (?) a big campaign in the USA for the change to the metric system. What happend?

Nothing, looks like they reached half way then halted. I had a Camaro '84 (piece a junk automobile) with engine in metric and body in imperial so you needed two sets of all tools to work on it. Nightmare...

I grew up metric, moved here, took me 15 years to be able to switch back and forth. Now can tell you if a bolt is metric or imperial by just looking at the thread (esp. the small sizes), pretty useless skill, but there...

[Miyuki]

Interesting thing is that even at continental Europe where everything is metric is steel pipes in inches 

[tautech]

Interesting thing is that even at continental Europe where everything is metric is steel pipes in inches 

Yep, but galv pipe (guess that's what you mean) is measured in nominal internal diameter and approximate at that. For example take an 1" bar and it easily fits within 1" galv water pipe.

But still the purist metric police would have us call it 25mm pipe.