Imperial vs Metric

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60 years using imperial, 12 years using metric because I'm in a metric country. I never use my imperial tape measure now. its easier to use metric. PROVIDED you use ONLY metric.
But I'm still 6 ft 2 :cool:
 
It niggles me that metric-only tape measures are the ones you have to go searching for, and that metric/ imperial tapes are everywhere.
 
Well, woodworkers are a funny lot. I have seem metric users recommend 6 by 2 or 8 by 2 timbers. I have bought 3 metre sawn boards of maple sold as 8 inches wide. I am quite happy with either - it's just mathematics.
 
Really?

I have a bannister 4'-10 3/8" long and want to space the 12 ballusters out equally. What's my spacing?

Whilst you're doing that, I'll divide 1483 by 13 and then go and make us both a cup of tea. You might be done by the time I'm back. :)


Is that to the centre of each newal post or to the edge Mike, makes a difference :devilish:
 
I use metric for most things. Sometimes marking out spacings for some nails or screws is easier because it's a 40 inch length and four inch spacing just leaps out at you and is a no brainer.

The only thing I struggle with here is screws. I got used to the gauges and incremental sizes. 1 inch not long enough? Reach for the one and a quarter. The new metric versions seem to be rounded up/down a bit and confuse me!
 
I swap and change between the two all the time, depends what I am doing.

As Stanley monkey says screw sizes are a bit of a pain these days, I did prefer it when they were just imperial.
 
The metric/imperial tape was invented so you can have the best of both worlds 17" 11mm for example or 5m 9 and half inches.

:) I'm bi-lingual, but even I don't do that.

They don't suit me. I work in mm, and if want to measure and mark from that side of a mixed tape from a set end I have to mark on the wrong side of the tape and transfer the marking out to the other side with a square. I've been working with mixed tapes for 30 or 40 years, and only use one side of them, which is ridiculous. The all-metric tapes I buy suit me far better......which is why I made the point I made. Also, why the hell does a 25 year old, say, want inches on his tape measure?
 
The only thing I struggle with here is screws. I got used to the gauges and incremental sizes. 1 inch not long enough? Reach for the one and a quarter. The new metric versions seem to be rounded up/down a bit and confuse me!
This is me. I'm as metric as they come, if you ask me what I weigh it's 107kg, and if you ask me how tall I am it's 1.87 metres. I have metric only tape measures, but when I need a woodscrew it's inch, inch and a quarter, inch and a half, I just cannot see woodscrews in metric. Oddly, if it's a 10mm bolt I have absolutely no problem with it being 10x40 or 10x50, it's just woodscrews.
 
I'm quite often given measurements for joinery with both systems, quite often on the same piece! Imperial heights and metric widths and vice versa...

Despite being a metric baby I've got a pretty decent understanding of imperial and I really enjoy messing with the other lads sometimes when asked for a measurement to cut at, "Oh, cut it at 10' 2" and 5/16ths" and then followed by a completely blank look and "Err..." 😂
 
I'm bi lingual school and college all metric but when I started on site all of the carpenters and other trades were Imperial. I did ask them politely t change for me, the forum rules wont allow me to type their replays.
Honestly who would choose Imperial?
Am I correct that in America they use American Standard not imperial??
 
This is me. I'm as metric as they come, if you ask me what I weigh it's 107kg, and if you ask me how tall I am it's 1.87 metres. I have metric only tape measures, but when I need a woodscrew it's inch, inch and a quarter, inch and a half, I just cannot see woodscrews in metric. Oddly, if it's a 10mm bolt I have absolutely no problem with it being 10x40 or 10x50, it's just woodscrews.

I'd forgotten about bolts - I'm absolutely fine with metric bolts as well.

If you're anything like me - oh dear!!! ;)
 
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