How do measure things? metric or imperial?

[Sarto]

Hi,
looking at youtube videos, I see that in the Usa they happily use
inches, fraction of an inch and gauge numbers for sheet metal.
Psi for pressures and so on.

In Uk, how do you measure things?
Do you usually use the International System units or the Imperial ones?



SARTo

 

[Tigman]

We are supposed to be metric , but I use both metric and imperial , its an age thing I think , I was taught in both

 

[Pete.]

Whichever suits, I was 'taught' in metric but imperial is not hard to understand. I don't usually do imperial fractions though coz working in sixteenths or thirty-seconds is stupid when your whole numbering system is 10-based.

 

[awemawson]

Depends what I'm working on. If it's something that was originally made in Imperial units there's no point in using metric, and vice versa. After all now that digital callipers and dro's have a button to convert, it's not hard is it !

 

[malcolm]

In the UK we use both metric and imperial. Metric units started to be introduced in around 1972 but we haven't completed the process. We still use miles for distance.

Wood is still cut in imperial sizes but is now sold in metric units. I find it more convenient to think in inches when working in wood. I use mm when working with steel.

 

[Fazerruss]

Some people use the imperametric system when stating sizes. eg plywood 8×4x18mm

 

[piman]

Hello all,

I have a metric lathe and an imperial miller so work in both. If I measure something when fabricating I'll sometimes pick whatever system comes out closest, so I suppose I'm quite flexible.

Alec

 

[brightspark]

i just use the measurments on a rule that are easy to see. metric or imperial

 

[doubleboost]

I also use both but prefer imperial
I think imperial helps you to think
1/8 inch is 125 thou lol

 

[Kent]

My mind is all a tiz now as I was the first year to go through school with no imperial education ( this was stopped as a failed experiment)
Any how I got to work and few got metric so I learnt imperial through necessity
I estimate sizes and weights in imperial I talk miles only but measure everything metric
Feet inches and fractions of inches are a daft way to measure stuff as they make the maths a lot harder take for instance 3 ft 4" and 3/16ths how crazy is that? Now split it into 20 even spaces - in your head!

 

[optima21]

I use both, my lathe is metric, but the hand wheels are graduated in 0.025mm so I find it easier to use a metric micrometer (0.001" is 0.0254mm) when trying to make accurate parts, so 1 division on the handwheel is near enough the same as 1 division on the micrometer.

 

[gordon stephenson]

Being of a "certain" age, I prefer miles,yards,feet and inches, oh and for the finer things in life still prefer thou's.

 

[roofman]

I also use both but prefer imperial
I think imperial helps you to think
1/8 inch is 125 thou lol

not forgeting the "hair" system either John

 

[brightspark]

measuring both is easy.using digital calipers convert from one to the other with the push of a button. i also use yard sticks at work that fools a few people

 

[colnerov]

Hi, I'm of an age where I was taught in imperial at school, then when starting work and going to college we were instructed in metric, very confusing. in the second year I lost the job and ended up in a series of well paid unskilled jobs so I never progressed with it. Even now when I read metric measurements I always have to convert to Imperial to visualise what size it is. When I'm making or fabricating something it's always done in Imperial.

Colin

 

[daleyd]

I was taught both but find metric marginally easier, probably just as I've spent more time using that than imperial.

 

[Wallace]

I use both but have an odd habit of dropping to Imperial below 1mm when machining as I find it easier.

 

[colnerov]

not forgeting the "hair" system either John

Or Fred Dibnah describing a leak on a rivet on his boiler, "the hole's only the size of a flys leg"

 

[ms08]

Both....

 

[keithski122]

I do car upholstery so quite a lot of measuring.Generally I use whatever is closer in inches or cm.Sometimes I'll use both, 12 inches x 54cm.Sometimes I'll use both on the same line, 12 inches plus 1cm seam allowance on each side which conveniently works out as 12 3/4 inches.