Metric to american

IMO, we don't go metric for the same reason that we clung to an antiquated television technology; legacy products. It took an act of congress to change to digital television, along with a government givaway of two converters to any household that requested them. We invented cell phone technology, along with CMDA protocols while the rest of the world has GSM protocols which make our CMDA phones useless when we travel abroad.

We developed an entire infrastructure over the period of 200 years base on Imperial measurement. While this isn't as important for consumables and short lifespan products, when it comes to long lifespan products like housing, Making repairs to or remodeling a 40 year old house would be a nightmare if the building supplies were all metric.. Probably the biggest legacy issue is the citizenry itself. We could very easily convert to Celsius for temperature. Most of the modern thermostats are already selectable. for C or F. If the TY stations and Weather Channel made the switch, it would relatively easy to train the populace to accept Celsius. And 110ºF does sound better as 43ºC

Most, if not all, of our durable goods manufacturing has gone metric already. The medical industry and the scientific community have been metric for as long as I can remember. I had been introduced to metric measurement over fifty years ago and have used both on a regular basis ever since. So what's left? For the most part, popular acceptance.

With learning a foreign language, it takes a fair amount of time to think in the language rather than translating from our native tongue. The same is true for Americans dealing with the metric system. When we look at 4", we don't see 10 cm; we have to mentally do the conversion. When we get to the point of thinking in mm, kg, and liters, we will have converted.
 
This one truely seems to be significant. It's like I said in an earlier post, "I stepped in it big time". So, I guess I should add this: We, as Americans, have had access to the metric system for a while. My studies indicate that the metric system was well supported by Thomas Jefferson. Just following the war of 1812... ... The concept was declined by the U.S.Congress because we (the States) were still mostly trading with England and wanted the maximum compatible system of measurement. With that in mind, standing with the imperial system as technology advanced has caused us to become seriously dependant on the "English" imperial system of measurement. If we had gone metric then, it would be a non-issue. Might also have helped during WW 1 and 2, using foreign made parts as "git by" repairs.

If I may bring your attention to the Ford Mustang II, from the late '70s if I recall correctly. The one that had a four cylinder engine... ... There were some 14 fasteners (bolts) holding the water pump to the timing cover. Six of those were 1/4-20, the others were M6X1. Caused no end of trouble for mechanics of the time, most of whom considered metric to be one step away from Martian. Especially as they were mixed. Drop one wrench and look around for that "odd one" size. Then grab the 7/16 again.

Then, a while back, the English opted for the metric system. Almost like a plot to leave us in the U.S. hanging on to an archaic system trying to catch up. It's like anything else, "Follow the money". Yeah, I'm waxing a little "salty" here. It's early and I'm not awake yet.

To digress; and it's not "off topic", although does come close. Someone had asked about a "conversion" chart on screw sizes, imperial to metric. For what it's worth, I am currently in the process of building such a chart of the smaller sizes. It is for my own gratification, so may contain some empty slots. And will contain some archaic machine screw sizes and threads that haven't been used for many, many years. Mostly as a curiosity, to satisfy my own desires rather than needs. I will post it when I have it far enough done to make sense.

Machine screws are a curiosity themselves. Starting with Size 0 at 0.060"X80TPI, about 1.5mmX0.5. Mighty close there. Then stepping by 0.013", damn near 1/3mm. Another curiosity, why not some other stepping. And, if you look at a Nr6-32 TPI, it's 3.5mmX0.8 (to 4 decimal places) an almost true metric thread. But that's why it is "in progress". Many of my models are (were) built in Japan. Which, for years, was half imperial and half metric. Go figure.. ... What caught my attention is the size Nr14. 1/4" is 0.250"X20, Nr14 is 0.242"X24 and M6X1 is 0.236"X25.4. Curious ... ...

Bill Hudson​
 
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randyjaco said:
I just don't understand why this country refuses to go metric. The imperial system is archaic. We are just being Luddites on this issue. It is time we bite the bullet and made the change. The vast majority of our manufacturing companies could do it over night, if it weren't for there current inventories.
Randy
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Not that simple. The investment in measuring tools alone would cost a fortune. The company I retired from just made the outside the US use decimal system. We have returned product that came from the Mexican plant and photos of the measurements were in decimal.


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Dave Paine said:
That calculator is indeed sophisticated. I looked at the User Guide. Easy to set for entering Imperial or Metric, but converting is not so easy, it is part of the Conversion menu.The Staples calculator and others like it would be far simpler to convert between Imperial and Metric. I may have to get one for myself. I have an HP32 calculator which does all sorts of functions, but no Imperial to Metric, other than my entering 25.4/ or 25.4*.
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I occasionally use a digital caliper having both metric & Imperial capability as a converter . Kind'a like using a slide rule, slip it to a position close to the
desired value on the engraved scale on it's length & then "tune" it to the metric or imperial digital value in question. Then hit the alternate system button for the conversion.
 
If you blame the English for the imperial system you are stuck with why are your gallon and fluid ounces so different? (serious question)
 
savarin said:
If you blame the English for the imperial system you are stuck with why are your gallon and fluid ounces so different? (serious question)
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We originally used the same system of weight and measures as the British. In 1824, the British Weights and Measures Act redefined the pint and therefore the gallon and the fluid ounce which was then the standard throughout the British Empire. We continued to use the old British system of weights and measures as we were no longer part of the British Empire.

A question back at you. We have a saying "the pint's a pound the world around" which is true for the American pint which contains 16 fluid ounces and weighs close to 16 ounces which is a pound. However the British pint contains 20 fluid ounces. How come?
 
Just buy a set of Mitutoyo calipers: they'll do the math for you by pushing the button.
 
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