Are you still imperial?

[HowardE]

The product packaging seems to be slowly migrating. I have been buying soda in two liter bottles for some time now.

This is true... But do you buy dog food in 50Lb bags, or 22.7 KG bags?

Some switches would be easy... like for me... My scale I flick a switch, and I go from Ounces to Grams.

In addition to the obvious economic impact of switching... Let's also think about some of the less educated areas in this country. I bet there are many people who don't know how many ounces in a pound, or how many cups in a pint, or that 20 degrees is a comfortable temperature. Granted that metric is much easier to use... I don't see it happening here.

As previously stated in this post... I can see England changing over, even though the imperial measurement system is often called the English system... But I think that is more a factor of the "european community" and that England is on their own system.

 

[Don Burke]

This is true... But do you buy dog food in 50Lb bags, or 22.7 KG bags?

At the moment, I do not buy dog food at all. If I start again, I could figure out 20 kilo bags with little trouble.

Some switches would be easy... like for me... My scale I flick a switch, and I go from Ounces to Grams.

Many devices are like that. On some the switch is internal or there is a jumper on a circuit card somewhere. Others need a part replaced.

In addition to the obvious economic impact of switching... Let's also think about some of the less educated areas in this country. I bet there are many people who don't know how many ounces in a pound, or how many cups in a pint, or that 20 degrees is a comfortable temperature.

Since they are not using the existing system for volume, giving it up would not seem to be a big deal. Temperature will indeed be a hard sell.

Granted that metric is much easier to use... I don't see it happening here.

Some of it already has happened. The cigarette industry taught pretty much everyone how long 100 millimeters is. The soft drink industry taught pretty much everyone how much two liters is. Mechanics throughout the country can tell you how big ten millimeters is.

 

[HowardE]

Don... I am with you... I can handle the change... I just don't see it happening... Too many reasons, bureaucracy, "average american", etc.

Sure cigarettes come in 100's and 120's etc... But how many people realize that it's 100 milimeters, or that single width cig papers are 70mm?

(Trying NOT to get POLITICAL HERE)
I also agree with you that many mechanics know that 13mm is 1/2" but does the average american know that? How much re-education would it take for the masses? In a country that takes over a week to send "aid" to a place that needs it BECAUSE of bureaucracy, how much red tape would there be for something this large? (converting to metric)

I am all for it... I just don't see it happening.

 

[Groundhog246]

Since I live next door in a country that has in theory, switched to the metric system, it makes little real difference. We buy our gas in litres, but it doesn't change how much fuel the vehicle consumes. We measure road travel in Kilometers and speed in Km/H, but it still takes me an hour to get to Toronto from here. I can order 1 pound of hamburger and they'll weigh me .454kg, still same amount and tastes the same.
It's funny, I relate to air temps in C, I love temps around 28C, but no difficulty of someone tells me the temp in F. I dive in feet, psi and F, but have no problem diving with a buddy who's gauges are Bar, meters and C. 1/3 of 3000 is 1000 and 1.3 of 207 is 69.
With products being manufactured in one country and sold in another, most can be set to either measurement system very easily. My dive computer can be switched to either in a few seconds. And it doesn't matter in 13mm = 1/2". If you've got a 10mm hex head, you need a 10mm socket, if it's 7/16", you need a 7/16" socket, trying to use the closest metric socket on an SAE bolt is dumb.
Where I really find it amusing is construction. Metric simply does not work near as well as feet and inches. You build on 8", 12", 16" or 24" centers and you sheet with 4'X8' plywood, drywall, etc, and the end of the sheets land half on studs, joists. I have never seen a metric equivalent system that allows the same thing to happen with so little waste. So despite laws to the contrary, the construction industry, by and large, has not changed. You might get plans with dimensions in metric, but you'll find a lot of decimal places that when you convert mm to ft, come out to even measurements.

 

[KrisB]

Where I really find it amusing is construction. Metric simply does not work near as well as feet and inches. You build on 8", 12", 16" or 24" centers and you sheet with 4'X8' plywood, drywall, etc, and the end of the sheets land half on studs, joists. I have never seen a metric equivalent system that allows the same thing to happen with so little waste. So despite laws to the contrary, the construction industry, by and large, has not changed. You might get plans with dimensions in metric, but you'll find a lot of decimal places that when you convert mm to ft, come out to even measurements.

Well, incidentally, some wood is ordered in mm.

But besides that, when was the last time a 2x4 was actually 2" by 4"? And what about a "2x4x8 Stud"? It's not 8' long -- it's only 92" or 93" long. I think that it's possible for the construction industry to change, too... it'll just mean our houses won't have 8' ceilings, but slightly higher at 250cm.

 

[Groundhog246]

Well, incidentally, some wood is ordered in mm.

But besides that, when was the last time a 2x4 was actually 2" by 4"? And what about a "2x4x8 Stud"? It's not 8' long -- it's only 92" or 93" long. I think that it's possible for the construction industry to change, too... it'll just mean our houses won't have 8' ceilings, but slightly higher at 250cm.

Yes some wood is ordered in mm. And our crew framed ONE metric house. With the way joist and stud spacing worked with the sheet material, there was a lot more cutting and a much larger pile of waste than would be normal.

2x4 is the rough cut size, so we haven't had full 2" X 4" lumber since planing and round corners were required by building code. For good reason too, it takes 3 to 4 times as long to ingnite a round cornered.

And 'studs' have never been 8 feet long. Common studs are 92 1/2", which when added to 1 bottom and two top plates @ 1.5" each (4.5"), gives a 97" high wall, drywall the ceiling and lose 1/2", install 1/8" underlay and cushion floor and if you measure, you'll have very, very close to an 8 foot ceiling. There's also an 86 1/2" stud that's commonly used. A builder using them will save a row of siding or two rows of brick. If you want, it's easy to get 8 foot 2x4's, but they're not studs.