Imperial Vs metric

rtcosic · Mar 11, 2023

ajlelectronics said:
BL cars also flirted with them, notably on the Metro.

Jaguar XJ40

Barking Mat · Mar 11, 2023

rtcosic said:
Jaguar XJ40

Nothing wrong with a French 'pouce'.

Robotstar5 · Mar 11, 2023

I'm happy working in imperial or metric measurements unless it's fractions of an inch, if someone asks for a 5/8" spanner I have to look at the markings on the spanners as I can't visualise it :ashamed:

but with metric sizes I have a good idea which one to pick up.

Barking Mat · Mar 11, 2023

Robotstar5 said:
I'm happy working in imperial or metric measurements unless it's fractions of an inch, if someone asks for a 5/8" spanner I have to look at the markings on the spanners as I can't visualise it but with metric sizes I have a good idea which one to pick up.

5/8 th, that's 16mm.

RichardM · Mar 11, 2023

I don't mind Imperial or Metric, although prefer working larger areas out in Metric as I can visualise the size easier than acres. The span of my hand is 9" width across the knuckles 4" and both have been used for measuring before!

joebog1 · Mar 11, 2023

Yes, well. I use olde english units for magnetics and transformer design. lines per square inch. Its how dad taught me at about age 8 or 9. CGS units are something from outer space.
We changed to metric in 1966 just as I was getting ready to leave school. Most stuff in Au today is metric, apart from a few notable things.
Tyres is one. My car has 16" tyres and their width and height are percentages ??? Makes sense doesnt IT ? NAH !!.
I use both metric, imperial and number drill bits, but like somebody else mentioned, laying out a house I still use feet.
I buy 8mm bolts 2 1/2" long though !!. I cant drive a mobile phone, and my kids have no concept of anything involving maths.
Small imperial measurements ??? What ratbag invented them. I do use thou though, because its metric. So much easier than 63/64ths.

Joe

Robotstar5 · Mar 11, 2023

Barking Mat said:
5/8 th, that's 16mm.

You can obviously quickly convert sizes in your head :thumbup:

I would have to resort to my Zeus book :ashamed:

Barking Mat · Mar 11, 2023

Robotstar5 said:
You can obviously quickly convert sizes in your head I would have to resort to my Zeus book

Neh, just when your sat in France working on a British engine, whatever fits. My previous company, we had imperial spanners too, Bmc engines, not had imperial spanners at work in 13 years.

Still got them at home, obviously.

Smouser · Mar 11, 2023

I am also struggling with imperial measurements (forever converting all the 'weird' measurements to metric in the workshop). I was brought up in South Africa and everything is metric there.

It was only when I came to the UK that I really needed to think about anything other than metric.

Look at the data plate on an old trolley I recently bought.

15CWT capacity.

One of my friends kindly pointed out that CWT = hundredweight which = 110lbs in america and 112lbs (50.8kg, now we are talking!) in the UK :dontknow:

Dragnet · Mar 11, 2023

"Is there a better way to count?"

Robotstar5 · Mar 11, 2023

Barking Mat said:
Neh, just when your sat in France working on a British engine, whatever fits. My previous company, we had imperial spanners too, Bmc engines, not had imperial spanners at work in 13 years.

Still got them at home, obviously.

We had a fitter start with us who had always worked at Goodyear Tyres and didn't own any metric spanners because all their kit was American so imperial (or standard as the Americans call it :laughing:

) fasteners, the boss had to get him a metric tool kit.

Gareth J · Mar 11, 2023

Selling a wardrobe on marketplace recently, I nonchalantly put the measurements up, something like 1740h x550d x 1450w.

Now, fair enough, I didn't put the units. But the lady who bought it asked me to confirm if it was mm or cm.

Robotstar5 · Mar 11, 2023

Gareth J said:
Selling a wardrobe on marketplace recently, I nonchalantly put the measurements up, something like 1740h x550d x 1450w.

Now, fair enough, I didn't put the units. But the lady who bought it asked me to confirm if it was mm or cm.

Mrs Robo is always asking me to convert mm, cm etc. to feet & inches when she's perusing online shops.

A good example of her buying an 18" windsock (don't ask why) and a 180cm one turns up :vsad:

Memmeddu · Mar 12, 2023

Cato said:
I'm doing a refresher on engine tuning ready for mapping the EFI conversion.

Hope to get soon at the point of mapping my standalone ECU
If planets finally align and I figured out solutions to the main building issue of my project so I can finally get started.
I've decided to do nothing (seriously nothing) until I'm completely sure and I know everything I need to know before to even buy components to start .
Many will say , never start never you see the end .
This may be true but I think that this will take me where I find the best car, the best engine etc etc
You will help me and you don't even know yet :laughing:

Cato · Mar 12, 2023

Memmeddu said:
Hope to get soon at the point of mapping my standalone ECU
If planets finally align and I figured out solutions to the main building issue of my project so I can finally get started.
I've decided to do nothing (seriously nothing) until I'm completely sure and I know everything I need to know before to even buy components to start .
Many will say , never start never you see the end .
This may be true but I think that this will take me where I find the best car, the best engine etc etc
You will help me and you don't even know yet

It's the best approach really. Unless you've done it (whatever 'it' is) several times before, until you have everything in front of you it's hard to sort out the process in your head.

I'm waiting on a couple of sensors (Hall effect cam sensors seem to be out of stock everywhere at the moment), active coils, fuel pump etc. The ecu has just arrived but until the other stuff gets here it would be foolish to start working on cable runs etc.

Munkul · Mar 13, 2023

I remember your pain Cato, I've done a couple of standalone ecu setups myself including a DIY megasquirt ms2 with boost control etc. IIRC some of the formulas just seem simpler in imperial, or more widely used, so its just easier to convert a load of units than to dig out and comprehend a metric/SI formula. The specifics are all long gone from my head though!

Cato · Mar 13, 2023

Munkul said:
I remember your pain Cato, I've done a couple of standalone ecu setups myself including a DIY megasquirt ms2 with boost control etc. IIRC some of the formulas just seem simpler in imperial, or more widely used, so its just easier to convert a load of units than to dig out and comprehend a metric/SI formula. The specifics are all long gone from my head though!

Fortunately these days a moment online will give you any formula you need in any system or units you prefer.

I have to say I'm happy as a pig in straw going through the refresh, absolutely loving getting back into this side of things. To the point I can't remember why on earth I left it, although I suspect the mundane and all too familiar answer is money.

Nick67GT · Mar 13, 2023

I once asked a local in Oman how far it was to walk to the nearest shop and he told me it was just over half a furlong.

Mick Annick · Mar 13, 2023

Barking Mat said:
Nothing wrong with a French 'pouce'.

Berets are sized in pouces :artist:

Imperial Vs metric

rtcosic

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Barking Mat

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Robotstar5

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RichardM

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joebog1

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Robotstar5

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Dragnet

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Gareth J

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Memmeddu

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Cato

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