OT: US Army and metric system

[Rafid]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna
I can't stand when my "FIL" requests unit dimensions from me in metric (mm too, no cm allowed) rather than inches. Every single damn tool I'm using is in inches because that's the standard. But he's an "on-paper engineer" first and a real-world builder second. I also think he just likes being difficult/perfect about how much more precise metric is.

That doesn't sound like a unit problem, but like somebody who likes to be a pain in the a... By the way: What is an "FIL"?

Now imaging you would be in Europe: "Every single damn tool I'm using is in centimetres because that's the standard." Also everything you would use for building (brick, wood, pipe,...) would come in nice round metric measurements.

The main point I wanted to make is: Units are 99% conditioning and 1% real advantages/differences.

American kids grow up measuring countless times in inches and feet. Everything around them (the size of their bikes, the paper they draw on, every measuring device they come across) is built in imperial units. When they first hear of the metric system, they look at look at their table and ask: "How big is that 5 foot table in metric?" The answer is something frickly which then proves that the metric system is non sensical.

On the other handside I came across a technician some time ago, who had to repair a machine. Having taken the measurements of the part he needed to replace he muttered to himself in astonishment: "Who does 12.7 millimetres for a diameter???" I was passing and said lightly: "Well, it's simply half an American inch." All I got back was a look of disgust. He had grown up in a world with machines in round metric measurements and beeing young not come across American made machinary too often.

Not only the units we use, but the designed world we live in constantly feeds back that one system of units is easy and the other is complicated. But in the end it is habit and a self enhancing cultural feedback not one set of units beeing more natural than the other. To find real advantages you have to dig deep (for example digging a swimming pool, like I did) and you'll find few.

[wdolson]

Studying science and engineering, you end up being taught in both unit systems. I think in both depending on what's convenient. I often use metric for small sizes, but imperial for larger sizes. My SO grew up repairing cars with her father and knows the imperial sizes for American tools, she will often talk in fractions of inches and I will use millimeters. I have to translate for her quite frequently.

Being able to convert on the fly does help. We had to replace the laminate floor and the installers had measured everything in inches. The tiles we had picked out came from Switzerland and the size was in mm. The installer was dismayed until I pointed out to him that it was roughly 25mm to the inch.

I probably have more of an intuitive feel for things in imperial rather than metric. Even if I know someone is thinking in metric, if they say it's 40 degrees, my first though is going to be I need a jacket rather than extra water and probably sunscreen.

Bill

[Yaab]

When you try to open a can of worms and cannot measure its diameter[8|]...

[Reg]

Australia changed over to the metric system when I was in primary school so I was actually taught both systems though I never got to use pounds, shillings and pence....

My father however was a tradesman and old school and never fully accepted this new fangled measurement system. He had to use metric measurements (the inch ruler was a prohibited import into Australia until quite recently would you believe [X(]) but he never was comfortable with it.

The funniest thing was watching him take a measurement with a metric ruler, convert to it inches in his head and write the result in his notebook. He would then walk across the shed to cut off a piece of material to fit. He would then read the imperial measurement from his notebook, convert it back to mm and measure it out with his metric ruler. What do you think the odds were of getting the material to fit first time?? [8|]

I tried asking him once why didn't he just write down that the measurement as shown on the ruler but I won't repeat the reply. [:D] Definitely old school.

He was an excellent tradesman and did some very precise work so he must have reconciled it somehow... [;)]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Reg


Australia changed over to the metric system when I was in primary school so I was actually taught both systems though I never got to use pounds, shillings and pence....

My father however was a tradesman and old school and never fully accepted this new fangled measurement system. He had to use metric measurements (the inch ruler was a prohibited import into Australia until quite recently would you believe [X(]) but he never was comfortable with it.

I'm one of few Americans my age who DID experience English money as a first pass at money. Ages four through six in Scotland. Shilling a week allowance. Ha'pennies (Why? I mean, why?) Brass, non-round thrupences. Giant pennies (I remember them being half way to hubcaps, but I was five.) Non-decimal pounds, guineas. Half-crowns (grown-up riches.)

When we returned to the US, for three months or so I could not grasp the difference between dimes and nickels.

I have to say too that the idea of a federal government banning the sale of a non-dangerous product such as a ruler for social engineering purposes is strange. USA perspective.

In the 1960s and especially the 1970s the US tried to force a metric change-over. Laws were passed, US schoolchildren were force-fed. Packaging became dual-labeled. It didn't stick. We're just a contrary bunch.

[Yakface]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

We're just a contrary bunch.

Aye - know over here as 'uppity colonials'. As in: 'The colonials are getting uppity again. Mark my words, there will be tea in the water before long'

[Major Shane]

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn



A mixture of both. The M30 106.7 mm (4.2 inch.) Units call themselves "Four-deuce"

I was a Four-Duce platoon leader, 20 years ago. We had to code out two tubes and we received two "new" ones. They were made by Whirlpool in 1952! Washing machines and heavy mortars, now that's a fun assembly line. She was a brute, but performed well if you took care of her.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: m_shane_perkins

ORIGINAL: MakeeLearn



A mixture of both. The M30 106.7 mm (4.2 inch.) Units call themselves "Four-deuce"

I was a Four-Duce platoon leader, 20 years ago. We had to code out two tubes and we received two "new" ones. They were made by Whirlpool in 1952! Washing machines and heavy mortars, now that's a fun assembly line. She was a brute, but performed well if you took care of her.

[:D]
Did the Whirlpool tubes get your skivvies clean? Were you able to get them out of the trees after?

[spence]

Given all the mathematical weirdness of conversion factors if you really want to know the answer ask the recipients of a TOT artillery barrage (from multiple batteries of US artillery).