DH and I were at our house today doing some odd and end projects.
Anxiously awaiting the arrival of our friend that is going to help us put up the hardi board siding. :)
Anyway, back to the reason for this post....
As we were doing the odd jobs and I was giving DH some measurements I suddenly got my tickle box turned on while thinking back to when we were putting up the rafters on our house.
The framer (friend ) that DH hired to help us with the rafters had brought a guy along to be an extra hand.
The framer had asked for some measurements and it seemed to take the extra guy a while to come up with a number. So, after what seemed like 1-2 minutes the guy finally yelled out 36 1/2 inches and 2 toothpicks!
At first the framer was stunned at the answer and that a grown man couldn't read a tape. Then when the shock wore off I thought the framer was going to fall off of the roof because he was laughing so hard!
The framer come down and took a few minutes to give a speedy lesson on "How To Read A Tape".
The guy was a little slow ....continued to use the toothpick method but eventually learned to read the tape.
I will admit that sometimes I get a little confused with those little lines on the tape and will call out a number to the DH and add a toothpick or two as the final measurement ..... usually to lighten the moment and for a good laugh ;D
DH told me I should post this on the form because somebody might get a good laugh at "Tapes and Toothpicks"
Well, at least it beats the metric system. :)
I dread the day we go metric! :(
But I guess it will be like everything else....I'll just learn the metric system.
Canada went metric, :o then we went back to the Inch system. ;D
Metric is good for science since science is based on the metric system, but for everything else the Inch is the way to go in my opinion. ;D
Dimitri
I used to feel the same (bad) way about metric; until I started building a full-sized airplane kit from a company in Canada (that uses metric). A metric tape measure came as part of the tool kit included.
Once I got started using it, metric is actually MUCH easier to use than our good old American "inch-foot-yard" system. A millimeter (smallest unit typically used) is about halfway between 1/32" and 1/16" in size, so measuring something down to a millimeter is accurate to less than a pencil line width unless you've got a mighty sharp pencil.
I think our biggest problem is one of visualization. We all can easily visualize 31" in our minds, but have trouble visualizing 787 millimeters though they are exactly the same length.
Try metric a time or two, you may find you like it.
LOL...too funny...reminds me of one day while shopping in Menards....I pulled out a couple of ones and a $5 bill, to use to measure a few sides on a replacement window. Some guy asked me what I was trying, and I told him the bills are 6 inches long. Quite a handy tool when shopping....I've done it more than once... 8-)
My outstretched hand, from outside of thumb to outside of little finger is 9-1/2", and outside of forefinger to outside of little finger is 6", both of these numbers accurate to 1/16" (oops 1.5 mm based on my metric "rave" above). Both have been handy to know.
QuoteCanada went metric, :o then we went back to the Inch system. ;D
Dimitri, you mean in the building trades don't you? If so I think that was because of the huge amount of trade with the USA.
Transitioning from inches-feet-yards, the so called English (American) system, to using the metric system is the difficult part. :o The metric system itself is simpler once you master the terminology. Changing is really more complicated than just a new tape measure, new machines or re-calibrating them; it's a new way of thinking. KiloPascals instead of Lbs/Sq.Inch, :-? Liters per mile instead of MPG, even the way your cholesterol numbers are represented.
MountainDon,
Nope in general, anything that doesnt have to do with the goverment we still work in the Inch system.
Our paper is still 8.5x11" not that funny A4 (I think) sized paper that has the odd 4 holes punched in it not the 3 we are used to. We still deal in pounds at the grocery store. A foot long hotdog is still called a foot long not a 30cm hotdog. I am 6 feet 2 inches tall and 230 pounds and thats how the doctor measures me. I buy size 13 shoes not 40something or another like they do in Europe. Its liters per 100km's that is the metric system, but most people still say it in miles per gallon, distances are in km's on the highway but many divide the distance by .6 to get miles and still call it in miles, we use yards when measuring a distance (execpt for track and field) like while hunting etc not the meter. Homes are still measured in square feet. Peices of land are measured in acres and waterfrontage is measured in feet not the metric equivalients. :)
Building/construction trades are still all inch, machining is mainly inch (for a variaty of reasons including the fact most Canadian exports go to the US). And many more examples I'm forgetting at this time. :)
Dimitri
:) Thanks, that was very interesting to know. So the "metric maps" we see, showing only the USA and 2 other minor countries as being the only ones still using inch-feet-yards are misleading. :o
Metric maps for Canada come from the Goverments position on the metric system. :)
Dimitri
Dimitri,
I've worked in the consulting side and now managing construction. Projects range from $1-42 million. I haven't seen inches on drawings for at least 10 years. I guess my projects have been government related but that makes up a big part of our industry. I'll have to check the developer work our office does to see if they are metric. We love the metric drawings because its easy to add and subtract the strings of measurements. The only time I've seen Imperial/American is some early design drawings to help client better understand the size of rooms. And then when the architect moves to working drawings, they use metric.
I do confess that to better understand rainfall, snowfall and fuel consumption, I convert the metric values to Imperial/American.
Where are you seeing the Imperial/American drawings?
I'm seeing Imperial measurements on drawings to build homes (from plans that were designed in Canada) and they are much smaller then the million plus dollar buildings your building. :o
Thanks for that tid bit of information. :)
Dimitri
I'm working on a project in Pakistan and we are told to use US standards for everything. In my research I find a "bastardized" system in place where in the same article liter per day and gallons per day are mentioned. They refer to distances between places in kilometers, sizes of buildings in meters yet the land those buildings sit on are measured in acres. Our pipes will be in inches, though they have some weird sizes like 9".
Will you be traveling over there, Daddymem? :-?
I don't know. Part of me hopes I do. My old boss did a few years ago when the project started and said he felt very safe. This just outside of Karachi which is fairly modern. He said they are "western slanted" there. He said Dubai (you land there for transfer) is absolutely incredible. I figure I will never make it out of the continental US without an opportunity like this so...why not?
I once knew a guy who had an old Chevy truck. As he was adjusting the point setting he stated "My Pappy told me to set these points to the thickness of one thin dime. And if you don't have a dime use two nickels." The problem could come in converting to the proper unit. ;D
Probably fairly safe there - refuse Iraq. :o :)
Dubai runs most of our ports - must be safe there - the new island thing is pretty interesting.
QuoteHe said Dubai (you land there for transfer) is absolutely incredible.
... you can go downhill (snow) skiing there in the desert! :o
Link to Ski Duai http://www.skidubai.com/skidubai/ski_Dubai/default.asp
QuoteI once knew a guy who had an old Chevy truck. As he was adjusting the point setting he stated "My Pappy told me to set these points to the thickness of one thin dime. And if you don't have a dime use two nickels." The problem could come in converting to the proper unit. ;D
Funny. The proper unit for that task was a matchbook cover IIRC. ;D
Mountain Don, it would seem the tolerance just wasn't all that close. It was a simpler time.
Checked with Sassy on Pakistan, Daddymem. She works with a Doctor from over there --- The north is unsafe near India - tribes and fighting. South is supposed to be pretty safe. Karachi apparently over 10,000,000 pop
Thanks, we were aware of the safety factor prior to bidding on the job. My site is 24.5800N 67.2200E (http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=24.969145&lon=67.370555&z=16.1&r=src=ggl), just outside of Karachi. Across the street from a Nestle plant. :P
Looks like Fresno. :(
QuoteOnce I got started using it, metric is actually MUCH easier to use than our good old American "inch-foot-yard" system.
Having taught both systems to numerous students over the years, kids catch on to metric faster than they do standard. Metric is logical, of course. Standard, on the other hand, requires more memorization.