Metric and imperial diemnsions.

[Pepite 1/60]

I use Imperial and metric equally, and we were taught to convert between the systems in engineering studies. The the USA devolved back to Imperial only, and they don't teach metric much or at all in schools these days.

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[Corsair]

I use Imperial and metric equally, and we were taught to convert between the systems in engineering studies. The the USA devolved back to Imperial only, and they don't teach metric much or at all in schools these days.

LOL I don't think they teach anything in school these days....

 

[fourseas]

During the years that I spent as a commercial model maker I was presented with a set of drawings that used both standard and metric measurements. I must say it really kept me on my toes constantly going from one system to the other. It also caused me to remake a few parts when I wasn't paying close attention to my work. Today my personal ship yard uses both systems which work equally well for me.

 

[Stuart Little]

In Canada we switched to metric decades ago, but still have imperial measures. Contractors still use imperial, and wood sizes are in inches. At my age - 78, we grew up with Imperial. While I am now used to metric, my own reckoning of distances, weights etc. combines the two . For example, I cannot figure out Fahrenheit anymore, but can experience and sense temperatures in Celsius. I can tell you within a degree or so what the temperature is in Celsius. Not so with Fahrenheit. I also am comfortable with lengths in Imperial - I can look at something and be quite accurate in telling how many inches or feet something is, but not in metric. For distances, I think only in metric. I can asses easily if I am 500 metres from somewhere, but have no clue about feet or miles. Anyone else have similar experiences - mixing the 2 systems, some things in Imperial, other things in Metric?

The one that throws me is you guys across the pond using pounds weight - thousands of 'em. Hard to imagine I find, now if you were to use tons or tonnes, then that's easy!

In Canada we switched to metric decades ago, but still have imperial measures. Contractors still use imperial, and wood sizes are in inches. At my age - 78, we grew up with Imperial. While I am now used to metric, my own reckoning of distances, weights etc. combines the two . For example, I cannot figure out Fahrenheit anymore, but can experience and sense temperatures in Celsius. I can tell you within a degree or so what the temperature is in Celsius. Not so with Fahrenheit. I also am comfortable with lengths in Imperial - I can look at something and be quite accurate in telling how many inches or feet something is, but not in metric. For distances, I think only in metric. I can asses easily if I am 500 metres from somewhere, but have no clue about feet or miles. Anyone else have similar experiences - mixing the 2 systems, some things in Imperial, other things in Metric?

 

[Carleroo]

Living in Canada and being an Engineer I juggle with Metric and Imperial constantly working on my designs. For making models I use exclusively all Metric tools. Even my laiths and mills are specifically metric. I cannot imagine I would size and measure my rigging blocks in 1/64ths.

I also use metric exclusively for my model making. But I did have one kit, made in Canada, Interaction Hobbies, where everything was in Imperial. I bought a digital calliper with both metric and imperial. When I would measure something it wasn't always straightforward. Sometimes a 1/32 would show up as 3/96 or 2/64. Being arithmetically challenged, it drove me crazy!

 

[Carleroo]

The one that throws me is you guys across the pond using pounds weight - thousands of 'em. Hard to imagine I find, now if you were to use tons or tonnes, then that's easy!

Yes, except when you Brits start quoting people in 'stone'!

 

[Y.T.]

The one that throws me is you guys across the pond using pounds weight - thousands of 'em. Hard to imagine I find, now if you were to use tons or tonnes, then that's easy!

Are you aware that in Canada they use both Metric and Imperial tone? Metric one equals to 1000 KG as usual. The Imperial is 2000 LBS!!! 2000 LBS is 907 KG.

 

[Pepite 1/60]

LOL I don't think they teach anything in school these days....

In fact, nothing. But then, very much of it!

 

[AndyA]

Metric measurement of distances is, of course, more logical and easier to work with. However, my thumb is 1-inch wide and my foot (with shoe) is 1-foot long. Therefore I tend to use imperial measurements in keeping with my anatomical calibration. While studying the plans of a Danish vessel on this forum and trying to make sense of the table of offsets, I learned that there are old Danish units of "tomme" (1.03 inches) and "fod" (12.36 inches). Also, there are Swedish units of "tum" (0.97 inches) and "fot" (0.974 feet). I conclude that Danes were larger than Englishmen and Swedes were smaller. Or, it probably depended on the size of their kings.
Fair winds!

 

[Roger Pellett]

Imperial. My shop is outfitted with tools that use this system, measuring devices, drill bits, my Sherline lathe and mill, table saw blades, etc. Much of this gear I bought many years ago, before metric tools became common here in the USA and some I inherited from my father.

Since I don’t buy kits and have never built a model of a vessel built to metric dimensions using feet, inches, etc, has never been a problem. I also think in the Imperial system. Over time I have memorized decimal equivalents to fractions of 1/8” and sixteenths are half of that and thirty seconds half that again. In many cases I can estimate these by eye. I have no equivalent feel for metric dimensions.

Finally, Tables of Offsets for American built vessels are tabulated in Feet, inches, and Eighths. I recently programmed Excel to convert these to scale dimensions.

Roger

 

[AndyA]

Finally, Tables of Offsets for American built vessels are tabulated in Feet, inches, and Eighths. I recently programmed Excel to convert these to scale dimensions.

Cap'n Roger:
That sounds like something that would save time and reduce errors. Otherwise, working with tables of offsets of that type for model making requires patience, concentration, and an architectural scale.
Fair winds!