Why aren't we using the metric system??

[biosurfer1]

I've been slowly working on a woodworking project and since they guy who originally posted the design is in Canada, he used the metric system so I thought I would follow along and give it a try.

Wow, I don't understand why more people don't use it. It is SO much more simple than the imperial system, and its not like the imperial system is all that confusing to begin with.

It really shines when converting between units...how many inches is 23'-4 1/4" again?

I think if people just tried it for a week, the old system would be gone quickly.

[dad911]

Makes much more sense when using metric system in engineering calculations, we were told in the 70's that the USA would be adopting metric system soon.....

I blame pro football, fans & players couldn't deal with meters instead of yards.

I hate working on cars that mix metric and inch hardware.

[stealthn]

Because Myianmar and Liberia won't allow it

[Jrboulder]

I don't have a problem working between imperial and metric and neither do most of the people I know. It's only hard if you make it hard. If it's a woodworking project it couldn't be that precise so just use 25mm = 1 inch. You'll be less than 2% larger. If a car has both types of fasteners look at the head of the bolt and if it has a number like "8.8" then it's metric. If it has radial lines it's imperial. Wrenches/sockets are pretty interchangeable between 5/16-8mm, 1/2"-13mm, 3/4"-19mm and 15/16"-24mm.

Come to think of it, the US military won every war they fought in with the imperial system and pretty much lost everything they fought in with the metric system.

[john walker's workshop]

90% of the population has pablum for brains is why.

[Nostril Cheese]

For the same reasons we are no longer a manufacturing giant...

[Drbraunsr]

It's the same reason that the US ranks so poorly in math scoring.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Drbraunsr

It's the same reason that the US ranks so poorly in math scoring.

This is ironic. Math is sooo much easier in the metric system, where everything is a matter of ones and decimal points. In the imperial system it's conversion tables - 12 inches to a foot, three ft. to a yard, 5280 ft. to a mile, etc. We are idiots, nonetheless.

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Because Myianmar and Liberia won't allow it

Odd but true...Yes, only the US, Myanmar and Liberia are the only three countries in the world that don't use the metric system. Uniquely, in the beginning the 'Americans' did use it but due to the huge influence of them all basically being British, they held true to their roots, hence no metrics.

It is though interesting that the British did adopt the metric system but not in the use of their currency - Pounds, shillings and pence, whereas America adopted, in what made the most sense, - money. Yet for the countries that used the British Pound system, working out how much tax would pay on say... 1 Pound, 5 shillings, 7 pence, 1 thruppence- 1/3 of a penny, and 2 farthing ( 1/4 of a penny) if the tax was 9%? Your right - Basically impossible to do in your head.

I was on a vacation in NZ in when they and AU were still using the Pound.
When at a store it was quite easy to work out 'IF' you owned what was called a 'Ready Reckoner'. The clerk pulled out their RR book that had the answer for each percentage point of each coin value.. It took a few minutes to do. I shook my head in disbelieve but at the same time found it to be very funny to watch what was involved to arrive at the amount of tax to be charged.

Re US metric...I remember well when the US did introduce the metric system in the US in the mid 1970's but it was short lived. The reason for this was that Congress did not make it mandatory;some States made the change while many didn't. Many that didn't were in the Southern States.

American Commerce knew what the importance was- a 'must do'- of purchasing and selling in metric. All of the industrial world did with the exception being that of the US. For some decades now, this is quite recognizable to see on US goods. Other than the US World of Commerce, the metric system is still not a recognized system for the nations people in general.

It is by far a superior system and much easier to use. The Germans are fast thinkers... E.G. A machinist measuring in 16ths, 32nds, 64ths, and so on. The decimal is only in '10's which make it a much easier way to measure.

mm (millimetres in ten's )- cm (centimetres in tens, m -(metres in 10's) - km (kilometres in 10's)

Using wrench's in metrics is great 1-2-3-4-5-6-7- etc. instead of
1 and 1/64th - 1 and 1/32 - 1 and 1/16th etc. etc. etc.

What was a killer in Canada, was that when GM, Ford and Chrysler started to switch over to metrics, they choose amongst themselves to first use up their stockpiles of National Standard fasteners. The result for some years made every mechanic tear their hair out. The cars had a mix of both metric and NS sizes. Fortunately, for some years now, they are metric.

I hope that this sheds a bit of light on to the question of 'why'
Metric/Inch Comparisons // Southwestern Supply Company

[rattlsnak]

Because we won the war.. lol..

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

This is ironic. Math is sooo much easier in the metric system, where everything is a matter of ones and decimal points. In the imperial system it's conversion tables - 12 inches to a foot, three ft. to a yard, 5280 ft. to a mile, etc. We are idiots, nonetheless.

Hey Rick, be easy on yourself. I grew up one mile from the border, White Rock BC - Blaine WA , and you are certainly not idiots. America produces more 'brain power' than just about all of the earth. I have though noted of many occasions of how that there are many better ways to do things in a variety of different countries but unfortunately it appears that everyone is too stubborn it seems to change to a better/smarter way. I think it must be what they call 'nationalism'?

A local example is how that although the US is by far the largest provider of foreign aid in the world, yet schools throughout America can't afford school books? It appears to be an 'everyone for themselves' way... -> (Worldwide by the way)

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

90% of the population has pablum for brains is why.

I 'Roger' that John...

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

I think if people just tried it for a week, the old system would be gone quickly.

I tried it for a week once, and got 3 traffic tickets. The officers who pulled me over just kept telling me to shut up. And that I was going too slow.

[Bill Douglas]

Haha, I had a GF once who borrowed the 911. The speedo is in MPH being a British car originally. She said she stuck to 100 (thought she was doing 100km/h) but seemed to be passing everyone.

[Jrboulder]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

For the same reasons we are no longer a manufacturing giant...

Well America, Germany and China are by far the top 3 manufacturers and exporters of the world, each exporting over $1.5 trillion (in 2014), #4 is Japan at $684 billion. Our top export is "engines, pumps and machinery." While not everything at your local Walmart is made in the USA, we do pretty well in many high-value areas that require a little more than subsidized steel, nonexistent environmental regulations and cheap labor.

[sc_rufctr]

[look 171]

In our cabinet shop, almost all the machinery are metric to accommodate German hardware. Only a couple of old table saws use 10" blades. Boring bits are all metric again, to fit German (blum mostly ) hardware. Funny thing is, we still measure in fraction even though imported plywood's thickness is measured in metric, but we just can't seem to change and just eyeball the difference. We all get pretty damn close, so close that the joints are nearly perfect. All our layout in both cabinet work and construction projects are done with the Imperial System. We all have a tough time with it plus, drawings from designers and architects are all in feet and inches.

Just don't ask me how much things weight if its not in lbs. and ounces. I do know grams very well because I used to weight bicycle parts. I also have no sense of how cold F is once below 32 dergee. I know exactly how cold it is once the temp dips below 0 C. This is from hanging around relatives in Calgary and Regina during Christmas as a kid.

[livi]

Don´t worry. You guys will come around. Just give it another, say, hundred years.

[A horse with no name]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

Hmmmm? - Homer just informed me of who caused the metric problem... So it's the Masons eh
Very funny!


Who controls the British Crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We Do! We Do!

Who keeps Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We Do! We Do!

Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Guttenberg a star?
We Do! We Do!

Who robs cavefish of their sight
Who rigs every Oscar night?
We Do! We Do!

[rwest]

Remember in elementary school it was taught to us, but never caught on.

As easy as it is, there is a "problem" when you start dividing things in halves... 10 becomes 5 becomes 2.5 becomes 1.25 becomes .6125.