# I have significantly increased my accuracy by using these 2 helpers



## afx (Feb 5, 2010)

I didn't think I would be able to do it (or even want to do it for that matter) but I bought a set of plans online that were in METRIC and instead of spending forever making calculations over and over I decided to just go with it. The only problem was I didn't have anything to measure with besides my 14" calipers.

I don't know why everything came out so much better using CM and MM but i just did. I think its because there are only 2 lines to look at and on an imperial ruler, you have inch, quarter, eighth and 16th lines to look for and sometimes they can blend together or my eye will jump. I also think using my caliper was a huge part, even though my batteries were dead so I couldn't get a digital read-out, it was so much easier to take 15mm, set the caliper, tighten it and use the prongs to mark the line for me.

Long story short, I will now use my calipers as my primary method for measuring anything under 14 inches and if I can I'll probably be buying metric plans.


I'm still up in the air about buying a bowtie and driving on the left side of the road.


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Oh Dear! You are becoming a European.
We were metricated in 1971.
All carpentry now in mm.
johnep


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I only find 1*



afx said:


> ....... The only problem was I didn't have anything to measure with besides my 14" calipers.........
> 
> .......I will now use my calipers as my primary method for measuring anything under 14 inches and if I can I'll probably be buying metric plans.


What or who's the other helper?  Are you a convert?
Will you be buying gas by the litre? Drink your whiskey by the dram? Paying your bills in pounds? Wearing a tam? Why is your 14" caliper graduated in metric? I'm still confused...... What size is your 10" table saw blade? Do you have "dual" measurement tapes" How do you feel about the decimal system? The Dewey Decimal System? 
Consider this: http://www.sf.airnet.ne.jp/~ts/language/number/japanese.html


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

Forget the bowtie, go the Akubra and be an Aussie. We use real measurements and drive in the right side of the road ( which is the left hand side ). America used to drive on the left to someone in the info ate wisdom decided to protect jobs and stop imports and stuffed things up by switching sides. How stupid. Sorry but it is just one planet, why we can't have some universal rules and measurements has got me.

Sorry went off on a little rant and off topic. 

Stoked that mm and cm work for you. I would hate to be using imperial although ill often say an inch instead of 25 mm and I did not even grow up with imperial. 

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Longknife (Oct 25, 2010)

DaveTTC said:


> Sorry but it is just one planet, why we can't have some universal rules and measurements has got me.
> 
> 
> Dave The Turning Cowboy


We have, it's only the US and Burma that uses imperial. 

Sweden used to have left hand driving but we changed it in 1967. Was a bit scary to be out on the roads a while after that.


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## SteveEl (Sep 7, 2010)

Calipers might get lonely without a sector... there's a great article on how to make and use this layout tool in a back issue of Woodwork magazine. Google books doesn't have it, but you might be able to get a copy via interlibrary loan.


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

I find this thread amusing. Canadians had metric crammed down their throats a very long time ago. I was one of those kids whol started out with imperial and then part way through my schooling, they switched to metric so I know both. However, when it comes to my trade (I'm an electrician) or my woodworking, I always use imperial. I even get my tape measures for the trade, from the States so that metric is nowhere to be found. I'm glad that it helped you out and I think that whatever system makes things easier for you, you should use it.
By the way, what was the project plans for? Any pictures?


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

When they finally broke the key code to the great pyramid in Egypt it was discovered that the pyramid was built using what was called the Pharaoh's inch. Turns out that it was less than one half of a hair's breadth difference from the American (Imperial) inch. So all you metric folks may have something easy for you to use, but you are way off on accuracy. :icon_smile:


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Kenbo said:


> I find this thread amusing. Canadians had metric crammed down their throats a very long time ago. I was one of those kids whol started out with imperial and then part way through my schooling, they switched to metric so I know both. However, when it comes to my trade (I'm an electrician) or my woodworking, I always use imperial. I even get my tape measures for the trade, from the States so that metric is nowhere to be found. I'm glad that it helped you out and I think that whatever system makes things easier for you, you should use it.
> By the way, what was the project plans for? Any pictures?


 
I'd thank you for helping out our balance of trade, but I sort of doubt it was built here.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

RogerInColorado said:


> I'd thank you for helping out our balance of trade, but I sort of doubt it was built here.


I read this so many times trying to work out what you were on about. I think I got. Do you mean the (made in china) USA imperial tape measures.

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## against_the_grain (Aug 15, 2010)

We here in the US have been converting over supposedly for the last 40 years. I guess its probably hung up somewhere in the senate. You know what they say about teaching an old dog new tricks.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Amazing that only medicine over here uses the metric system, because they found out it is based on units of 10, making multiplication, division, adding, subtracting much easier.


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

Science and engineering is all metric as well. I make reagents in milliliters and liters, and then get confused when I'm cooking at home, trying to figure out how many ounces are in a tablespoon...


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I've built a few projects in metric, just for fun letting people try to figure out the sizes.....I've got no problems with it, except for driving, I like mph, none of this kmh for me.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

ryan50hrl said:


> I've built a few projects in metric, just for fun letting people try to figure out the sizes.....I've got no problems with it, except for driving, I like mph, none of this kmh for me.


Nah driving in km beats driving in miles, you get to drive faster. On the down side everything is further away 

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

You're all whacky. For me, it's cubits, rods and spans all the way baby!


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## Woodwart (Dec 11, 2012)

DaveTTC said:


> Nah driving in km beats driving in miles, you get to drive faster. On the down side everything is further away
> 
> Dave The Turning Cowboy


It didn't take long to get used to driving in kilometres. My little Saturn can do 165 km/hr. Sounds mighty impressive. 

I still do my cooking and my woodwork in Imperial. My daughter once asked me to make wooden tiles for her concrete patio. She told me it was 10' 2" x 78cm. So, I made the tiles...:huh:


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

DaveTTC said:


> Forget the bowtie, go the Akubra and be an Aussie. We use real measurements and drive in the right side of the road ( which is the left hand side ). America used to drive on the left to someone in the info ate wisdom decided to protect jobs and stop imports and stuffed things up by switching sides. How stupid. Sorry but it is just one planet, why we can't have some universal rules and measurements has got me.
> 
> Sorry went off on a little rant and off topic.
> 
> ...


Dave, you guys don't even know what a napkin is. Also, in England it is not proper to as a lady if she would like to shag!
Tom


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

TomC said:


> Dave, you guys don't even know what a napkin is. Also, in England it is not proper to as a lady if she would like to shag!
> Tom


Napkin - is that like next of kin? 

In Australia it is proper to ask a lady if she would like to shag and wait for a positive reply! If you don't do that they call it rape here lol

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

DaveTTC said:


> Napkin - is that like next of kin?
> 
> In Australia it is proper to ask a lady if she would like to shag and wait for a positive reply! If you don't do that they call it rape here lol
> 
> Dave The Turning Cowboy


Shag in the USA is a dance to beach music.
Tom


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

TomC said:


> Shag in the USA is a dance to beach music.
> Tom


And ugly 70's carpeting.


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## DaveTTC (May 25, 2012)

So Austin Powes, the spy who Shagged me = the spy who ugly 70ies carpeted me

Or

The spy who danced to beach music with me

Dave The Turning Cowboy


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

WillemJM said:


> Amazing that only medicine over here uses the metric system, because they found out it is based on units of 10, making multiplication, division, adding, subtracting much easier.


Any craft with a strong European influence is also metric. Racing bicycles and sports cars come to mind. As a hobbiest bike mechanic, I have maintained and used a set of metric tools for over thirty years. Most of my tapes are metric or metric/Imperial and measurements are always spoken in metric. (I set my seat height at 75 cm, my tires are 700c X 25c, and so on.) I do not own any bike tools that are sized to Imperial measurements as it is my belief the bikes with non-metric parts are crap and not worth the effort. I do own both metric and imperial Allen Key sets (and socket sets as well): interesting that the metric ones get the most use.

In woodworking and general home repair, I live in the Imperial world and my tools reflect that. So I have been comfortable in both worlds for years and never really thought about that until now. So yeah, I guess you just use what seems right for you.

But driving on the left side of the road is a whole other thing!


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## HandToolGuy (Dec 10, 2011)

TomC said:


> Shag in the USA is a dance to beach music.
> Tom


Only to a certain Pat Conroy-ish demographic. Nobody that I know would EVER admit to belonging to THAT demo... :-(


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

DaveTTC said:


> So Austin Powes, the spy who Shagged me = the spy who ugly 70ies carpeted me
> 
> Or
> 
> ...












...


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

good thing google converts for me!!!


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