Random socket set question


 
DanHoo said:
In fairness to the Brits, the only time I remember buying imperial gallons of gas was in Quebec, and I think they spoke French.
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OK, if you want to be technical our system of measurement is derived from the English system but not an exact copy.
 
Steve Hoch said:
Ironically Tony, our country adopted your system of measuring and them your country decided to change it. I remember studying the metric system in the 70's in anticipation of changing over as well. It only half way happened.
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When at school and in my early working career I worked exclusively in imperial measurements. I can now do both quite easily.
Working in mm is a no-brainer when adding two measurements of length together. ie 29mm + 31mm = 60mm. Quick and easy.
1-7/64 + 1-3/32 = 2-13/64. Easy enough, for me, but takes a bit more brain power.
Don't get me started on thread identification and compatibility.
 
TonyUK said:
When at school and in my early working career I worked exclusively in imperial measurements. I can now do both quite easily.
Working in mm is a no-brainer when adding two measurements of length together. ie 29mm + 31mm = 60mm. Quick and easy.
1-7/64 + 1-3/32 = 2-13/64. Easy enough, for me, but takes a bit more brain power.
Don't get me started on thread identification and compatibility.
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I would like to know about thread identification, it's just something I never paid any attention to.
 
Steve Hoch said:
I would like to know about thread identification, it's just something I never paid any attention to.
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It can be a minefield, and needs special attention, especially when working with pneumatic/hydraulic pressure.
BSPT-BSPP-SAE 45-NPT-JIC-JIS-ISO-DIN, among others. They are all out there and I work with most of them on a daily basis. Some of them are obviously non-compatible, as they won't mate together. Others require more attention. ie BSPT & NPT can be made up together because the tapered thread pitch is close, 55˚ & 60˚ respectively. They will mate, but not seal, and this can result in failure with possible dangerous/expensive consequences. I have seen examples of people winding excessive amounts of PTFE tape on a BSPT/NPT connection to take up the thread pitch discrepancy to get the connection to stop it leaking!! A dangerous practice.
 
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Here's another oddball that came to mind when measuring distance. Notice how the top scale of the tape measure has been divided into 10ths of an inch. And the lower scale is the standard 16ths of a inch.

On the tape measure 6" is 0.5ft on the top scale. They are both 1/2 a foot.
9" on the lower scale is 0.75 on the top scale. The top scale is used to enable you to add many lengths together without having to mess about with fractions, although the outcome is exactly the same length. ie 0.42 + 0.54 + 0.79 = 1.75ft. or 1'-3/4".

screenshot_06.jpg

Achtung! Don't get the two scales mixed up when using this tape measure!! You will be waaayyyy out!
 
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Metric divides every inch into 25 unique socket sizes (1 in=2.54 cm). Standard divides that same inch into only 16 (16ths of an inch). In my experience, 16 is all the sizes you really need. Metric is just too many sizes.
 
My son gifted my a set of sockets very similar to the one I am linking here as a bit of a gag since it seems I am always breaking or misplacing my 10mm stuff. The set I received came in a blue plastic case and has 10 pieces in various configurations of 10mm sockets. It's actually turned out to be a super handy kit so the joke is on him after all....
10mm sockets
 
DanHoo said:
My 2003 Tahoe had a made in Michigan sticker on the door jamb and was half metric half SAE
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That was during a time when things were converting. Too slowly IMO. I honestly like metric. I just wish we'd get totally off the SAE system. And yeah, sometimes in a pinch an SAE is "close" but it's never a cigar. If you've ever worked on things some ham fist has tried to use SAE on when it's metric you will know. A kid at a tire shop messed up a bunch of the lug nuts on my Highlander because of it.
Bottom line keep them separate. Don't mix and match. Someday America will wake up and will go fully metric. Not a day too soon IMO
 
Nearly everything made here is in metric now. It's about time we caught up. Even IF you can find say a car actually made here..............there will be no SAE fasteners on it. Because the tooling is from all over the world and sent all over the world. I'm an old fart but frankly metric just plain makes more sense, is simpler to understand and work with
 
Steve Hoch said:
OK, if you want to be technical our system of measurement is derived from the English system but not an exact copy.
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Aside from tradition, this is the only strength of standard over metric. Standard units are derived from traditional units that actually worked for people, while metric units are simply scientific results without regard to their user-friendliness. I believe that inches and pounds in particular are "right-sized" units. Centimeters are too small and kilograms are too big for day-to-day approximating.
 
LMichaels said:
....... I'm an old fart but frankly metric just plain makes more sense, is simpler to understand and work with
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And here endeth the lesson. (I'm an old fart too having been trained as a young apprentice in the imperial system).
It's quite ironic that the US currency system has always been metric, (decimal), a number expressed using a system of counting based on the number 10. 100¢ = $1. Up until 1970 where we were £ S D (Pounds/Shillings/Pennies) we then adopted the £/P, (pounds and pence). Before decimalisation, there were 240 pennies to the pound, now there are 100 pennies to the pound.

Grate[sic] discussion. (y)
 
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I keep my standard and metric tools separate, but I have been known to test the "wrong" type to see it if yields a better fit. Sockets are in separate rows in the case. The combination wrenches are in a drawer in two separate rows. Even though they are in separate rows, I keep the open end on the metrics facing right and the open end on the standards facing left. It works for me.

It is my belief that there would be a large boost to our (USA) economy and our standard of living if we could switch to metric. I feel sad that we did not manage it back in the 1960s and 1970s. We are slowly evolving there out of necessity to interact with the global economy, but this slow process is costly and painful. Until we find the political will to help those who do not understand, are too stubborn, or are unwilling to learn, we will suffer under this slowly changing limbo for a long time. The issue is not political, it is about having the same standards as everyone else. There is no pride in adhering to archaic standards where the rest of the world moved on long ago.

I would be happy if we could all switch to square drive (Robertson) or star drive (Torx) screws, too. They are much better than slotted or Phillips head screws, in my opinion. I could settle for hex drive, but they aren't as good as square or star.
 
EmoryG said:
It is my belief that there would be a large boost to our (USA) economy and our standard of living if we could switch to metric. I feel sad that we did not manage it back in the 1960s and 1970s. We are slowly evolving there out of necessity to interact with the global economy, but this slow process is costly and painful. Until we find the political will to help those who do not understand, are too stubborn, or are unwilling to learn, we will suffer under this slowly changing limbo for a long time. The issue is not political, it is about having the same standards as everyone else. There is no pride in adhering to archaic standards where the rest of the world moved on long ago.
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Totally agree. Although I do still think in imperial and metric. I have to, as I work on equipment that may have been manufactured 40/50 years ago, and equipment that was manufactured two months ago. So I need to have a foot in each camp. Metric is a no-brainer.
 
I color coded my box end and open end wrenches to keep them straight when they went into a tool bag.

I wasn't sure what color to put on my left handed crescent wrench that is both SAE and Metric.
 
EmoryG said:
I would be happy if we could all switch to square drive (Robertson) or star drive (Torx) screws, too. They are much better than slotted or Phillips head screws, in my opinion. I could settle for hex drive, but they aren't as good as square or star.
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Torx is fine for small screws, but the rocket scientist that used T50 and T55 is not my friend.
 
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