Dumb Question on Metric Bolts

[FRED SMAILES]

Its amazing to me how we in North America laugh a countries that have the weirdest
monetary systems but base their measuring system on multiples of 10.
We base our monetary system on multiples of 10 and have the weirdest measuring system. Wonder who laughs at us.
I work with wood but would never call myself a carpenter. Lol Every time I need. Tape measure I always look for one that is metric or imperial only as the dual ones always cause me a problem when working.
As a senior Canadian I grew up Imperial, was introduced to metric in grade 9 high school chemistry and embraced it.
Where I live metric fasteners are still hard to get and I will stock up when I cross border shop in Idaho,,go figer? Ive never needed enough volume to worry about price.
Fred

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by FRED SMAILES

.............I work with wood but would never call myself a carpenter. Lol Every time I need. Tape measure I always look for one that is metric or imperial only as the dual ones always cause me a problem when working...................Fred

OK, now I just gotta ask. In the US we commonly build walls with a stud that measures 1.5" x 3.5", but is commonly referred to as a 2x4. If I go into a Canadian lumberyard and ask for a wall stud, what will the dimensions be?

I know it will not be 3.5" x 1.5" because Canada is a metric country.

[Ian G.]

Our dimensioned lumber uses imperial (i.e. 2x4 but actually 1.5x3.5) but our plywood sheets are metric, specifically in thickness. We frame using imperial stud spacing (either 16" or 24" on center).

.... but we can only buy metric hammers

[Ice-breaker]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

OK, now I just gotta ask. In the US we commonly build walls with a stud that measures 1.5" x 3.5", but is commonly referred to as a 2x4. If I go into a Canadian lumberyard and ask for a wall stud, what will the dimensions be?

I know it will not be 3.5" x 1.5" because Canada is a metric country.

Wood frame construction industry in Canada operates primarily in imperial units. Still use 2x4's and other old standard imperial sizes, and when spacing studs or joists in a building they are typically at 16" or 24" centers, primarily to allow use of 4'x8' plywood or drywall that comes in 2' length increments.

I remember working for my dad's home building company when metric lumber arrived in Canada. After a few unsuccessful attempts to space studs, joists, etc at metric distances, we went back to the old imperial system and just cut the metric plywood down to imperial lengths before using. It was not long before the industry switched back to imperial sizes only.

[cpaharley2008]

".... but we can only buy metric hammers "

now that is funny, I guess your dozen eggs are only 10?

ps- my house has real, actual 2x4's- I believe "true 2x4" is the name

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Ice-breaker

....... After a few unsuccessful attempts to space studs, joists, etc at metric distances, we went back to the old imperial system and just cut the metric plywood down to imperial lengths before using...........

[james kent]

Sae or metric is not that difficult. You pick up your sae wrenches and try to find the right size. Then you go through all your metric wrenches to no avail. Then you pick up an adjustable and quickly round over the corners before grabbing your locking wrench. Ahhh!

[Thinh]

...As we know, Canadian lumbers are mentioned mostly in Imperial measurements. Here is my perception: Can. population is way smaller than that of USA and Can. lumber industry relies mostly on...exports. BTW, Can. system is used to Imperial...they even train their students with both units in schools. So why not making lumbers in Imperial system for.....easier...MILKING Uncle Sam???

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by james kent

Sae or metric is not that difficult. You pick up your sae wrenches and try to find the right size. Then you go through all your metric wrenches to no avail. Then you pick up an adjustable and quickly round over the corners before grabbing your locking wrench. Ahhh!

Good point. I keep both a metric crescent wrench and metric vice grips handy. They augment my left handed screwdriver set, nicely.

[rabbit]

The 1-3/4"X3-9/16" 2by replaced the original sawn stud which was indeed roughly 2 by 4". Multi head mill planers made it possible to surface lumber very efficiently to consistent dimension and rectilinearity. Now the numbers are 1-1/2X3-1/2 in the U.S. A S4S nominal 2X4. To underscore Jim's comment, I've seen frame houses with sawn studs and joists dating from as recently as the late 30s.

jack

[rabbit]

I notice Ian uses decimal inch, another bastard multi-modulus system, which is nonetheless so much faster in computation than fractional inch as to make me wonder why I was ever borne in a country that got rid of a king, kept his foot, and then divvied almost everything up by the methods of ancient geometry?

jack

[Jim Bennett]

The only reason that Canada has not gone completely metric in the building industry is due to the amount of export of lumber goods to the US. I too have built homes for a brief period using metric lumber, though the studs were the same size, just called 38x89 instead of 2x4, but the plywood was in metric sizes, 1200x2400. Our stud spacing was either 400 or 600 O.C.

Being in the construction industry, both through education, work experience, and now owning a custom building and renovation company, I sure wish we had of stuck to our guns, and completely embraced the metric system, as it is WAY simpler than using imperial.

Having all measurements based on the most common substance in the world, water, makes things a lot easier.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by rabbit

I notice Ian uses decimal inch, another bastard multi-modulus system, which is nonetheless so much faster in computation than fractional inch as to make me wonder why I was ever borne in a country that got rid of a king, kept his foot, and then divvied almost everything up by the methods of ancient geometry?

jack

I have done lots of surveying, and before metric was implemented, most measurements were in fractional feet, not inches. This metricizing of imperial units made measuring and adding lengths together much easier. Basically, a measurement like 1'-4 9/16" would be shown as 1.3802 feet.

Adding together various fractional measurements is a real pain in the tush, whereas with metric it is real easy.

Most engineering in the US is done with metric too.

[rabbit]

Think it's a question of suitability to the scale of the item in question. Decimal inch focuses in tight on customary machinist practise at a very restricted scale. Surveying has longer vistas. At some futuristic scale, we would talk decimal parsecs. And we'd most likely still be trying to cut the pie in six or eight.

Jack

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by james kent

Sae or metric is not that difficult. You pick up your sae wrenches and try to find the right size. Then you go through all your metric wrenches to no avail. Then you pick up an adjustable and quickly round over the corners before grabbing your locking wrench. Ahhh!

I probably wouldn't want to rebuild an engine with one of these, but it serves me very well for an in-a-pinch socket for my traveling kit.

Universal Socket



Francesca

[Raz]

When I built my house all the plywood was stamped with very odd fractional thicknesses i.e. 15/32 or 23/32. At first I though it was like the 15 oz. pound of coffee until I spotted MADE IN CANADA. I guess they felt the need to translate.

In regard to hardware, try finding metric thread rod at your local US hardware store. Raz

[Jared J]

Thank god we have a fastenal and wurth here.

[rabbit]

Peter, what you describe is the translation (transnumeration?) of a metric measurement into fractional inch. Curse of box bodger and laminate slammer. Want a box to finish 24"by 24" finish dimension? Looks simple but more than you think will go "nominal" by considering 23/32nds as close enuf to 3/4" thickness. So they cut two sides 22-1/2 width to butt and a front and back 24" to overlap, bang it together and it finishes at 23-15/16s X 24. If they alternate between butt and overlap and cut both width and length 23-1/4, the box comes out only a 32nd under in both width and length and is least potentially square. These days you tell a staple gun artiste fresh out of a UBC&J apprentice program to factor in setback for sheet laminate to yield a finished dimension and you won't have hair left by the end of the workday!

jack

[GMike A]

Speaking of Milk. Its weird but in Bellingham you will see Canadians come down here to Costco and buy gallons of Milk by the pallet. Costco has a whole fridge room set up just for milk. And watch out when you get in a gas line because there will be some dude with 6 or 8 Gerry cans filling up with gas in his trunk. God forbid he gets hit in the rear end on the way back North.

[james kent]

Metric speed is "ROUGHLY" 6/10 mph. So therefore 90 Canuck kilometres per hour (kph)= approximately 54mph which is close enough to be called 55. Simple enough to to whilst one is driving.
Maybe some day I'll actually get the hang of the durn thing. In the mean time...... It's good enough for this ol guy.
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