Dumb Question on Metric Bolts

[rabbit]

The 6mi. per 10K has always been a good enuf conversion ratio for me. Got started on this because of bike time trials. Couldn't think in kilometers.

jack

[Thomas G.]

OP here. I appreciate all the answers. I guess the bottom line is that I won't bother to go to Canada to buy bolts or wood studs.

[rabbit]

OP? I know I've heard that. Where was it? Andy Griffith Show maybe?

jack

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by rabbit

OP? I know I've heard that. Where was it? Andy Griffith Show maybe?

jack

Yes, Ron Howard is all growed up now.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by rabbit

OP? I know I've heard that. Where was it? Andy Griffith Show maybe?

jack

Funny, I see Tom as more of a Barney Fife type character from that show.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Funny, I see Tom as more of a Barney Fife type character from that show.

Be careful. Andy is letting me carry one bullet these days.

[rabbit]

You're scarin me again, Gyro.

jack

[Ian G.]

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

Too funny jack I don't use the decimal inch because of our subliminal Canadian views to convert the world to metric. I use decimals because I am lazy and using .5 takes one less key stroke on the computer that 1/2.

[Thinh]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

OP here. I appreciate all the answers. I guess the bottom line is that I won't bother to go to Canada to buy bolts or wood studs.

..If all of Uncle Sam's disciples act like you, who would be victims for Cannucks'...milking? BTW, some Cannucks have a bit of headache regarding to US gallon and...English gallon...

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by thomas g.

be careful. Andy is letting me carry one bullet these days.

Uh oh.....

And my supply of snowballs is melting.

[rabbit]

Whatever keeps your sox up Ian. I think was at least .5 right.

jack

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by rabbit

Whatever keeps your sox up Ian. I think was at least .5 right.

jack

When I was in engineering school, we'd cut cuffed for writing .5, 'cause it is supposed to be 0.5, dontcha know.

[rabbit]

Which brings us to the problem of the 10th millennium. Don't save my place.

jack

[mmeyer]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Most engineering in the US is done with metric too.

While I agree that Surveying has come a long way from Chains and links and there is a lot of mechanical engineering using Metric. The Civil side of Engineering still holds tenaciously to the old ways. The USDOT in its infinite wisdom decided about 15 years ago that all Federally funded transportation projects had to be designed using the metric system. Engineers dutifilly designed the Roads and Bridges to new specs and we bought or metric scales, modified cad and structural programs ,Produced the requisite plans and specifications and sent them out for bid. Unfortunately the majority of The contractors didn't know the difference between a milliliter and milimeter resulting in endless questions and clarification.. I ended up putting both measurements on my Water and sewer plans so that I didn't have to babysit to get the projects built.
The FEDs have since seen the error of their ways and have relented on this issue but have instituted numerous other requirements to "help" us out.
Not saying it was bad just that your local backhoe and bulldozer guy didn't have a clue on dimensions.

[Glenn Baglo]

Is that why, in 1959, a Ford, in Canada, was likely to be a Meteor?

[Brian B-P]

A tip: if you actually need a metric bolt for a vehicle, don't worry about whether or not the hardware store stocks it - get it from the auto dealership parts department (if it is original equipment, rather than custom work). Yes, it will be much more expensive that way, but paying that for a bolt or two won't kill you. OEM hardware is generally very good (especially from companies like Toyota), and in many cases it is very specifically suited to the application and so is more appropriate than even a correctly selected generic replacement.

[Glenn Baglo]

I didn't have a choice, since the tow hook ( a very large eye-bolt ) for a RAV4 is only available from Toyota.
Cost me $60.

baglo

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

A tip: if you actually need a metric bolt for a vehicle, don't worry about whether or not the hardware store stocks it - get it from the auto dealership parts department (if it is original equipment, rather than custom work). Yes, it will be much more expensive that way, but paying that for a bolt or two won't kill you. OEM hardware is generally very good (especially from companies like Toyota), and in many cases it is very specifically suited to the application and so is more appropriate than even a correctly selected generic replacement.

Yes, actually I normally need metric bolts for my tractor or other non critical applications.

Incidentally when I worked in the auto business, we had a whole section (7 to 10 engineers) that specified fasteners for each application and were amazingly knowledgeable about all aspects of strength, corrosion resistance and torque retention. When you buy bolts by the millions, they are made to specification. I have noticed that the Japanese spend more money on plating for their bolts, which gives a nicer appearance after a few years.

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

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

I agree... did you ever hear the old saying "A pint is a pound, the world around".

If I remember correctly from many years ago, the meter was based on 1/10000th the distance from the North Pole to the equator. Later they realized that it was calculated incorrectly. They did not correct the unit and now it is based on a light wave length. Interesting that the most fundamental metric unit is based on a mistake.

Where are the metric units for the measurements used most often by the largest number of people in the world? Time. Why are there not 10 seconds in a minute, 10 minutes in an hour, 10 hours in a day, 10 days in a week, 10 weeks in a month and 10 months in a year? I guess they would be called things like centiyears and miliyears

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Andy B

Where are the metric units for the measurements used most often by the largest number of people in the world? Time. Why are there not 10 seconds in a minute, 10 minutes in an hour, 10 hours in a day, 10 days in a week, 10 weeks in a month and 10 months in a year? I guess they would be called things like centiyears and miliyears

Good musings, with definite merit. It sure would simplify things. You do have to take into account that the year is driven by our elliptical orbit, and the frequency it repeats, and is not equally divisible by 10, and a day is determined by the rate the world spins. Though a day could easily be broken down into decimal units. I do remember when the metric system was being introduced here, and my dad asking what they planned to do for time measurement.