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Offline Crazy Horse

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What would it take??
« on: January 27, 2008, 04:25:50 PM »
For the US to completely convert to the metric system?

I know that many already use it, especially the FDA.

I personally believe it would be to hard of a task to do.
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Offline debk

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2008, 04:27:43 PM »
I would need to spend a lot of time on my knees in prayer....

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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2008, 04:35:21 PM »
Weren't we supposed to start using it 30 years ago?  I remember some piece of legislation being passed.


I wouldn't miss the English system.  I hate all that 3/8>5/16 jazz.
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Offline RightCoast

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2008, 04:43:14 PM »
I don't think a full conversion to metric is possible in the US, there are too many people - myself included - that refuse to use it for anything other than bottles of soda.
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Offline debk

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2008, 04:47:08 PM »
I was already out of college when there was talk of switching to it.

I do remember my kids learning it when they were in 5th or 6th grade....but that's been 16-17 years ago.
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Just hand over the chocolate...back away slowly...far away....and you won't get hurt....

Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate.

"My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

A balanced diet is chocolate in both hands.

Offline Celtic Rose

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2008, 04:55:37 PM »
The problem with converting to the metric system is that many people (myself included) think in the imperial method.  I think in pounds and cups and inches, not grams and meters.  To really have us convert it would be necessary to begin with young children and teach them the metric system first, in my opinion, so that they never have the chance to become comfortable in the imperial measurement method. 

However, I also don't think that this is a terribly urgent issue.  I think that many people are capable of using metric measurements, it simply isn't their first instinct. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2008, 05:04:59 PM »
Quote
To really have us convert it would be necessary to begin with young children and teach them the metric system first, in my opinion, so that they never have the chance to become comfortable in the imperial measurement method.

When they started this back in the 70's (like Euph was saying) that was exactly the idea. They started teaching it a bit but it fell away pretty quickly. I grad HS in 78...I learned very little of it. ok that is a lie....I learned none of it.

But you're right...it would have to be part of the initial foundational education in elementary school to become as familiar as our current system.
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2008, 05:05:21 PM »
Quote from: Chris on January 27, 2008, 04:35:21 PM
Weren't we supposed to start using it 30 years ago?  I remember some piece of legislation being passed.

Ford signed.......Reagan made it go away.

When we look towards our own National standards, we don't have a standard pound, we have a standard kilogram (K20) it is based on the kilogram in france.

The standard for length used to a meter bar, now it is the time it takes light in a vacuum to travel one meter.

Many of our standards are moving towards physical laws, which in the end everything is in SI units, so I do see it coming.

The hardest thing to do is converting all these blueprints and drawings for everything know to man in the US. Conversions, while they work are not at all precise depending on their application.
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Offline djones520

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2008, 05:11:07 PM »
It was enacted sometime back, but was quickly redacted when they realized that the majority of the US machinery at the time was built using the English system.

Now i'm sure for the most part they've been changing it out for stuff thats built on the metric system, so it wouldn't suprise me if they try the switch again in the future.
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2008, 05:15:12 PM »
Yeah how would you like to start measuring pressure in Pa (Pascals) Dj?
« Last Edit: January 27, 2008, 11:15:55 PM by djones520 »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2008, 05:45:32 PM »
Quote from: Crazy Horse on January 27, 2008, 05:05:21 PM
The hardest thing to do is converting all these blueprints and drawings for everything know to man in the US. Conversions, while they work are not at all precise depending on their application.

I think attempting a complete switch (or pushing it too quickly) would cause a mess for US manufacturing, the auto industry in particular (I'm picturing some of the people I worked with at Ford's truck plant in KY), construction, and architecture.  Learning the metric system is easy.  It's becoming acclimated to using it that most people have the most trouble with.  When I had my big Honda, everything on it was metric.  After a couple years of measuring fluids and whatnot, I was pretty comfortable with it.
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2008, 05:48:32 PM »
That is one of the hurdles Chris.

Not long ago I was using a drawing from 1956 for tolerances. I couldn't imagine having to convert everything to metric that was on the drawing.
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Quote from: Rebel on July 29, 2008, 06:11:02 PM
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2008, 05:50:58 PM »
I hate unit conversions.  I found out that Google will do that for you.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=1+gallon+to+hogshead
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #13 on: January 27, 2008, 05:54:56 PM »
Quote from: Chris on January 27, 2008, 05:50:58 PM
I hate unit conversions.  I found out that Google will do that for you.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=1+gallon+to+hogshead

Though how accurate is that conversion? That is another of the problems. The smaller a measurement is the harder to get an accurate conversion.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #14 on: January 27, 2008, 05:56:09 PM »
“The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead, and that's the way I likes it!”

- Abe Simpson
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #15 on: January 27, 2008, 07:41:35 PM »
Quote
The hardest thing to do is converting all these blueprints and drawings for everything know to man in the US. Conversions, while they work are not at all precise depending on their application.

Quote
....I worked with at Ford's truck plant in KY), construction, and architecture.

I had never given thought to the why, but this probably explains the glitches in lay-out and fitting on new commercial and industrial construction projects. I've seen portions of projects come to a standstill while waiting for architects to clarify dimensions of structural components on projects.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #16 on: January 27, 2008, 07:49:42 PM »
Companies would have to re-design entire products.  I'd hate to think of the amount of work it would take for Ford to convert a single engine from English units to Metric, and then produce one. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #17 on: January 27, 2008, 08:24:42 PM »
Quote from: Crazy Horse on January 27, 2008, 05:15:12 PM
Yeah how would you like to start measuring pressure in Pa (Pascals) Dj?
It depends -- how much did Pascal weigh?
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: What would it take??
« Reply #18 on: January 27, 2008, 10:04:43 PM »
Quote from: freedumb2003 on January 27, 2008, 08:24:42 PM
Quote from: Crazy Horse on January 27, 2008, 05:15:12 PM
Yeah how would you like to start measuring pressure in Pa (Pascals) Dj?
It depends -- how much did Pascal weigh?

6894.7 per psi
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Quote from: Rebel on July 29, 2008, 06:11:02 PM
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