Regulating With Metrics

[Ron Nossaman]

> We have long used metric exclusively for regulating in our shop. 
> Â However, the thousandth of an inch is still very handy for really 
> small measurements and distinctions, so we refuse to part with it!

Like Alan, I retain the thousandth of an inch because that's 
what most of the micrometers in the country read in and I can 
communicate with more people more easily using it. I like 
metric linear measurement, because tape measures aren't in 
0.01" increments. They're in fractions, which is insane! So a 
combination English /metric tape gives me something I can use. 
These days, it's getting increasingly difficult to find 
English/metric tapes. Everyone is selling English tapes with 
the fractions written on them instead of mere hash marks, and 
the digital tools now have English, metric, and fraction 
readouts. Makes me want to start stating sub-inch linear 
measurement to the nearest 1/45th and let them worry about the 
conversion. "Quit griping, the measurement's in inches"! 
Pounds are still useful, so more than 0.03% of the people I 
talk to will have a clue.

Yes, we should all just quit whining about it and go metric. 
I'm sure I'd whine about that for a while, but I'd adapt.

4840, square yards in an acre? Surely useful somewhere, right?
Ron N