Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

--
Adam

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

--

Jeff

On 10/01/2019 19:15, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:


Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?


Torx, not hex?

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 10/01/2019 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?


torx ing to much.

On Thursday, 10 January 2019 19:10:06 UTC, ARW wrote:
In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Aldi?

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Lefty loosey righty tighty?

Owain

On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1

Cheers, T i m

ARW Wrote in message:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?


Holding the short end to tighten up the screws? (i.e. Insufficient
torque...)
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

On 10/01/2019 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?


I am not sure that I would want to use an all metal tool in that
situation, unless I knew the incoming supply was not connected.

--
Michael Chare

Michael Chare Wrote in message:
On 10/01/2019 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?


I am not sure that I would want to use an all metal tool in that
situation, unless I knew the incoming supply was not connected.


Adam did mention an isolator...
--
Jim K


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.



--
Adam

On Thursday, 10 January 2019 21:08:45 UTC, ARW wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Where the h does your brainless boss get these kids?

On 10/01/2019 21:37, wrote:
On Thursday, 10 January 2019 21:08:45 UTC, ARW wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Where the h does your brainless boss get these kids?


From schools.

--
Adam

On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 21:23:19 -0000 (UTC), Jethro_uk
wrote:

On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 21:08:43 +0000, ARW wrote:

On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having
trouble putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new
builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available
as I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Oh dear, how will he cope when £sd and feet inches and roods come back ?

weg

Cheers, T i m

On 10/01/2019 21:23, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 21:08:43 +0000, ARW wrote:

On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having
trouble putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new
builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available
as I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Oh dear, how will he cope when £sd and feet inches and roods come back ?


My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-

"two metres of 4 bay 2"

On 10/01/2019 20:23, Michael Chare wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available
as I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?


I am not sure that I would want to use an all metal tool in that
situation, unless I knew the incoming supply was not connected.

I recall some years ago needing to disconnect and and later reconnect
some tails to a henley block. This was an old TN-S install with one of
the dodgy pre-war metal clad main cutouts, with ceramic fuse carriers.
So I did not fancy having to pull the fuse. Normally a quick tail
removal, and replacement on a live henley is easy enough with a set of
VDE screw drivers.

So this time I was a bit distressed to discover the henley terminals
were hex headed, and I did not have an insulated hex driver.

Fortunately I did have some hex bits of the right size and a magnetic
bit holder. So the easiest thing to do was tape up the holder so there
was no exposed metalwork, and then stick it in my (all plastic bodied)
cordless drill and use that!


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 10/01/2019 21:08, ARW wrote:

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.


Understandable, metric has been taught in schools for the past 40+ years.


--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?


--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

wrote in message
...
On Thursday, 10 January 2019 21:08:45 UTC, ARW wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having
trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available
as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Where the h does your brainless boss get these kids?

Same place everyone else does, the labour market.

"alan_m" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Always was and still is here.

On 10/01/2019 22:55, alan_m wrote:
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

No. It was 4" x 2"

SteveW

On 10-Jan-19 23:33, Steve Walker wrote:
On 10/01/2019 22:55, alan_m wrote:
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

No. It was 4" x 2"

Some people always get the wrong end of the stick.


--
Sam Plusnet

alan_m wrote:

On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Yes. Before it was planed.

--

Roger Hayter

On 11/01/2019 00:32, Roger Hayter wrote:
alan_m wrote:

On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Yes. Before it was planed.

...approximately


--
"It is an established fact to 97% confidence limits that left wing
conspirators see right wing conspiracies everywhere"

alan_m wrote:
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?


In USA.

Rod Speed wrote:


"alan_m" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Always was and still is here.
Always been 4 be 2 here.

wrote:
On Thursday, 10 January 2019 21:08:45 UTC, ARW wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Where the h does your brainless boss get these kids?

They have to get knowledge from somewhere.

On Friday, 11 January 2019 04:14:24 UTC, FMurtz wrote:
tabbypurr wrote:
On Thursday, 10 January 2019 21:08:45 UTC, ARW wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:
On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:

Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Where the h does your brainless boss get these kids?

They have to get knowledge from somewhere.

If they've got to 16 or 18 without realising there are imperial measurements, I doubt they're about to get any knowledge anywhere.


NT

"FMurtz" wrote in message
...
Rod Speed wrote:


"alan_m" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Always was and still is here.

Always been 4 be 2 here.

Bull****.

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 11 January 2019 04:14:24 UTC, FMurtz wrote:
tabbypurr wrote:
On Thursday, 10 January 2019 21:08:45 UTC, ARW wrote:
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:
On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:

Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having
trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs
available as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at
the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Where the h does your brainless boss get these kids?

They have to get knowledge from somewhere.

If they've got to 16 or 18 without realising
there are imperial measurements, I doubt
they're about to get any knowledge anywhere.

And yet Adam says he is on the best of the apprentices
and he clearly did end up with the knowledge eventually.

On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:
On 10/01/2019 21:23, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 21:08:43 +0000, ARW wrote:

On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having
trouble putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new
builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available
as I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is
now sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

Oh dear, how will he cope when £sd and feet inches and roods come back ?


My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-

"two metres of 4 bay 2"

Its sold in 300mm (i.e metric foot) increments starting at 300mmm, so
2.0m is not a standard length. 1.8 or 2.1 would be your choices.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Rod Speed wrote:


"FMurtz" wrote in message
...
Rod Speed wrote:


"alan_m" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet
sold in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Always was and still is here.

Always been 4 be 2 here.

Bull****.
In my circle I have never heard 2x4 from anyone but yanks

On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 23:33:35 +0000, Steve Walker wrote:

On 10/01/2019 22:55, alan_m wrote:
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

No. It was 4" x 2"

SteveW

Had a problem when re-roofing a brick-built shed (timbers going/gone and
sheets cracked a bit). The timbers were ~70 years old and 2x3, so
unobtainable nowadays. Combined with the hard mortar that had been shovelled
in to fill all the gaps, I spent ages with a an SDS chisel getting it even
enough for a full timber frame and to fit the 'generous' 46x72 mm.
Even as a smallish child I was upset that 2" wood wasn't 2" - what part of
lying is acceptable in trade descriptions?
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

"FMurtz" wrote in message
...
Rod Speed wrote:


"FMurtz" wrote in message
...
Rod Speed wrote:


"alan_m" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Always was and still is here.

Always been 4 be 2 here.

Bull****.

In my circle I have never heard 2x4 from anyone but yanks

Then you need a new circle, bad.

"PeterC" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 23:33:35 +0000, Steve Walker wrote:

On 10/01/2019 22:55, alan_m wrote:
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

No. It was 4" x 2"

SteveW

Had a problem when re-roofing a brick-built shed (timbers going/gone and
sheets cracked a bit). The timbers were ~70 years old and 2x3, so
unobtainable nowadays. Combined with the hard mortar that had been
shovelled
in to fill all the gaps, I spent ages with a an SDS chisel getting it even
enough for a full timber frame and to fit the 'generous' 46x72 mm.
Even as a smallish child I was upset that 2" wood wasn't 2" - what part of
lying is acceptable in trade descriptions?

That part when it's the undressed dimension used.

In message , Roger Hayter
writes
alan_m wrote:

On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold in
metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Yes. Before it was planed.

Likely before it was sawn: the saw kerf included in the measurement.
Trees have exceptionally funny rules:-)


--
Tim Lamb

The screws were not actually hex at all?
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"ARW" wrote in message
...
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on Saturday
and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available as I don't
want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

--
Adam

I remember that I bought some from Tandy once. There seemed to be a lot of
keys I thought, and as you say, when I checked we had both imperial and
metric. Obviously, Tandy being a US company had sourced sets with all the
keys in all the places it sold.
The keys were fine, but the way of attaching tem to the large ring they
were on was cruddly a kind of coiled spring around the hex , which meant you
could take them off of course, but it was a sod of a job to put them back
again which in the end meant a lot of them got lost!
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"ARW" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 19:55, T i m wrote:
On Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:15:24 +0000, Jeff Layman
wrote:

On 10/01/19 19:10, ARW wrote:
Third year apprentice (one of the best we have had) was having trouble
putting the meter tails into the mains isolator on some new builds.

He was having difficulty tightening up the hex screws.

One answer in the office was "You have a **** set of Allen keys"

In his defence he replied "They are brand new I only got them on
Saturday and I paid for the most expensive of the two pairs available
as
I don't want **** tools"

Anyone care to guess what went wrong:-)?

Imperial vs metric?

+1


Indeed.

But at least he came in and said he had a problem. And the problem is now
sorted.

Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.



--
Adam

"ARW" wrote in message
...
Obviously never heard of the word imperial before and was amazed at the
markings on the tool that he had never noticed.

I can understand it. Modern engineering uses metric for all official
measurements (as opposed to "folk units" such as "oh, about 4 foot eight and
a half"). I'm 55 years old - old enough to have grown up with imperial as
folk units and to estimate in those units. But young enough that if I have
to measure anything with a ruler or scales, I always use millimetres or
grammes (and being British rather than American, I spell the latter
"gramme", not "gram", but that's another story!).

Nowadays I'd expect tools, plumbing pipes, drills etc to be sold in metric
sizes - or else to have fairly clear wording that they were imperial, for
use with existing legacy installations.

This only applies to the UK; the USA clings to the imperial system like grim
death, even sometimes in scientific and engineering fields. I've seen
scientific papers which use units such as slugs and poundals.

I'm probably weird that I know my height in feet and inches but not in
centimetres, but if I had to measure my height I'd always do so in
centimetres. Younger people probably have less "feel" for measurements in
feet and inches; in a few more generations the imperial system may have been
forgotten about, which is a shame because it has served us well, even if
numerically it is a crap system because no two units for the same physical
quantity are related by the only base that is meaningful to us - base 10,
because we have 10 fingers (inc thumbs) and 10 toes - so calculation is
tedious. Would you prefer to add up a column of prices in £p or in £sd, with
all the latter's carry-after-you-reach-12 and carry-after-you-reach-20
complications.

"FMurtz" wrote in message
...
Rod Speed wrote:


"FMurtz" wrote in message
...
Rod Speed wrote:


"alan_m" wrote in message
...
On 10/01/2019 21:54, soup wrote:

My favourite is 4 X 2 wood (nominally 4 inches by 2 inches) yet sold
in metre lengths so you get things like :-


Was it ever 2" x 4"?

Always was and still is here.

Always been 4 be 2 here.

Bull****.
In my circle I have never heard 2x4 from anyone but yanks

I think I would tend to specify the larger of the two dimensions first -
4x2, rather than 2x4 - irrespective of whether the units were inches or
centimetres. But that's only a convention, not a hard-and-fast rule.

wrote in message
...
If they've got to 16 or 18 without realising there are imperial
measurements, I doubt they're about to get any knowledge anywhere.

I can imagine that nowadays, the imperial system is dismissed with a few
throwaway phrases like "Years ago, there used to be other units called feet,
inches, ounces, pounds etc, but they were a pain to work with because they
were related by conversion factors that weren't 10. Be aware that they
exist, and be prepared to convert to/from them if necessary, but treat them
as folk units."

Any system which doesn't even have an integer relationship between
volumetric and linear measurement is a bit dodgy: there are 277.419 cubic
inches in a (UK) gallon. For some reason, there are exactly 231 cubic inches
in a US gallon, which is odd because I thought the conversion between UK and
US was 0.8 UK gall = 1 US gall since the US pint is 16 rather than 20 fluid
ounces. Ah: I see now - the US and UK fluid ounces are slightly different
sizes. It's like troy, avoirdupois and apothecaries ounces all over again -
different trades define their units in slightly different ways. A bit of a
mess!