Why do metric sockets come in 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" drive?

[RandyT]

Another can of worms, a Tablespoon, is it 4 or 5 teaspoons and in metric I have seen it as both 20 and 25 ml, weather is Hp instead of Mb but they are very similar, we measure land in Ha and air pressure in Kpa but I confess to understanding Psi better.
Maybe our BX2370's should be renamed as the metric power unit.

A Tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, and 14.8 ml at least in the US, Now throw in the difference between the international foot and the US survey foot.until 2022

 

[bunyip]

Don't forget gallons and ounces troy

 

[ovrszd]

The advantage of metric is that it is very easy to use, you already have 'metric' currency, we converted in 1966 and whilst there was oppostion it made life a lot easier with everything in multiples of 10.
I remember the days of 12 pennies = 1 shilling, 20 shillings = 1 pound or 240 pennies, I am 1.95m tall or 195cm, I weigh too many kg.....

I agree!!!

We just need to choose one and go with it. Absolutely stupid to mix.

 

[Jstpssng]

We have a very similar discussion in my company about using true compass bearing vs magnetic. The younger people work in true; whereas the older guys have always worked in magnetic. I don't really care. My Suunto is in azimuths and only reads magnetic, but I can convert; it just gets confusing when half of the guys are working with one bearing, and the other half use the other.

 

[ArlyA]

Those of us who work on machines need SAE and metric tool sets, no matter what the arguments are. Doesn't really bother me as long as I can fix or build that machine... And have the proper tools..

 

[Grumpycat]

Wasn't until about 30 years ago that caged ball bearings started to become available in metric sizes. Post WWII in Japan JASO mandated SAE inch-sized bearings because such machinery was available from the USA. The main crankshaft bearings in my 1975 Honda MR175 were inch. My newer motorcycles wear metric wheel bearings.

You may buy metric sized tires, but they still mount on inch sized rims.

 

[dragoneggs]

Not sure what you're trying to say. Most (remaining) manufacturing seems to use metric sizes with the possible exception of small nuts and bolts.

If you're saying that the U.S. should go fully metric, I just don't see any real advantage and the cost would be huge. What difference does it make if we measure distances in miles instead of km, etc.?

We are part of a global market place. I do engineering work for multiple equipment manufacturers and support a few manufacturing companies with equipment from around the world.

The choice SAE or metric in design is driven by regional standards, engineering team preferences and target market.

Purchased components, subsystems and equipment from Europe and Japan are metric. From China is a whatever. Even on repeat of the same product consistency can be challenge.

US OEMs are moving from SAE with metric conversions to metric based designs, including metric hardware to meet demand from global markets.

The established custom equipment builders I work for have a SAE design base then metric for integrated components as need.

Just an FYI... The Commercial Aviation market whether it be US, Europe, or Asia are all still SAE. US Military is SAE. I don't see this changing any time soon. European and Chinese military aircraft tend to be metric.

 

[bunyip]

I thought chinese aircraft used duct tape....

 

[dragoneggs]

Not sure what you're trying to say. Most (remaining) manufacturing seems to use metric sizes with the possible exception of small nuts and bolts.

If you're saying that the U.S. should go fully metric, I just don't see any real advantage and the cost would be huge. What difference does it make if we measure distances in miles instead of km, etc.?

I thought chinese aircraft used duct tape....

Ha ha... for all those that think the Chinese can't build quality. Don't underestimate them. They build a lot of crap but that is what Americans like... cheap crap.

 

[bunyip]

Chinese make to the dollar, I have some quality woodworking machinery that cannot be faulted but have seen identical with cast iron tops that are far from level and a couple of hundred $$ cheaper, having said that the cars I have seen are absolute crap and not in any way confused with the Koreans.
A friend of mine has plastics made in China and he often goes over to watch as he tells me they will skimp on UV stabiliser given half a chance and then it falls apart after a year outside and his reputation suffers.
Back to sockets, my socket set is both metric and SAE all nicely laid out in separate rows and I have some ring spanners that are SAE one end and metric the other, cannot even remember where I got those.