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

[PILOON]

Brits also used the BWS system,
"Bitish Wentworth series'.
Had some hardware on my 50's MG TD that used them,(head or exhaust I seem to recall) and was he11 to get a proper socket.

I lucked out when Canada introduced 'metric' as I was in aviation and since french helicopters were all metric able to get the gov't 50% rebate to tool up metric.
Oddly enough they deducted the credit on the ratchets since they were SAE,

 

[CADplans]

Actually 1/4 -3/8 - 1/2 drive stuff IS metric.

Just call it 6.35mm drive - 9.525mm drive - and 12.7mm drive respectively

oops, I missed that post,,,,

 

[Hay Dude]

Brits also used the BWS system,
"Bitish Wentworth series'.
Had some hardware on my 50's MG TD that used them,(head or exhaust I seem to recall) and was he11 to get a proper socket.

I lucked out when Canada introduced 'metric' as I was in aviation and since french helicopters were all metric able to get the gov't 50% rebate to tool up metric.
Oddly enough they deducted the credit on the ratchets since they were SAE,

Don’t get me started on “British Pipe Thread”....:thumbdown:

 

[dfkrug]

Same reason why P-Metric tires come in 14", 15", 16", and 17" etc. sizes.

There are no govt mandates, as far as I know. If a maker wants to produce sockets and socket wrenches with uncommon drive sizes, they sure can. But, if they want to thrive, rather than make a statement, they will usually go with the defacto standard.

Since you bring up wheel sizes, there WERE metric sizes, back in the mid 80s, mostly for Euro cars. BMWs and Fords had them. I had a car with 390mm wheels, and sadly, very few choices of tires that would fit.

 

[bunyip]

Brits also used the BWS system,
"Bitish Wentworth series'.,

At risk of being the sanctimonious pedant that was Whitworth, there were quite a few imperial threads and as far as I know there are two metrics.
I recall reading that thread standardisation started with US gunsmiths with the pitch on their screws, whilst a Colt and Smith and Wesson looked the same the screws would not fit (change manufacturer, I just plucked two out of the air).

 

[ovrszd]

I think we have grossly underestimated our strength in the World Trade market. Grossly. For decades.

If today's crisis goes on long enough we might actually grow a pair and take control of our nation again. Wouldn't that be great.

 

[Oaktree]

I think we have grossly underestimated our strength in the World Trade market. Grossly. For decades.

If today's crisis goes on long enough we might actually grow a pair and take control of our nation again. Wouldn't that be great.

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.?

 

[Hay Dude]

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 remember in the late 70’s under the Carter administration we had almost all out speed limit and distance signs on the highways changed to metric or English and metric. They changed them back in the early 80’s.

 

[ovrszd]

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 remember, as you probably do, the start of the transition to Metric. We still aren't done with that.

In the beginning we should have stood our ground. You want to do business with us, standard. Or, you want to do business with us, metric. We didn't have the nuts to do that. So we have components with standard sized fasteners and metric sized fasteners on the same component. No excuse for that.

I see no cost increase to set a "standard" for all future manufacturing and stick with it. It'll take awhile to get rid of the current mismatch. Might take 30-40 years. But hey, we've already been in this mess for that long and still don't have a "standard" in this country. :confused3:

 

[Howling]

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.