Thread: Measurement converter

Originally Posted by Barry_White

I'll just go and leave all you retired old Pharts to play on the forum.

I resemble that, Sir!

Try the one at the bottom of this page
http://www.blocklayer.com/WoodCalcEng.aspx

I have to admit that I shake my head when ever I look at US woodworking shows. "Cut the wood 15 and 14/16ths of an inch long" and "39 and 11/64ths".
Talk about sounding very old fashioned.

I grew up with the imperial system, best thing the UK ever did was to ditch it. The trouble is there is still a lot of remnants about. BSW threads for instance.

I never forget when the metric system was introduced I went into a woodyard in the UK and asked for some 4 x 2 timber, the man said it's all metric now mate 100 x 50. I said how much is it, he said two bob a foot.

There is a feature in the google search engine whereby it recognises the word "in" as a request for a unit conversion. So, for example, if you type this into the google search box:

17/32 inch in mm

The result will be displayed in your browser:

(17/32) inch = 13.49375 millimeters

Similarly, other units can be converted. Typing:

15 stone 11 pounds in kg

results in:

15 stone 11 pounds = 100.243914 kilograms

This is actually part of the google calculator, which is linked with its search engine. You can use it to do calculations and metric conversion all in one. For example, typing this into google:

(17/32 + 3/4) inch in cm

results in:

((17 / 32) + (3 / 4)) * inch = 3.254375 centimeters

See here for the full low-down:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/f...tml#calculator

Originally Posted by zenwood

There is a feature in the google search engine whereby it recognises the word "in" as a request for a unit conversion. So, for example, if you type this into the google search box:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/f...tml#calculator

Wow! This is great. I'm a real Google fan but have missed this one somehow. Google Rules!

Originally Posted by Barry_White

Keith
For example 13 5/8" inches = 13.625" x 25.4 = 346.075mm near enough to 347mm because I defy you to mark out .075 of a mm.

346.075 isn't that close to 347 Bazz. It is close to 346.1 but as you say marking out .1mm isn't easy. Sometimes I use my vernier to mark out distance from the end, just run a pencil along the end but that still isn't accurate to .1mm or 4 thou if I remember correctly

Studley

DPB: yep, google's cool. How else would you know this:

1 (furlong / fortnight) = 524.821733 km / century

I posted this yesterday, but I stuck it in the wrong thread.

This little program is a ripper, I just hope the Mormans don't get hold of it.

I have been using this little converter for years, you can down load it here
http://joshmadison.net/software/convert/

It is only about 780 Kb unzipped & it will even convert Peter Pipers Pecks to Litres if you really want to know how busy he really was.

steve
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Originally Posted by keith53

Morning all,

I'm probably not the only one who has this problem, hence the post. I'd like to be able to convert all manner of imperial measurements (inches and fractions thereof) to millemeters. Does anyone know of a downloadable converter I can run on my PC? (preferable) Or maybe some bit of kit that does this?

Cheers,
Keith

PM me with your email address Keith I have a nifty one thats works on my PC easy to use to.

Phil

Not sure if this prog has been mentioned but i use it all the time. Just can't download it !
http://www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm

And the other i use for currency to give me a rough idea is
http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html


I find both very usefull.

Regards
Allan

Sorry Guys, I haven't been able to get to the PC for a few days. I'm overwhelmed. What a response! I'll go thru the posts again later in the weekend and PM where necessary.

I'm not seeking absolute accuracy (half a mm will do) but I don't normally work with fractions of inches (nor have I ever) so conversion for me is a challenge. I really appreciate your responses..

Cheers,
Keith

Hello all,

I've had a look thru the posts and have found a couple of solutions. Thanks to all of you who took the time to respond.

I guess I'm watching too much Woodworking Channel, but also, some of the plans I get my hands on have imperial measurements. I'm probably being picky but would feel more confident if I could convert all the measurements before I start something.

Once again, thanks to all of you...

Keith

"I defy you to mark out .075 of a mm" Barry White

My dad was an engineer pattern maker. I remember saying to him "why would anyone need to measure less than 1mm?

I spent the rest of the day measuring shaving from a spokeshave !

Cheers,

Originally Posted by silkwood

"I defy you to mark out .075 of a mm" Barry White

My dad was an engineer pattern maker. I remember saying to him "why would anyone need to measure less than 1mm?

I spent the rest of the day measuring shaving from a spokeshave !

Cheers,

Silkwood

Like your dad I was a patternmaker and regularly worked down to 1/64" in timber but today even with glasses I find it impossible to read 1/64" but as I said earlier the average woodie would not need to work in less than 1mm. There would more movement with the environment changes in the average piece of timber than 1mm.

Measuring spokeshave shavings would be an exersize in futility but I guess he was trying to prove a point to you that it is possible to measure less than 1mm in timber.