Thread: US vs British (and Australian?) woodworking terminologies

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Actually, its a 200 litre drum!

Now, now Graeme, 208 plus liters.

Originally Posted by rrich

Now, now Graeme, 208 plus liters.

No Rich, we all get short changed.

The actual capacity of a standard drum is:

• USA - 57.66 US gallons,
• UK - 48.0 Imperial gallons,
• Metric - 218.3 litres.

But those drums are only filled as follows:

• USA - 55 US gallons,
• UK - 44 Imperial gallons,
• Metric - 200 litres.

The oil companies will probably waffle that the discrepancy is a safety measure or to allow for expansion of contents, but conspiracy theories are often more interesting than logic.

Originally Posted by rrich

When SWMBO said "I won't cook in metric."
The metric system died in the US.

Just as well Joséphine wasn't American!

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

BA thread

I have a selection of BA taps & dies at home down to (I think) 12BA; the tapping drill for that is a number 60 (1.05mm)

Dare I bring up the monster that is British Standard Whitworth? >:3

Originally Posted by CaptainCaveman

Dare I bring up the monster that is British Standard Whitworth? >:3

The only fasteners you'll ever need

Originally Posted by CaptainCaveman

Dare I bring up the monster that is British Standard Whitworth? >:3

Wow from comparing timber terminology to metal thread forms. BTW I love BSW, most of my old machines are BSW. I repair a lot of old stuff and it's easier to cut a BSW thread than any metric thread, but I am ancient and love the old stuff.
Rgds,
Crocy.

Originally Posted by Old Croc

it's easier to cut a BSW thread than any metric thread

How so?

Originally Posted by Old Croc

....it's easier to cut a BSW thread than any metric thread...

Originally Posted by ElanJacobs

How so?

Crocy doesn't have any metric taps or dies ?

or a lathe that will cut metric pitches?

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Just as well Joséphine wasn't American!

Here I am laughing and banging on the desk. SWMBO looks over my shoulder and says, "What is so funny?" My answer was, "You wouldn't understand."

Originally Posted by CaptainCaveman

Dare I bring up the monster that is British Standard Whitworth? >:3

I was afraid that was going to happen.

Originally Posted by rrich

..... "You wouldn't understand."...

Brave man.

Originally Posted by damian

... And while you are all cheering on the metric system find me a metric thread as fine as the fine imperial threads and ...... there were sound engineering reasons why Whitworth and others engineered the fasteners they way they did....

Damian

A lot of gnomes in Swtizerland make a lot of watches every year, and those watches contain heaps of itsy bitsy little screws. None have Whitworth threads. Could you kindly explain?

The Whitworth thread design was the first thread standard in the world. It is/was based on a fundamental triangle with an angle of 55° at each peak and valley. The Sellers thread used by the USA had a 60° at each peak and valley. So Whitworth threads aren't compatible with anything that isn't a Whitworth.

What about AF, NF, NC and SAE?
Regards