dwasifar Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 I can't believe this really needs so much explaining: Who doesn't know how to use a ruler? But the comments are filled with "Oh thank you, this was so confusing before," and there are oodles of such videos. I was at least expecting him to explain why the hook is loosely attached and why the multiples of 16 are in red. Those are pretty basic things too, but no, he spends the whole video, almost 9 minutes, just on explaining the 1/16" markings. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 If you need to know how to read a tape measure then you shouldn't be doing anything that involves a tape measure. For Pete's sake, we learn how to use rulers in 2nd grade, a tape measure is the same damned thing. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stercorarius Posted December 31, 2016 Report Share Posted December 31, 2016 You would be surprised. First day of both engineering drawing and metal shop was spent explaining the same thing. It was followed by a test that was a picture of a section of tape with highlighted marks that you had to write down the measurement for. I thought the whole day was a joke untill about 40% of the class failed on the first try. You don't realize how little some people have dealt with tapes when you were out there running a tape from the moment you could speak in sentences. I honestly think tape measures are the only reason I did well in math classes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foneguy Posted January 1, 2017 Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 Those damn fractions !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwasifar Posted January 1, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2017 For this particular video, maybe the key is in the title: "How to read an American tape measure." Perhaps the people who need all this help were raised on the metric system and aren't used to thinking of measurements in terms of repeated halving. What's half of half a centimeter? 2.5mm, but there's no mark on a metric tape for that, and they wouldn't think in those terms. I'm comfortable with either system. I appreciate the metric system for its easy calculations and conversions, but I think the American system is more lined up with human scale measurements and the calculations that are native to the way our brains work. You don't say to someone, "Hey, gimme 5/10 of your candy bar." I don't have a problem measuring, say, length in metric measurements, but since nobody uses decimeters, the increments in common use are centimeters and meters, which is like giving the size of a room or the height of a person in half-inches or in yards with nothing between. A foot is hard to divide by 5, but divides evenly by 2, 3, 4, or 6, whereas any metric increment really only divides evenly by 2 or 5. So I think the American system has the advantage in divisibility at least. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert.amantea Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 For this particular video, maybe the key is in the title: "How to read an American tape measure." Perhaps the people who need all this help were raised on the metric system and aren't used to thinking of measurements in terms of repeated halving. What's half of half a centimeter? 2.5mm, but there's no mark on a metric tape for that, and they wouldn't think in those terms. I'm comfortable with either system. I appreciate the metric system for its easy calculations and conversions, but I think the American system is more lined up with human scale measurements and the calculations that are native to the way our brains work. You don't say to someone, "Hey, gimme 5/10 of your candy bar." I don't have a problem measuring, say, length in metric measurements, but since nobody uses decimeters, the increments in common use are centimeters and meters, which is like giving the size of a room or the height of a person in half-inches or in yards with nothing between. A foot is hard to divide by 5, but divides evenly by 2, 3, 4, or 6, whereas any metric increment really only divides evenly by 2 or 5. So I think the American system has the advantage in divisibility at least. So, how big is "a bite"? [emoji16] [emoji16] [emoji16] [emoji16] [emoji16] I agree with your statement though. For some reason, the world outside the USA and Canada (some parts) has accepted that the metric system is much more precise (it's not) and easier (maybe if you never used fractions).... The metric system has only the equivalent of the 1/16" (mm) but misses out completely when you move down to a 1/32" or a 1/64"...I personally can't find the precision in metric for the work that I want to do or the signature I want to leave... When I need true precision, I will go decimal with my measurements, but a 1/64" or 1/32" is plenty accurate for most woodworking and fine furniture projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwasifar Posted January 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 In practice the material measurement debate is pretty much moot; you use the system that's dominant in your region, because those are the dimensions your materials come in. We tend to prefer the system we're comfortable with, which makes it hard to be objective. I don't think either system is inherently more precise. You can measure anything with either scale, it's just a matter of how small an increment you have to choose to match the length you want. 1/32" is 794µm (microns to us, micrometres to the rest of the world), or about 0.8mm, which seems like an inherently imprecise conversion, but it looks as messy the other way; 1mm is about 5/128". I'll make an exception to that statement for temperature, though, just because outside of science it's rare to see temperature expressed in fractional degrees. Common use (weather reports, thermostats, etc.) is to express temperature in one-degree increments, which makes Fahrenheit's smaller degrees superior to Celsius. Dividing the temperature difference between the boiling and freezing points of water into 100 increments seems kind of arbitrary; they'd have been better off choosing some other benchmarks, or dividing it into 200 increments instead for smaller, more precise degrees. Once I got in a debate about this with a Russian woman, a co-worker. I explained my point of view about human-scale increments and divisibility, and she pooh-poohed my arguments (as metric advocates tend to do). "You just say that because you don't know the metric system." I told her I know the metric system just fine. "Oh really? Then how tall am I, in metric measurements?" She stood there looking smug; I looked her up and down and said, "About 170cm." Her face fell. I said, "I'm right, aren't I?" "Well, we wouldn't say it that way, but yes. Why do men win all the arguments?" I said, "Is that the way it is where you come from?" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 haha I had a 4th year apprentice seriously ask how many 16ths in an inch?I looked at him for a second to look puzzled and said all of them and walked away..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 50 minutes ago, comp56 said: haha I had a 4th year apprentice seriously ask how many 16ths in an inch?I looked at him for a second to look puzzled and said all of them and walked away..... should have told him 32 halves 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwasifar Posted January 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 1 hour ago, comp56 said: haha I had a 4th year apprentice seriously ask how many 16ths in an inch?I looked at him for a second to look puzzled and said all of them and walked away..... FOURTH year? How did he get that far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 Just now, dwasifar said: FOURTH year? How did he get that far? exactly......he didn't last a week........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claeg Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 Speaking of Tape measures, anyone have one of these? https://www.amazon.com/QUICKDRAW-Self-Marking-Foot-Measure/dp/B01ECKOWQQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462945286&sr=8-1&keywords=tape+measure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert.amantea Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 Looks like just another gimmick to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwasifar Posted January 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 2 hours ago, Claeg said: Speaking of Tape measures, anyone have one of these? https://www.amazon.com/QUICKDRAW-Self-Marking-Foot-Measure/dp/B01ECKOWQQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462945286&sr=8-1&keywords=tape+measure That picture makes better sense when you read the instructions and realize that what appears to be a skinny black rod sticking out of the side is actually intended to be a line drawn on the workpiece by the tool. Yeah, I don't think I'd use this. If I'm marking something, I'm usually making more than one mark; drawing the tape out and make all the marks in one pass. This would make you adjust the tape for each mark, and you'd have to line up your sight exactly with the line on the tape and lock it without shifting the tape. I agree with albert; gimmick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 9 minute video I didn't think anyone needed that much for reading a tape Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 8 minutes ago, Logan said: 9 minute video I didn't think anyone needed that much for reading a tape maybe the guy is a teacher at pre-school cause that is what that video made me feel.... 3:58 on video I got a kick out of what he says, "It's gonna take awhile, most tape measures" Most tape measures? ya be careful some have no marks at all....lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd the Tinkerer Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 should have told him 32 halvesI love screwing with people by saying 16/32 or 6/4 or 6/16. On second thought, maybe I'm just an asshole. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnarlyCarl Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 2 hours ago, tcoscarelli said: I love screwing with people by saying 16/32 or 6/4 or 6/16. On second thought, maybe I'm just an asshole. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Sometimes I'll screw with a guy here and switch between metric and standard, as I have a tape that has both systems on it. He hates it lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd the Tinkerer Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 Sometimes I'll screw with a guy here and switch between metric and standard, as I have a tape that has both systems on it. He hates it lolAlmost everything at my work is in metric. It is funny watching newbs learning it. We where all there once and had a guy training/screwing with us wile we learned. I'm just glad to fill that role. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimboS1ice Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 3 minutes ago, tcoscarelli said: Almost everything at my work is in metric. It is funny watching newbs learning it. We where all there once and had a guy training/screwing with us wile we learned. I'm just glad to fill that role. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Metric is so easy though!! Half of 16mm us much easier than half of 7 3/8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd the Tinkerer Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 Metric is so easy though!! Half of 16mm us much easier than half of 7 3/8I agree. The only bad part is when you need a new tape measure I have to order them because most stores around me have little to none with metric. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Todd the Tinkerer Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 Metric is so easy though!! Half of 16mm us much easier than half of 7 3/8I agree. The only bad part is when you need a new tape measure I have to order them because most stores around me have little to none with metric. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bremon Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 On 2017-01-03 at 9:37 PM, albert.amantea said: So, how big is "a bite"? I agree with your statement though. For some reason, the world outside the USA and Canada (some parts) has accepted that the metric system is much more precise (it's not) and easier (maybe if you never used fractions).... The metric system has only the equivalent of the 1/16" (mm) but misses out completely when you move down to a 1/32" or a 1/64"... I personally can't find the precision in metric for the work that I want to do or the signature I want to leave... When I need true precision, I will go decimal with my measurements, but a 1/64" or 1/32" is plenty accurate for most woodworking and fine furniture projects. Except the metric system scales linearly instead of having arbitrary fractions. 12" in a foot. Whatever fraction you pull out of your lowest common denominator. Just like ounces pints and gallons. Or oz and lbs. Random scales with no common meaning. Metric everything just goes by 10/100/1000. Simple. My biggest problem is as a Canadian we are "officially metric" but have only been that way for 50 years; not enough time for the old timers to kick the habit lol. Plus working construction and dealing with Americans means imperial crap everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comp56 Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 I know both like the back of my hand, pretty much no difference to me. 12" 30cm my 3 grown kids on the other hand are 100% metric, so I like throwing grab me that yard stick or you need to add 3 cups of water.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert.amantea Posted January 5, 2017 Report Share Posted January 5, 2017 Except the metric system scales linearly instead of having arbitrary fractions. 12" in a foot. Whatever fraction you pull out of your lowest common denominator. Just like ounces pints and gallons. Or oz and lbs. Random scales with no common meaning. Metric everything just goes by 10/100/1000. Simple. My biggest problem is as a Canadian we are "officially metric" but have only been that way for 50 years; not enough time for the old timers to kick the habit lol. Plus working construction and dealing with Americans means imperial crap everywhere. I disagree... A foot is 12" because that is the length of an average man's foot. (Google it!) There is nothing random or arbitrary about imperial measurements. Each fraction size is exactly one half of the size above it. Working with fractions is very simple and accurate. As simple as metric if you know how. Want to know what half of 3/8 is? Keep the top number the same, and double the lower number... 3/16... Simple. Wanna get all the numbers the same? Also easy... Just remember that imperial uses half... 1/2 is the same as 8/16, which is the same as 4/8.Not that difficult... And the tape has the marks already on it. Metric is simple to you because it doesn't require thought. That doesn't make it more accurate. In fact, it can make it less so. Celsius makes no sense... Why base 0 degrees at the freezing point of water? Don't things get colder than that? Because it's easy for the masses. Doesn't make it better or more accurate. (neither does Fahrenheit, but Kelvin does) Imperial is based on the measurements of the human body, not a scientific length like metric. It is much more natural for man to use imperial, we just have gotten away from it because we've been told that metric is better. I use both on a daily basis. Not because one is better than the other, but simply because I have tools based on both that require me to think in both at the same time. I do this as a choice because the quality of the tools is at level required, not the accuracy of the measurements. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T217A using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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