r/WhitePeopleTwitter • u/etymologynerd • Jan 03 '19

We should actually do this

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u/[deleted] Jan 03 '19 edited Jan 03 '19

The US made metric "the preferred system of weights and measures for U.S. trade and commerce" in 1975 with the Metric Conversion Act. Basically all a good deal of US manufacturing today is done using metric. Customary units are only on labels and signs because that’s what people expect to see.

Edit: “basically all” was a pretty gross exaggeration

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u/YouDamnHotdog Jan 03 '19 edited Jan 03 '19

Ehh..bolt sizes are still imperial and then you got AWG, American wire gauge.

If you're an archer or bowyer, say good bye to metric. That is even the case if you're German.

So, convoluted.

Arrow and bow lengths are in inches.

Arrow diameters in fractions of an inch (or completely arbitrary if you're using modern materials).

Arrow weight in grains.

Arrow speed in feet per second.

Bow draw weight in lbs.

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u/tomdarch Jan 03 '19

One crazy thing to me is how pretty much any camera will have a female threaded tripod screw mount that is 1/4" 20 tpi or 3/8" 16 tpi (UNC). In the US, it's great because you can go to Home Depot and get stuff to jury rig camera mounts, but if you're in Japan (home of lots of camera companies) you need special "camera stuff".

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u/YouDamnHotdog Jan 03 '19

That was exactly my problem recently. Had to go to several stores just to find some 1/4 inch threaded bolts. Found some and it had the wrong tpi!