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Post by Donald G on Mar 1, 2007 19:26:18 GMT
One of Colchester SMEE members, Norman Barber, a recent winner at Sandown with his Maid of Kent, has recently been in touch with his MP regarding Metrication. And as a result, a petition against the legislation has been set up on the No. 10 Downing Street website. Would all those who feel strongly about this legislation please support Norman and go to the site and sign the petition, also get your friends and other club members to do so as well so our voice may be heard. Link petitions.pm.gov.uk/Metrication/Thank you for your support Donald G
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John Lee
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Post by John Lee on Mar 1, 2007 19:43:34 GMT
Not likely!!! As an old engineer who recognises the potential advantages of one system, rather then overpriced stuff sold in model shops, it would not get my vote. To use a horrible American phrase, the only engineers who have made any impact are those who are prepared to "think outside of the box" Isambard Kingdom Brunel did this, he rejected old ideas and built things that stand today. Closer to home LBSC refused to accept the idea that coal fired engines were impractical. If people want to vote against metrication because they do not understand it, or they selfishly have tools in a different measure, or they are nationalists even who cannot accept that this is the way the world is going and cannot adapt. So be it..... Regards, John
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Post by modeng2000 on Mar 1, 2007 19:47:45 GMT
Not trying to get controversial but the metric system seems to make a lot of sense to me. More than I can say for those funny fractional measurements.
John
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Post by Donald G on Mar 1, 2007 19:48:56 GMT
I can understand, as an engineer myself what you are saying, but what is likely to happen is that for old machines and equipment, companies will not be able to manufacture spares etc. in Imperial units, it will affect many industries with old equipment
Regards Donald G
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Post by stantheman on Mar 1, 2007 19:53:00 GMT
One of my employers totally refused to have anything to do with metrification back in the 80's. He employed somebody to alter any drawings that were not created 'in-house' so they all showed imperial dimensions, or as near as they could get with the change. Then there were those of us 'downstairs' that had been brought up understanding, more or less, the benefits or not of both. Very often we would then spend however much time converting them all back to metric which very often we found easier. Tools for measurements of either were always found in our tool boxes even then. They do call it progress whatever anyone may think. 'Back to the drawing board and my hobby!'
Stan.
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John Lee
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Post by John Lee on Mar 1, 2007 20:10:13 GMT
Not trying to get controversial but the metric system seems to make a lot of sense to me. More than I can say for those funny fractional measurements. John It's not really controversial or new John. Debates on this have popped up and down for years, in the model press and the professional press. I was born after jets were invented that makes the world a small place, and the vast majority of the world is metricated. Why anybody would want to stick to an old system, other that a sense of misplaced nationalistic pride, or because they do not undertstand it, or because they do not want to buy new tooling I really do not know. Surely Engineering, think the Industrial Revolution, has always been about the acceptance of new ideas? Perhaps those who disagree may want to take a look at a flat earth pratagonists website??? Regards, John
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Post by GeorgeRay on Mar 1, 2007 20:17:41 GMT
I looks like a great idea since its not proposing doing away with metric just permitting imperial to still be used by those that wish to. This seems to be legalising what already happens in that when I go to the timber merchants to buy some 50mm by 25mm timber the guy on the mill says Oh you want some 2 by1.
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S.D.L.
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Post by S.D.L. on Mar 1, 2007 20:31:42 GMT
[ font=Verdana]I can understand, as an engineer myself what you are saying, but what is likely to happen is that for old machines and equipment, companies will not be able to manufacture spares etc. in Imperial units, it will affect many industries with old equipment Regards Donald G
[/font][/color] Most companies that are still going and make a profit are using CNC and the machine doesn't care if the shaft is 1" Dia or 25.4mm. Having worked in Engineering design since 1976 the last drawings i did in imperial and BA threads was 1977 30 years ago so there is probably as much old stuff in metric as imperial now days. Steve Larner
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Post by ron on Mar 1, 2007 20:36:36 GMT
I was reading an old ME from 1968 and the old farts in the letter pages were arguing about the pros and cons of upcoming legislation about 'going metric', looks as if not a lot has changed in 40 years, I wonder if they'll be arguing about it in 40 years time! Ron
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Post by havoc on Mar 1, 2007 20:39:54 GMT
Does this matter? I mean, lots of perfectly good and capable tools were trown away when safety regulations came into use. I know of a metal workshop that dumped tons of excenter presses on the scrap because they could not use them anymore since all presses had to be hydraulical for safety. The new presses were slower, came with so many safety improvements that you couldn't do anything on them. (unless you bypassed a lot of things) But he could trow the old ones out and install new ones or close the shop.
Some of the old ones were from 1890's. Marvelous pieces of gear.
Yes, like when Sweden decided to drive right hand instead of left hand. They should have let those that wished to continue to use the left hand side of the road to do so.
Come on, get into the 19-th century. Apart from some backwaters like the US, Liberia and Mayanmar nobody uses those ancient relics anymore. Sometimes things change.
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John Lee
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Post by John Lee on Mar 1, 2007 20:40:02 GMT
Except in the small small world of ME Steve, who want to raise petitions. Real engineering is about innovation, which stems from individuality, is it not? A wink to Stan and Jo.....ohhh and t_v Ahhh Ron.but we have both reached the"old farts" age... despite my recent picture which is a result of clean living and a blameless life... I may lie a bit in this respect . Even so, there is no reason to adopt a King Canute attitude..this will happen. Regards, John
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Post by Malcolm on Mar 1, 2007 20:52:50 GMT
Perhaps before you all sound off, you should read what the petition actually says. Remember the old saying about putting brain in gear before engaging mouth........
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John Lee
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Post by John Lee on Mar 1, 2007 21:00:44 GMT
Read, brain engaged, thank you Malcolm for the input It amounts to a nationalistic rant... Does anybody who supports this want to get the UK back to a producing nation rather than a service industry?? Regards John
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Post by ridleyian on Mar 1, 2007 21:01:02 GMT
'Perhaps before you all sound off, you should read what the petition actually says. Remember the old saying about putting brain in gear before engaging mouth........ ' Hear hear! Free speech and free expression. Back to lurking
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Myford Matt
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Post by Myford Matt on Mar 1, 2007 21:39:19 GMT
I'm thinking of setting up a Canute petition to stop erosion of the coast.
We covered all of this in 'More EU meddling' - see my points at the top of page 2.
This petition is just pointless looney raving.
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John Lee
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Post by John Lee on Mar 1, 2007 21:48:26 GMT
This petition is just pointless looney raving. Agreed Matt..... if they want to rant take it elsewhere.. even on here... there is space, but can we get back to engineering issues? John
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Post by mmaidnz on Mar 1, 2007 22:04:31 GMT
As someone who was brought up on the metric system,it seems much more logical than imperial.here in new zealand,we are metricated,but imperial is not illegal,It just costs a lot more to buy imp. hardware. I do not believe making imperial illegal serves any real purpose.Other than providing something to do for the politicians,no one benefits from this.It would also be detrimental to the large number of people who are involved with old(classic?)machinery of any kind. It all depends how far reaching this legislation really is.And I guess businesses involved in imperial can always apply for dispensation.
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paul
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Post by paul on Mar 1, 2007 22:16:06 GMT
It seems that 1 in 3 threads on this board seem to get hijacked and 50% of those are about the imperial/metric debate! Should there be a 'Imperial/Metric Arguments' section? (Tongue firmly in cheek).
Unless I'm mistaken at least the metre is based on a measureable real world 'value' (look it up if you don't know) so I suppose it's more 'legitimate'.
Me, I like measuring small things in millimetres but I think in miles/yards/feet/inches/pints/MPH/pounds (lb), etc.
I haven't read the petition but if it calls for the abolition of metrication it's a waste of time. If it calls for people to use whatever system they fancy then I'm all for it (if you don't want to buy your apples in KG go to the greengrocer who sells 'em in pounds - but you'll need to put litres of fuel in your car to get there!).
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Post by steammadman on Mar 1, 2007 22:27:15 GMT
Ron, Are you suggesting ,at 70yrs plus, i am an old fart?.
I use imperial measure almost exclusively, have done for over 50 years and , i WILL continue to do so until i take my workshop to the site in the sky ,or wherever we go at the end of the day. AND I WILL STILL NOT BE AN OLD FART ! ! ! ! !
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Post by alanstepney on Mar 1, 2007 22:33:50 GMT
I can work in either, but for preference, use Imperial.
One major disadvantage of, not metrication per se, but the way we introduced it is that many companies scrapped all their Imperial stuff. One example with which I was involved. A compaby wanted soem machines made. These were BIG, costing around £2 million each and there were several of them. They had to be identical to their existing machines, partly as they wanted standardisation and also to save having two stocks of spares. None of the British companies could supply, so we, the UK, lost a £25+ million order. (It went to Japan, who didnt have problem supplying BSF/BA etc and working to inches.)
So, to pick up an earlier comment, I have grave doubts that we can still be classed as a manufacturing nation. How much of that, if any, is due to metrication, I wouldnt like to say.
I also fail to see the advantages of metric, but that is just my view.
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