converting inches to mm

[joris]

Hy,

As I'm living in belgium, we do all our calculations in mm instead of inches.

If any of You guys have the same problem, here's a splendid tool that can help you out.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/length_common.htm

At least it helped me.

[GuitarMaestro]

I know what you mean....All those countries still working with inches should be forced to change that. Measuring in mm is much more handy and avoids all headaches....All that 1/x crap is soooo annoying. Working with inches will die out sooner or later anyway, because it is much more complicated and it really has no advantage I know of. Additionally a big majority on the world uses the metric system. Nice tool, btw.

[darren wilson]

The big problem isn't with the metric conversion. That's an easy calculation: 1 inch = 25.4 mm.

The problem is with the damned fractions! You have to do a whole other set of calculations just to figure out what 7/32 of an inch is in decimal form.

The reason why the US hasn't gone to the Metric system yet is 1) stubbornness; and 2) EVERY industry from forestry to paper to tool and die making, etc. would have to re-tool, purchase new machinery, reprogram their software... everything. That's why a lot of industries in Canada (which officially uses the Metric system) still have to go by old English measurements for compatibility with North America-wide industry standards.

[joris]

I know.

It's the fractions that give me a headake (hope this is spelled correctly).

Like the 7/32.

Am I correct if I divide 7 ty 32 and then convert it to mm ??

would be 0.22 multiplied by the number of mm for a inch.

[darren wilson]

Yeah, divide 7 by 32 to get the decimal equivalent, which is 0.21875 in.

Multiply that by 25.4 and you get the millimetres: 5.55625 mm

[rob]

hmmm it's strange, I used to hate mm, but ever since i got in to guitars and there workings I've started using inches loads!

[daveq]

This one is my favorite - quick and simple!

Metric Conversion

[Southpa]

I don't know, the last guitar I built was a non-metric guitar. I'm still stuck in the old system although the rest of the country is metric. When someone tells me the temperature is 13 degrees Celsius outside, I have no clue as to what that feels like. Is that relatively hot or cold? But if they said 55 degrees F then I know that I should wear a sweater. I guess it depends on what you grew up with. My truck speedometer reads mph although all the signs on the road read kph. I just multiply by 6 and take off the last digit to see if I'm going too fast.

All my drill/router bits are in standard sizes, however I might use both systems as it suits me. If I find my standard measurements getting a little too small, like into 32's of an inch, I might use the more rounded off metric equivalent.

[jbkim]

I still have my trusty Hewlett-Packard 48GX which has great unit conversion faculties .

[Jon Bell]

I think inches are good for big things like measuring planks of wood but for precise measurements you can't beat mm. I think there is nothing worse than trying to work out what 7/32 of an inch are.

Jon

[westhemann]

sure there is...trying to find .023"

[Brian]

Seem's all the plumbing I ever saw in Europe was still in inches

Can you tell I've had to work on the kitchen sink more then once

[john]

Seem's all the plumbing I ever saw in Europe was still in inches

very true brian.

over here in ireland there is lot of both systems used:

plumbing : inches

speed limits : mph (but distances are measured in km`s, go figure )

temperature : celsius ( or kelvin on a really cold day! )

land : acres

weight : Kg`s ( but when we talk about weight of a body, its stone not kg....)

as you can see its a mixed bag, a bit head wrecking at times.

i blame the english! .