How do you read a metric ruler?

[kwired]

An interesting concept. What are the standards for contruction in Metric Countries? For example, what is the distance between studs for the equivalent of our 16" OC or 24" OC? What is the standard sheet of sheetrock? What is the standard length of conduit?

One place that has been effected in the NEC that I am aware of is in 240.24 - the maximum height of the operating handle of switches and circuit breakers used to be 6 foot 6 inches. It was changed (2002?? can't remember for sure) to 6 foot 7 inches which is closer to an even 2 meters than 6 foot 6 is. AFAIK that is the only reason for that change.

 

[ritelec]

What's with all the handicap heights........

6'6" or 6'7""

what if a person in a wheel chair needs to get to the switch.

Where do they draw the line.......

How do they draw the line?

Just wondering.....Thank you for the brain matter massage.

 

[ritelec]

That is where the trouble is.

Back in the 60's when JFK sent out that the garment industry could go out to the rest of the world. We (US) went from something like 98% to today at like 3%( yr. 2000). Metric also became a lesson in schools to be on the page as the rest of the world.

Lets bring in some metric.

How many meters High can we build a wall around the US? Create jobs. Sorry to say, but the rest of the world fends for themselves.

Think we're in it too deep (in feet). But...

thank you for letting me vent my 20cm.

 

[Besoeker]

That is where the trouble is. The use of SI units is mathematically much easier to apply for most things. The fact that many have used other units for so long is what is hard about converting.

Actually, not just many but most countries have.

People just can't visualize the differences and because of that have a tendency to block it. We are used to buying gasoline by the gallon, change the unit to liters and there will be many confused consumers.

Interesting perspective for that here in UK.
All our road signs are in Imperial units. Miles. My car is set up that way. Service intervals, distance travelled, distance to destination, miles per gallon, average speed....stuff..
But we buy fuel in litres. There are those here who claimed it was a conspiracy theory to obscure fuel price rises.

We are used to things in the construction trades being sized by the foot, yard, or inches.

As were we. I sometimes make things. This I made for my office soon after we moved to this house.
Very basic, I know. Just my office...

Standard materials from your equivalent of Home Depot.
Measurements for the material were given in metric. The depth is exactly 2 feet.

The milk in the fridge is 2.72 litres. Or four pints.
And, if you order a beer in a pub, it comes in pints.

Despite the move to metrication in UK, we somehow cling on to some imperial units.

 

[Besoeker]

An interesting concept. What are the standards for contruction in Metric Countries? For example, what is the distance between studs for the equivalent of our 16" OC or 24" OC?

What is 16" OC or 24" OC?

What is the standard sheet of sheetrock?

I guess that's the equivalent of plasterboard here.
You can get it in various sizes. Common is 1800mm by 900mm.

What is the standard length of conduit?

Usually 2m.
That said, we don't often use it here.

 

[K8MHZ]

That is where the issue is. We don't adjust our thinking, we just keep converting from the metric system to our system and never adjust.

I disagree. I use the metric system, like millions of others, for fastener sizes on cars and motorcycles. It took a while, but eventually the conversion process went away.

Pratice makes perfect.

 

[kwired]

I disagree. I use the metric system, like millions of others, for fastener sizes on cars and motorcycles. It took a while, but eventually the conversion process went away.

Pratice makes perfect.

There is no conversion in that particular instance. Sure you may have a head that fits both a metric and an SAE wrench or comes really close anyway, but the thread size and pitch on those fasteners are not interchangeable/convertible and are a different item for the most part. Kind of like how a 10-32 and a 10-24 machine screw can not be interchanged even though the same screwdriver will turn them.

I haven't bought a metric screwdriver set yet, has anyone else?

 

[Strathead]

What is 16" OC or 24" OC?

I guess that's the equivalent of plasterboard here.
You can get it in various sizes. Common is 1800mm by 900mm.

Usually 2m.
That said, we don't often use it here.

sorry, OC is on center.

 

[Strathead]

What is 16" OC or 24" OC?

I guess that's the equivalent of plasterboard here.
You can get it in various sizes. Common is 1800mm by 900mm.

Usually 2m.
That said, we don't often use it here.

6 feet long? And you don't use it?

 

[kwired]

6 feet long? And you don't use it?

I think what he is getting at is cable wiring methods are more common than raceway methods.

 

[ritelec]

Kind of like how a 10-32 and a 10-24 machine screw can not be interchanged even though the same screwdriver will turn them.

Try a Metric Hammer. Works well on most things. :happyyes:

 

[Besoeker]

sorry, OC is on center.

On centre for what?

 

[ritelec]

6 feet long? And you don't use it?

2M = 6'- 6 and 3/4 inches.

It's the extra 6 and 3/4" that creates the problem.

 

[Besoeker]

6 feet long? And you don't use it?

Conduit?
Almost never.
I sometimes use use PVC trunking just to cover a bit of three core cable or comms cable but not to ensconce single core conductors.
If you look at my bookshelf that I posted you will see a a bit of trunking going up the top left hand side. It isn't all that obvious and that's the point.
It takes the comms cable up to Mrs B's office and to the goggle box and cable in the main bedroom.
Look at the bottom right at the skirting board (baseboard in your parlance) and you might see yet another bit of matched trunking that takes the link to the television there.

 

[ritelec]

Conduit?
Almost never.
I sometimes use use PVC trunking just to cover a bit of three core cable or comms cable but not to ensconce single core conductors.
If you look at my bookshelf that I posted you will see a a bit of trunking going up the top left hand side. It isn't all that obvious and that's the point.
It takes the comms cable up to Mrs B's office and to the goggle box and cable in the main bedroom.
Look at the bottom right at the skirting board (baseboard in your parlance) and you might see yet another bit of matched trunking that takes the link to the television there.

what? I see a coaxial cable running across the floor 2 meters.

Love the blue by the way.

 

[kwired]

Try a Metric Hammer. Works well on most things. :happyyes:

Well I guess there would be a fairly noticeable difference between a 2 lb hammer and a 2 kg hammer.:happyyes:

 

[Besoeker]

what? I see a coaxial cable running across the floor 2 meters.

It's actually a flexible mains lead going to a temporary extension block, long since replaced. The coaxial is inside the trunking.

Love the blue by the way.

Thank you. The panelling was a bit of work but turned out OK, I think.

 

[Strathead]

On centre for what?

Our walls studs and ceiling joists are usually built with 16" center to center or 24" center to center on the studs. that works out to a stud on the 4 foot mark for a 4x8 foot piece of sheetrock. Occasionally the measurement is 12". It is common to refer to this as on center meaning center to center.

 

[PetrosA]

Most of the drywall I've seen in Europe is installed vertically instead of horizontally (the framing isn't structural, so strength isn't an issue). with 120cm drywall, you could have studs every 40 or 60 cm on center.

 

[kwired]

Most of the drywall I've seen in Europe is installed vertically instead of horizontally (the framing isn't structural, so strength isn't an issue). with 120cm drywall, you could have studs every 40 or 60 cm on center.

Is strength an issue here in US?

Drywall does not really add any strength to a structural wall - it is just a finish covering and maybe fire rated covering.

Look at many metal stud walls that have practically no strength at all - until the drywall is installed - but that doesn't add enough strength to make it a structural, load bearing wall.