Built like a Mercedes (?)

Not in Toronto, it's not.

Perhaps, I haven't bought any.

Two or three sizes in one or two lengths, covering 9" of shelf space,
compared to an entire aisle of inch sizes and lengths in different
materials, does not count as "available".

Must be!

 

In an industry in which an inch doesn't equal an inch anyway, not sure
it makes much difference.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

That's because the old system was so so messed up.

Metric makes a lot of sense for some things and personally
it's mypreferences. But on both sides of the coin (ha ha
I make joke) there are things that are just f'ed up: kilopascals
on one side and Olde English currency on the other.

 

True for thicknesses, but not for length. For instance (and I know
this isn't plywood...) 2" x 4" and a 4cm by 10cm may well be the same
thickness, but 8' just isn't the same length as the closest reasonably
round metric number, 2.5m.

 

Why do you insist on posting things you have no clue about. ALL
PLYWOOD? Does the term ALL PLYWOOD mean all the plywood you have used
today? It sure as hell does not mean ALL PLYWOOD. Because there is
plenty of plywood available in proper sizes. Of course, if you insist
on buying the imitation plywood that Menards sells, yes some is not
accurately made. But if you buy your plywood from reputable lumber
yards, it is actually true nominal size.

Maybe you want to take your time, think (I know that must be hard for
you) and do some research before posting.

*************************
Dave

 

An inch does equal in inch. You just need to understand what nominal
means. It makes a big difference when you purchase the cheap shit
Menards is trying to pass off as plywood lately. They are selling
3/4" plywood (actual not nominal) that does not measure anywhere near
3/4". Plays hell on someone who isn't expecting them to substitute
crap and say it is the same as what everyone else sells, when you have
already used your 3/4 bit to cut a groove.

*************************
Dave

 

You can get metric lengths, a number of places that sell birch plywood
import it from Russia, and the lengths are something approximating 3'
by 5', whatever the metric equivalent is. I have not bought any
myself, but all you have to do is check some wood working sites to get
the exact sizes.

*************************
Dave

 

I was not referring to plywood. I was referring to things like a 2" x
4" nominal cross section being something on the order of 1-3/4" x 3-1/2"
(or thereabouts) and similar nonsense.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

BINGO! As long as one can sell less for more, the esoteric terms are
irrelevant!

In the USA go to any so-called 'fast food restaurant' (e.g., it isn't fast and
it isn't food) and order a drink. "Large" has as many differences as there
are 'fast food joints'. While the metric system generally isn't used in the USA,
it IS resorted to when deception is in the mix! It's the whole idea of "I know
something you don't" thus "I'm superior". The bottom line is to ask and ask
and ask and ask and keep on asking as may questions as you need to to
FINALLY get to the bottom line of 'what do you mean'? Ask to get an understanding
of exactly what is being said. You won't be appreciated, but at least your
chances for being ripped off will decrease. This applies to ALL areas of life,
not just in the area of liter, meter, metric and ounce area, but in the esoteric
language used deliberately to deceive you - a fool and his money are soon
separated. More often than not, car salesmen do NOT know the meaning of
the terms used to sell cars. They will verbally give you a song and dance...it's
up to you to hear the sour notes and disharmony. Life didn't used to be like
this as much as it presently is. An example in the USA is that once a group
(societal conditioned to believe any study from Harvard is sacred and must
be immediately adherred to) does a study that says: "whole grain" cereal
is healthy, SUDDENLY 99.9 percent of the cereal boxes state WHOLE GRAIN
in HUGE letters while microscopically stating a disclaimer.

Cavet Emptor! Indeed!

Helen

 

Length can be sawcut to whatever you want. But width and thickness are not
what they purport to be. Case in point--a standard 2X4 board.

True for thicknesses, but not for length. For instance (and I know
this isn't plywood...) 2" x 4" and a 4cm by 10cm may well be the same
thickness, but 8' just isn't the same length as the closest reasonably
round metric number, 2.5m.[/QUOTE]

 

I can just imagine the exchange between the sales guy/girl at Menard and
Dave afterward...... ouch

cheers, guenter

 

In Canada all plywood is designated in metric sizes today. If you buy
3/4" Canadian plywood it's not 3/4 inch any more. It is 18mm.
Standards are 3-18mm.

Mabee I overstepped when I said ALL, because we get plywood from all
around the world. But all CANADIAN standard plywood is now officially
metric.(as is finnish , russian, and most asian supplied hardwood ply)
Many US suppliers also provide plywood in metric sizes (as well as
"imperial") These include AmerPly (NJ), Boise Cascade , Champion
Intn'l(Wa), Multinomah(Or), Murphy (Or), Oregon Strand, Potlach (Wa),
Roseburg (Or), Stone Forest (Or) and Vancouver Standard (Wa).

If you get plywood from these suppliers it could be either standard.

In the US, the General Services Administration, GSA Metric Program
(ADM 8000.1B) required that all procurement in the construction
industry be in metric measurements by Jan 1, 1994.That doesn't mean it
has necessarily happened, but MANY federal projects DO require metric
design (PBS-PQ260)

Never start a plywood project assuming the plywood to be one or the
other without measuring, and buy all plywood for a project at the same
time (measuring to be sure it is the same) so you do not cut rabbetts
etc the wrong size.

 

"Nominal Sise" dimensional lumber has been standardised for
decades.Rough cut lumber is cut to (or slightly larger than) the
stated size - then the lumber is planed to an industry agreed size -
2X4 is 1.5X 3.5. 1/8 inch is removed from both surfaces of less than
2" nominal dimension, and 1/4 from both surfaces 2" and larger
nominal up to 6".3/8" is removed from both surfaces larger than 6" and
up to 12"

So there is the 5/4" nominal lumber, which is 1" decking.

 

Other peeve about the US measurement system is the volume:

8 ounces = 1 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon

I've had the days when the recipe called for ingredient in ounces when
that ingredient came in pints or cups at store. I had to do the math to
ensure I have enough amount. Sometimes I did the math wrong and ended up
with too much or too little. In Europe, I could easily glance to
determine how many cans, bottles, boxes or which amount to buy.

If I lose the 1/8 cup measuring cup, I have to hazard the amount by
guessing with 1/4 cup measuring cup. However, one cannot do it by the
seat of the pants when doing the bakery. Everything has to be precise
for making bread dough.

 

OMG, powers of two are SO hard.

Don't lose your measuring cup. If you lose your tools, metric won't
help you.

 

It is the same thing, Bill, they are sold in nominal sizes. When you
buy rough lumber at a mill, a 2x4 measures 2" x 4". When you joint
and plane it, the finished size is slightly smaller. If you go to a
really good mill, you can get 1" oak that actually measures as much as
1-1/4". So you are able to plane it down to a full inch for really
great shelving, or whatever you are doing.

*************************
Dave

 

Someone else already pointed out this is incorrect, so I won't bother.

*************************
Dave

 

And your point?

Sounds like you have trouble with math.

Guess you do.

If you can't add 2 + 2 and get 4, the difference between our
measurements and your simplistic ones don't matter.

Nope. I make bread all the time, and pizza dough, and all kinds of
other baked products. I NEVER worry about getting things precise.
They all come out fine.

*************************
Dave

 

I disagree. As you pointed out, fuel economy is worsened when more fuel is
being consumed per amount travelled. But the worse possible economy you can
have with distance per fuel quantity is 0 [e.g. fuel being consumed but no
motion], with higher numbers indicating improving economy.
What is the worse economy you can have with fuel quantity per distance on a
number scale? In addition, to measure ever improving economy you need more
and more fractions between 1 and 0 rather than merely using higher and higher
numbers.

 

No - backing up, it goes negative. : (actually it doesn't, because
unsophisitcated speed sensor signal interpretation gives absolute values).

Decimals work nicely. How many places do you want to take it to? Both
systems rely on averaging over some number of sampling periods for
meaningful accuracy and all but eliminating the effects of round-off
errors in calculations. Both fall apart as useful for consumption
calculations at 0 speed. Averaging falls apart for both systems if a
significant portion of total fuel consumed is consumed during periods of
0 speed - but that would be very unusual.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')