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Measurements - Make our minds up!


Dean Watson

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So , heres another dopey thought... When we talk about scopes aperture we generally refer to them by their aperture in inches (yes, I know, especially for smaller 'fracs we use mm, but hey, that just helps my case), you know, talking about a 10 inch dob or a cpc1100 (which is only 11 inches with a couple of zeroes after it - not fooling anyone!).  And yet we talk about eyepieces in mm (Don't think I've ever referred to a 25mm plossl as a 'not quite an inch plossl'), focal length in mm or in that case do away with it entirely and talk about f ratio.

 

So come on, we're supposed to be (amateur) scientists letting ourselves down a bit with the inconsistency (although I suppose all maths is tautology) don't you think? (again, anyone who misses the point, this is entirely tongue in cheek...!)

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Graham - I loathe you so much...!  :D  You know, that big new radio scope in China, I'm surprised we're not measuring it in cubits.

 

I like angstroms... No, I know i'm not helping.

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The problem is people pretty much like most of us. Back in the seventies when they decided to go all new fangled metric, they gave us rulers with metric and imperial on them. We knew Imperial, so used it.  My Dad was a wood machinist and I grew up with feet and inches. I am quite happy with fractions and "thou's", I still use imperial.

I am forced by engineering etiquette to accept metric. Which is fine, it's dead easy to get on with if you get the number ten.

The problem is that I work to metric and estimate in imperial. We still have pints and miles and I don't think we will ever give that up. In fact one of the major food machinery manufacturers still uses imperial threads, probably so they didn't have to re tool. (They are Welsh!).

We like our roots, we still deal with America who will never give up Imperial, so we have to keep UNC and UNF for the Harley owners. The camera tripod thread is 1/4" Whitworth and they have never been able to metricate that. (Also exactly the same as 1/4"UNC)

I think it's great. :)

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when in th elong distant past I worked at Orgreave (before the battle) we measured somrthing in grains per cubic metre.

hows that for a mismatch of units ?

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I quite happily work in both imperial and metric, whichever suits best etc ...:D

 

i draw the line at old money though! Glad that went! :blink: 240 pennies to the pound, (Thats only480 halfpennies/£ !) Sixpences, threepenny bits, farthings, half crowns and guineas! :blush:

 

I had just mastered pounds shillings and pence at school, when they dropped it for this dumbed down metric system :facepalm:

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I have fond memories of using a 1" Ramsden and a half inch Orthoscopic, both in RAS thread. If it wasn't out of stock never to be sold again, I would have bought one and three quarter inch Special Comet Kellner from Charles Frank Limited in about 1974 :)

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Hmm, 960 blackjacks or fruit salads for a quid! But then with pocket money of a bob a week a quid was a lot of money. :) 

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13 minutes ago, Werisit said:

Hmm, 960 blackjacks or fruit salads for a quid! But then with pocket money of a bob a week a quid was a lot of money. :) 

I remember sometimes getting a threepenny bit (1.25p) to spend on sweets. I got loads of stuff, blackjacks, sherbet dips, arrow bars, a Milky Way and more. :)

 

Haven't prices gone up in the last couple of years! :D

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  • 2 weeks later...

Whilst completing my engineering apprenticeship, I generally got on with metric and imperial measurements and swapping between them. Discussing it with a seasoned Engineer he did tell me 'you shouldn't mix pussy cats with piggy wiggies' with regards separating the 2 systems!

 

It made me chuckle but has stuck with me ever since. :D 

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