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Need a ruler...decimal-inch

29K views 48 replies 25 participants last post by  silentpoet 
#1 ·
I'm trying to measure my frame to be sure it's not tweaked. All the factory measurements are in inches... but decimal inches like 8.15 inches.

Where can I purchase a ruler/ tape measure that can do that?
 
#27 ·
I use a little 1/2"mic to check drill sizes tho next time I'm in HF will consider one of their cheapy digital vernier for that - and old eyes - I have my old QC 8x magnifier when I use my vernier or my .0001 mics as those little lines - all blend together and become one wide blob :pain:

Dave W
 
#28 ·
Let's just forget about the measuring tool you use for a minute and look at your problem or possible problem. What makes you think you have a problem with your body stucture? And I have to tell you that everything you need can be done without those specs. Most often simply cross measuring will tell you everything you need.

Brian
 
#29 ·
Irelands child said:
I use a little 1/2"mic to check drill sizes tho next time I'm in HF will consider one of their cheapy digital vernier for that - and old eyes - I have my old QC 8x magnifier when I use my vernier or my .0001 mics as those little lines - all blend together and become one wide blob :pain:

Dave W
I was using a 0-1" micrometer also and bought the 4" digital caliper for the same reason. Now where did I set those reading glasses ? For some reason it seems that we have hi-jacked this thread. Back to what Brian said .......
 
#30 ·
joe_padavano said:
Are you people all really that bad at math? :eek:

Sorry, but this thread just reinforces the dumbing of America. Just divide the top number by the bottom number in the fraction to get the decimal equivalent. Geeze, every cell phone in the world has a build in calculator function now if 1/4 is too hard for you to figure out.

Joe,

It's not that I can't convert a fraction to a decimal. It was originally an attempt in finding better tool. I was trying to square a frame and the dimensions given in the manual are decimal numbers.

Math can help me find the fraction in a decimal number, however, all of that isn't worth squat if the tape I have only measures down to the 16th of an inch.

-Mike
 
#32 ·
evolvo said:
Again, that is why the metric system is the way to go, or the way we should have gone. It's all based on tens, just like our money. Look at it this way.
$1 = 1 mm.
Each mm is broken into 100 parts as $1 has 100 pennies.
So $.25 equals .25mm, $.89 = .89mm and so forth.
10mm = $10
100mm = $100
1000mm = $1000 and 1000mm = 1 meter
1000 meters = 1 kilometer

There now, that's easy as pi
Unfortunately we now have >310,000,000 people that just WILL NOT (can not?) learn that system. We could be like the Brits with their cars - measure distance in miles but buy petrol in litres. I mostly understand the system, but still have trouble visualizing the relationship to real life. For instance, the wheelbase for my '31 is 103.5 inches but in mm it's 2628.9 (103.5x25.4). How many folks would have the same problem. Then you get into acres vs hectares on how many millions of property deeds which some politician would make into law on property transfer would be required to be converted to the decimal system. This translates into costs to people as well as state, and local offices as well as banks/lenders - and it goes on and on and on.
 
#33 ·
Should have changed it when we did Dave (late 60s-early 70s)....By now, half the people that didn't or wouldn't understand would be dead......in 30 more years, the rest of us will go.......Yippee, we are half way there........ :D
 
#34 ·
poncho62 said:
Should have changed it when we did Dave (late 60s-early 70s)....By now, half the people that didn't or wouldn't understand would be dead......in 30 more years, the rest of us will go.......Yippee, we are half way there........ :D
Yeah I know. Even NY tried it on the interstates Km, Kph and MPH on the speed and distance signs - and finally gave up as too confusing tho mileage (and even some Franglish) has stayed posted for the Quebecois on I-87 North of Exit 30/31 :embarrass .

Dave W
 
#35 ·
poncho62 said:
Should have changed it when we did Dave (late 60s-early 70s)....By now, half the people that didn't or wouldn't understand would be dead......in 30 more years, the rest of us will go.......Yippee, we are half way there........ :D
Yep we were shooting to change at that time here in California at least, it may have been a nationwide movement I don't know as I was just a kid. But I remember it well the teacher talking about how we were going to change and that was all there was to it. As kids we didn't think a thing of it, just going right along with it. Now, at 52 it is much harder. I used the metric system every day measuring car bodies and frames as that is what all the specs are in. I can do that all day long with a measuring tape or tram gauge yet still if I sit and try to convert or add large numbers I get all goofed up.

Brian
 
#36 ·
poncho62 said:
It's been about 30 years since we did it......I have almost got it figured out....... :confused: :D


Temperature and speeds are not too bad....but this litres/100 km thing instead of miles/gallon ......makes no sense to me.
Wait, so you have more of a problem with a measurement system where everything is based on the base 10 numbering system, moreso than the crazy imperial system where it's all based on things such as the length of the kings footprint, and the length of a gnat's eye?!? :D
 
#37 ·
JohnnyK81 said:
Wait, so you have more of a problem with a measurement system where everything is based on the base 10 numbering system, moreso than the crazy imperial system where it's all based on things such as the length of the kings footprint, and the length of a gnat's eye?!? :D
Yep, guess I am just a stupid old man......Point is, that its hard to change what you have learned over the years, no matter how weird it is......They say that the English language is one of the hardest to learn because there are so many weird idiosyncrasies to it, but we seem to have it down pat. For a foreigner whos language has a set pattern to it, it is hell.

Another thing I have noticed about this subject...It started as a debate on 1/10s of inches and evolved into a debate on the metric system because, I guess on the base 10 aspect of it.........Not the same thing guys...... :confused: :rolleyes:
 
#41 ·
I think someone earlier is confusing "metric" w/"decimal" (aka "base 10"). Our currency isn't metric.

Until the Euro, English currency was all fubar'd, as well as many other currencies worldwide. Compared to some of them, US currency is down right simple.

Developmentally, we humans go through a phase where language and such is easily learned. Once past that stage, it is far more difficult to learn/retain language. Maybe it's the same w/learning some math concepts like the metric and "other".
 
#42 ·
My guess is that the confustion isn't so much the system (10 mm to 1 cm, 100 cm to one m, etc), but the reference. We can all look at something and say, "thats about 18 inches", but its much harder to say, "thats like 33 cm". Same thing with miles/km. We all can estimate rather easily what a mile or two is, but we have no frame of reference for km.

That's my problem with metric, anyway.
 
#43 ·
MARTINSR said:
Let's just forget about the measuring tool you use for a minute and look at your problem or possible problem. What makes you think you have a problem with your body stucture? And I have to tell you that everything you need can be done without those specs. Most often simply cross measuring will tell you everything you need.

Brian
Brian,

Thanks. I've read a bunch of stuff you've written here. It's great, however my choices a while back make that not the best choice right now.

About 12 years ago I made the decision to replace the rusted through rear frame rail in my '66 mustang coupe. So naturally I attacked it with a sawall, then ordered a replacement rail. Yup... brilliant move on my part... first of many I assure you. So after 10 years or so (and several moves), I wanted to actually finish it.

If I was starting now and knew that the other rail wasn't tweaked, I'd just use that as a reference, but with it being moved (once with a front loader, thanks to farmer Ray), I'm not confident that the other hasn't been. I wanted to take the measurements, not only diagonally, but along the other axis as well.

Thanks,

Mike
 
#44 ·
Mike, often there is no measurement to go by when repairing a cars body or frame. So you start with what you know, if neither rail is "believable" you need to make one so. Either by fitting outer panels, along with cross measuring, along with visually looking for buckles or broken welds, or cracks, it's the big picture you are after. Using all these things you can determine if one of them is straight to then use it as your guide for the other side.

Brian
 
#45 ·
my66coupe said:
My guess is that the confustion isn't so much the system (10 mm to 1 cm, 100 cm to one m, etc), but the reference. We can all look at something and say, "thats about 18 inches", but its much harder to say, "thats like 33 cm". Same thing with miles/km. We all can estimate rather easily what a mile or two is, but we have no frame of reference for km.

That's my problem with metric, anyway.

A kilometer is 6/10 of a mile, so 100 KM is 60 miles. There are 2.5 centimeters in an inch, so 5 centimeters is 2 inches. From there you can guesstimate pretty much anything. Those figures are not exactly accurate, but they're close enough for an estimate.
 
#46 ·
MARTINSR said:
Mike, often there is no measurement to go by when repairing a cars body or frame. So you start with what you know, if neither rail is "believable" you need to make one so. Either by fitting outer panels, along with cross measuring, along with visually looking for buckles or broken welds, or cracks, it's the big picture you are after. Using all these things you can determine if one of them is straight to then use it as your guide for the other side.

Brian

Cool. Thanks!
 
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