Metric or SAE?
 

What do you use? Metric or SAE. Any advantages to one or the other? What do you guys use to measure links and screws other than a caliper. I have been using a 30ft measuring tape. Its a little awkward and a not very accurate. Theres gotta be a better way so lets hear it.

I started using metric a couple years ago. It just seems easier to work with.

For loose stuff like bolts, rod, i use either a 12" ruler, or 6" rule... but alot of times i use my calipers.

Once you get used to the metric system, its so much easier than SAE.

Though on really big things I'll revert to SAE, but 90% of the time its metric for me, no matter what I'm doing.

I usually use digital calipers for bolts and screws.

Metric FTW8)

4-40 threads are a little coarser and deeper than 3mm, so it seems to grab plastic a little bit better, but I don't really have problems with 3mm. The reason I use 3mm is because 4-40 pan head screws use tiny little allen wrenches that strip out easily. The 3mm screws are noticeably better in that department. Allthread is easier to find in SAE around here so there's that.

Both, since I Have a Honda Motorcycle I have lots of metric tools and measuring devices...also have a Ford truck..so have lots of SAE stuff. I use what ever is standardized on what I am working on....but sadly metric is easier once you get use to it...still have to revert to SAE in figuring out how long something is...like 125mm have no idea..but you tell me its 3 3/8"...I can grasp that.....and no I am not telling you that 125mm is 3 3/8"


good question.

I know what you mean. I use online converter for metric to SAE as I am lost by metric. 1/32, I can grasp that, its a C*** hair in the carpentry world. Dont know what that would be in metric.

Metric, it's base 10, our numerical system is base 10, we have 10 fingers and toes. the band Metric is pretty good I suppose

converter for units of measurement...
http://www.towerhobbies.com/help/convcalcs.html

as far as temperature, water freezes at 0 and boils at 100 degrees centigrade makes sense to me.
cheers

x2!!!

I use standard for measuring stuff around the house but always use metric in the RC world and at work (I'm an engineer for a Swiss company). Metric is easy for me casue that's all I know from school and work plus almost all RC is metric except Associated.

When someone at work says "its like 10 thou radial clearance" I say "**** your 10 thou, looks more like 254 microns to me"...:lol:...engineer joke...lol, I know, not funny...:-(...

When things are too big for the caliper I use my thin 6" metal ruler, it's both SAE and metric and is the best fab tool ever.

Its a proven fact that a finer thread with less depth actually has more surface area. Surface area matters more in pull out than the depth of the thread."thumbsup"

Easier to just keep everything on the RC cars metric. That way you don't need a ton of tools to work on them. With a 2mm driver,2.5mm driver and a set of pliers,I can take all my rigs completely apart. Tape measures work good for some things. When it's close quarters a set of calipers will help a ton. A decent set of dial calipers can be had for a little over $20.


That would be 0.79375 mm :flipoff::lol:

I use metric for all my measurements but use 4-40 screws/nuts because I can get them locally cheap where as metric is all special order.

metric....because I hate fractions :)

When it comes to hardware I always use metric because that it is just the way on this side of the lake (except GB I think). But ever since I joined this darn site(!!??) I try to get a better grasp of sae measurements since most of you guys refer to lengths and thickness using sae.

I grew up with dirtbikes so Metric was my first introduction to tools. I've always owned Toyota trucks so it continued, and I have very few SAE tools.....just the ones that came with my first tool kit.

However, on my RC I use both. On the links I got from Toybuilder, metric hardware fit better so I went Metric. On all my tube work though an M3 was too big, so it's all drilled and tapped to take 4-40 hardware.

only conversion you need is 2.54cm = 1 inch. You can figure anything out from there.

I use alot of SAE stuff because Lowe's is a mile from my house.

:-Pmm x.03937=inchs work with it every day

So is inches in my world. I hate metric but it's something we need to learn, kinda like spanish.