Home-made Tools and those you've adapted or modified. And also "tips and tricks".

[Colin Lindsay]

10 hours ago, GrahamB said:

Convinced that nobody was reading his reports, an engineer started inserting his own units such as furlongs per minute instead of metres/sec.  No comments were received which confirmed his suspicions.

I read an interesting article recently that stated many people pay lip service to metric but measure everything in the old measurements ie arms length, hands width, steps long etc. I have been known to buy bolts the same thickness as my little finger by sticking it into a nut and going - "that's the one!"

[ahebron]

I tend to use the closest measurement but I find metric is best for small stuff

[JohnD]

I can't believe that someone would prefer to add 1 7/8" plus 5/16" than do it in metric (22+9 mm near as dammit).

John

[Ian Faulds]

This country's system is crazy now. They teach the kids metric at school, but we still use miles?  Fuel sold in litres but we still calculate  mpg. And drink pints.

My daughter just last week sat her driving test  and said the sat nav bit was telling distance in yards.  Serious man.

[JohnD]

I can't believe that someone would prefer to add 1 7/8" plus 5/16" than the equivalent in metric (22+9mm near as dammit).

[Colin Lindsay]

52 minutes ago, JohnD said:

I can't believe that someone would prefer to add 1 7/8" plus 5/16" than the equivalent in metric (22+9mm near as dammit).

Second nature to some. It's like saying I can't believe that someone would read Chinese when the English alphabet is so much easier... but it's what you're used to. 

[Unkel Kunkel]

I know someone who wanted to buy some rope at a chandlery (admittedly a  few years back)

It was a curious  old place run by an ancient woman and her husband  ( that was very much the hierarchy) 

The old lady asked, “How many fathoms is that you’ll be wanting, then?”

Unable answer  the question in the units she used , the lady hollered  for her husband.

He appeared from the back.Without  a word, he solemnly  out etched his arms as a measure- He had obviously done this  many times before.

The required  length in  fathoms having been established, he silently disappeared around the back again.

[JohnD]

Ah, the fathom!  Deep Six and Mark Twain, all delineated on the sounding line by knots and feathers! And the tallow on the end of the sounding weight to bring up a sample from the bottom.  All as scientific as it comes in a pre-electric age!

Alas, all gone, with rods,poles,perches and chain distance measures, hands for horses and cubits for Arks.   But thank goodness for Metric! SO much simpler!

John

 

[68vitesse]

Always found metric units confusing, to similar, with good old imperial you know where you are.

Regards

Paul

[Peter Truman]

2 hours ago, 68vitesse said:

Always found metric units confusing, to similar, with good old imperial you know where you are.

Regards

Paul

Yep you can only be 10 or100 times out!

still prefer foot and inch’s but don’t use yards anymore! 

our fuel consumption is litres per 100klm now that’s confusing the higher the number the worse it is!

[Chris A]

1 hour ago, Peter Truman said:

our fuel consumption is litres per 100klm now that’s confusing the higher the number the worse it is!

Same here, took a while to get used to it.

[Dick Twitchen]

14 hours ago, JohnD said:

Alas, all gone

John, Not quite for the seafarers out there.  Knots (Kns) for Nautical Miles per hour, which is different to Kts (normal, whatever that is) and of course a nautical mile is different to a statute mile the one in everyday land lubber use and the Data Mile.  That of course is before you get to cables (200 yds) or shackles as a length of anchor cable (chain) which is 15 fathoms.

Dick the Ancient (but still practicing) Mariner who had a v hot day to/from/at Silverstone yesterday

[Chris A]

1 hour ago, Dick Twitchen said:

Dick the Ancient (but still practicing) Mariner who had a v hot day to/from/at Silverstone yesterday

You should have gone to Le Mans, they've had some rain to cool it down 🥶

[JohnD]

2 hours ago, Dick Twitchen said:

John, Not quite for the seafarers out there.  Knots (Kns) for Nautical Miles per hour, which is different to Kts (normal, whatever that is) and of course a nautical mile is different to a statute mile the one in everyday land lubber use and the Data Mile.  That of course is before you get to cables (200 yds) or shackles as a length of anchor cable (chain) which is 15 fathoms.

Dick the Ancient (but still practicing) Mariner who had a v hot day to/from/at Silverstone yesterday

Glad to see that Admiral Noah still has influence!

[cliff.b]

On 10/06/2023 at 18:50, Peter Truman said:

Yep you can only be 10 or100 times out!

still prefer foot and inch’s but don’t use yards anymore! 

our fuel consumption is litres per 100klm now that’s confusing the higher the number the worse it is!

Indeed. Why not Km per Litre 🙄

[Chris A]

11 minutes ago, cliff.b said:

Indeed. Why not Km per Litre 🙄

Simple, the French will drive long distances to get from A to B, for example 500 Kms, so with a car that does 5 per 100kms you easily know you need 25 litres for the trip and can top up before leaving home and won't need to look for a station on route. Rather than work on 20 Kms per litre where you have to divide the 500 by 20 to get the answer.

Or maybe they just do it like this because they do and have always done 🤔

[Colin Lindsay]

Over here you say your car will do forty or whatever to the gallon; any other type of phrase will get a blank look. 

[cliff.b]

1 hour ago, Chris A said:

Simple, the French will drive long distances to get from A to B, for example 500 Kms, so with a car that does 5 per 100kms you easily know you need 25 litres for the trip and can top up before leaving home and won't need to look for a station on route. Rather than work on 20 Kms per litre where you have to divide the 500 by 20 to get the answer.

Or maybe they just do it like this because they do and have always done 🤔

I suppose that might help the mathematically challenged 🙄 

[Wagger]

It's a good one this. For those of us that have had those analogue mpg meters for years it is interesting that the non uk cars had litres per 100km instead. That one is a linear scale, the mpg one is not because it is a reciprocal.

The old hand cranked electrical 'Megger' was also non linear for the same reason. In fact, my 'Posh' 2006 version is still that way.

I confuse people around me by quoting the 'Miles per litre' covered by my vehicles then, even worse, miles per £1.

Miles per £1 is very useful for comparing diesel, petrol, hybrid and electric cars, especially if you have solar panels. I am charging the mobility scooter from the motorhome solar panel.

OK, I am being a Nerd but I have to do something whilst combating sciatica again.. again. I am never touching a garden fork ever again.

Sadly, any bending even to inflate tyres is a real No No.

My condition is causing muscle loss and bone thinning, so I am trying to find an excercise regime that combats this without causing more prolapses. Visiting Chiropractor tomorrow.

[Iain T]

7 minutes ago, Wagger said:

My condition is causing muscle loss and bone thinning, so I am trying to find an excercise regime that combats this without causing more prolapses. Visiting Chiropractor tomorrow.

Take a look at the Mckenzie exercises. I've had sciatica and a lower vertibrae scrap n clean up operation. Every day, providing I remember, I do the back arch then forward bend exercise. The ones that have helped when I get a flare up are laying down and shifting your hip to one side or standing up with you elbow at shoulder height resting on a wall then push your hip in with your other hand. Both have worked for me but don't do the 'tea pot' exercise in public as you might get some odd looks! The book was recommended to me by the Sports injury clinic at Crystal Palace. No I'm not an athlete! 

Best of luck sciatica is awful and the pain seemingly never ending, I know! Apparently the worst thing you can do is sit down. 

Iain 

 

[Colin Lindsay]

1 hour ago, Iain T said:

Best of luck sciatica is awful and the pain seemingly never ending, I know! Apparently the worst thing you can do is sit down. 

Iain 

The worst part is the lack of sleep... I wake up in pain, roll over, it eases, roll back an hour later, then wake up in pain again. Sitting in no problem, strangely enough neither is gardening although sweeping does hurt afterwards. Lying down is the main culprit.

[Iain T]

35 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

The worst part is the lack of sleep... I wake up in pain, roll over, it eases, roll back an hour later, then wake up in pain again. Sitting in no problem, strangely enough neither is gardening although sweeping does hurt afterwards. Lying down is the main culprit.

Just shows how we differ in symptoms. My only relief prior to operation was to lay on my back which caused great hilarity at work! Sitting down was a pain in the a**e. An MRI scan identified the problem. When he told be I could see the glee in the surgeons eyes........ 

Iain 

[Chris A]

Standing still is the worst for me, a walk helps free things up.

I've had 1 disc removed (L4/L5) the adjacent is damaged plus at the time of all the x rays etc I was asked more than once 'do you have an extra vertibra'. Eventually they found the S1 & S2 aren't fused together as in normal people but 2 seperate ones, of course no disc between them either. . .

I'll know when Im dead, my back won't ache! 😁

Right, back to car related stuff!

[Wagger]

2 hours ago, Iain T said:

Take a look at the Mckenzie exercises. I've had sciatica and a lower vertibrae scrap n clean up operation. Every day, providing I remember, I do the back arch then forward bend exercise. The ones that have helped when I get a flare up are laying down and shifting your hip to one side or standing up with you elbow at shoulder height resting on a wall then push your hip in with your other hand. Both have worked for me but don't do the 'tea pot' exercise in public as you might get some odd looks! The book was recommended to me by the Sports injury clinic at Crystal Palace. No I'm not an athlete! 

Best of luck sciatica is awful and the pain seemingly never ending, I know! Apparently the worst thing you can do is sit down. 

Iain 

 

Thanks Iain, I'll look into those in more detail. The back arch, knee hugs and hip twist do not hurt at all. Laying down on RHS with pillow between knees allows painless sleep, but a trip to the loo results in excruciating pain in the left hip after 20 secs. I then have to crawl back to a chair, sit leaning forward for ten mins and it fades away. Keeping still results in no pain until I have to move again. If I move every 20 mins, that seems the best interval.

Last week it was the right side, now it's the left.

Never the same two days running.

[Wagger]

I suppose these 'Academic' ideas still count as tools. I use 'Miles per tank' in my vehicles to check economy when doing a tour. The estate does between 550 and 700 miles between full and "80 miles left". That equates up to 55 mpg. The moho does about the same BUT it holds £160 worth so it is only 35 mpg.

I measure lengths with my 12 inch long shoes and my right hand spans 10 inches. Sometimes these are useful. However, I always check that my wallet is with me when shopping after mistaking my Steel tape measure for  the wallet five years ago. Loads of form filling followed after filling the tank.