Learning to Love the Metrinch

Non-subscribers to MEW may have missed the note on the latest directive, 104/2015, from Brussels, one that could have a direct impact on our hobby. In a bid to finally lay to rest the problems converting between imperial and metric units, from 2019 we will instead be using the metric inch or ‘metrinch’. This is exactly 25.6mm long, a figure chosen so that fractions of an inch are nice round metric sizes – five sixteenths of an inch will now be exactly 8mm instead of 7.9375mm, for example. I imagine there will be a grace period, and probably some confusion, while traditional inch measuring kit and materials are phased out in favour of the new metrinch standard, which will be about 2% larger.

It's not the first yet Neil.

The Loco people will be pleased

Will need to trade in my 63 tooth gear for a 64 tooth one now and buy a metrinch set of taps dies drills spanners sockets and hexes

Neil, you are a bit early for 1st April.

Will this require another set of wrenches?

Those of you who think that Neil is joking I am afraid need to take heed as the metrinch is indeed on the cards, as a hobby engineer and classic vehicle enthusiast this has been causing us some problems for some time as this is not the first draft of this proposal,it was proposed back in 2010 and rejected as unworkable.

I have tried making several components from both metric and imperial drawings following the metrinch guide lines and have come to the same conclusion, indeed I was assisted by my fellow preservationist and good friend Mr Ahmed Carr who is head of the engineering workshops at the Royal Tank Museum down in Dorset.

Ignore this very real threat to our collective hobbies at your peril

Do the Americans know yet?

Martin.

You been reading comics like The Daily Hell (Mail) / listening to Jeremy Vine / taken the wrong medication today?

The only hit I get on EU 104/2015 is something to do with fish stocks.

Or were you getting your practice in a week early?

Hi, well Metrinch spanners are already on sale **LINK** and **LINK** from two sources.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 25/03/2015 15:34:43

If the UK would leave the EU it can introduce the imperial mm which would be 1.016 metric mm. Niko.

Edited By speelwerk on 25/03/2015 15:41:09

Is some fool trying to make sense of the "imperial" graduations on my minimill? Colin

Spanners that are sloppy enough to fit metric and imperial have been around for years but that's some way away from the EU legislating for "Metrinch". Somebody must have pressed the send button a week ahead of its time. Does that make them a March Fool?

Having been rung up by concerned readers who read my editorial, I though that I had better make sure the mention on page 7 didn't send people down a blind alley.

For those who don't take this seriously look here.

Neil

Personally I could not care less about what Brussels says and does. Do what the French do and just ignore it.

We all convert from one standard to the other at present, we make Imperial parts from metric material and vice versa, I have the measurement gear and tools to deal with either, to hell with the bureacrats and their April Foolery

Edited By KWIL on 25/03/2015 16:31:25

The clue is in the directive number!

Neil - Shame on you for advertising a commercial product.

Not actually a very illuminating link Neil. As I said, sloppy dual-fit spanners etc have been around for years. But what is all this poppycock about the EU? You must be using a different Google to me. Perhaps I should get a new one.

Please note that the spanners on the RS site (Nicholas Farr's post above) are made by a firm called Metrinch. they are what you might call conventional AF spanners and Metric spanners, nothing fancy at all.

Tim

Isn't this all just another big revenue generator for business and shareholders? Just like the changing of wire colours in electrical installations, what was wrong with red and black, red, yellow and blue?

Maybe our bananas will work out longer and straighter with this new system!

Neil

are you sure that this isn't intended for the 1st April ??

Ray

This sounds like the EU directive that everyone should drive on the right hand side of the road. Those countries who prefer the left side will be required to drive on the right whether they want to or not. As a concession the EU has decided to phase in the transition from left to right over a short period of a few days. The Heavy goods vehicles will change on day one, any surviving car drivers on day two etc. This is also due to take place 01/04/2015