I like the quirkiness of our system; 8s and 12s are just more interesting than 10s, and more natural, unless you need to use your fingers to count. But the fact that we call 1/1000" a "mil" is definitely confusing.

Truss drawings are fun to learn how to read--they use their own system, of feet-inches-eighths of inches. For example, 12-4-6 would be 12'-4 3/4". (Or 3829mm)

Ah wood truss drawings - so weird.

Maybe the biggest question of all ... does NS use metric or freedom's for the residential projects ?

The real question is how is NS able to make any profit in the Great White North with it's evil socialism and crazy moose.

Sandinista's everywhere!

Bench, I only use freedom units (rounded to 1/4") for the client dimensions (ie. interior room dimensions and doors). The rest in metric all the way because we're not in 1967, I'll occasionally throw an imperial O/A dim for roof trusses just to help the trades but the drawings and scales are metric. I have one 10k sq.ft cottage in construction that was imperial from start to finish (not my choice) and it's a chore to detail. Pretty much 90% of the GCs I work with work well with metric.

Last week I consulted on a project with recently installed German windows that had an issue. The owner is Russian and apologized for using millimeters and not knowing the IP equivalent. She was shocked that I speak reasonably fluent SI, thanks to my days doing Passivhaus work. Plus my wife was with me and she speaks Russian; the client was thrilled to be able to communicate in both her native units and language.

I'd be fine with a metric process, even with the goofy 4x8 conversion numbers for sheet goods...seems way more simple to deal with whole numbers

@NS, 10k SF and cottage should not go together

@wood guy, that's so cool! I imagine not having to translate would be a huge boon to the relationship

Thanks, but it was a one-off favor to a friend of a friend; I try not to do consulting because it's too hard to predict. These folks were too cheap to hire an architect, their builder had never installed European windows, and the window instructions were in German. The builder did what they thought was right but the window company said no, and that it would cost $55K to have their team come fix it. I assessed the situation and we discussed options, and I was out of there in less than an hour, including chit-chat. No need to re-install. I should have charged more than I did, which was nothing.

Americans just keep a handful of 9mm bullets at our drafting tables to use as a scale.

So way up in Northern Alberta (NS is way south of me) I have to still use imperial because the GCs are all old. BUT we can

can only get concrete block in Metric so that makes for lots of detailing fun

Ahip... I'm may right of you, and south.

x-jla  wrote

"Americans just keep a handful of 9mm bullets at our drafting tables to use as a scale. "

Hehehehe.  We only use metric for ammo as a flex to the rest of the world. ;)

how many handfuls in a football field?

NS - your city isnt even as North as the most southern part of my province.

Nice, but what you got going on in Sioux Lookout that deserves a heart?

I just pulled out a 30-30 bullet to see how close it is to 9mm. The bullet's a bit smaller, the casing's a bit larger. Of course 30-30 is really 0.308" across. It also fits in my 32 special rifle, which takes 0.32" diameter bullets, but what's a few hundredths of an inch among (American) friends. I wonder if it would fit in a 9mm gun...

AH - i worked a co-op position where any trip in your direction was "a trip down south"

NS - that heart is a beautiful Inwood Lake and a sweet little camping spot Inwood Park & Campground in Upsala Ontario. Its a great place to stop and fish.

OK, but can I just bitch for a moment that our favorite ammunition is 5.56mm or .223cal - so it's stupid in either system....and should be a LOT cheaper given all the ammosexuals buying it by the trainload...

Not sure if it's the same everywhere, but around here it's the damn civil engineers who can't seem to grasp the concept of legible drawings.

This is more about how to read product data sheets, manufacturer load tables, and shop drawings. Very rarely do we get consultant drawings where they are even designing steel stud framing.