Visit our Popular Forums

**Wotname** · 04-01-2020, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by GILow

....... I will plead the defence of owning a 1970 mini, which has coloured my thinking somewhat.
........

That will forgive you a hell of a lot of sins

I had three of these champs and I still have a '67 BMC tractor with a dieselisedmini engine

**Jim Cate** · 05-01-2020, 00:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by GILow

Well, I’m not sure 42 feet qualifies as ultra large in this day and age...

I’ll pay dreadfully bulky, though her recent diet has seen her lose close to four tons, so maybe just VB instead?

Ya know, Matt, if I lost four tonnes I'd be pretty skinny! Might not be a bad idea, though...

But seriously, the weight of a set of spanners is a pretty small price to pay for a cruising yacht, and the frustration of not having them is so large that the tradeoff has never been a problem to see through. Really, it is close to the definition of a no-brainer IMO.

Cheers,

Jim

Compass790 · 05-01-2020, 01:09

It always surprised me that the USA held on to a std that was based on an English kings " widget" given their reluctance to pay his tea tax. However there are a lot of surprises in life.
Beta kubota based so metric on engine parts but I'm not qualified to judge on the marinisation side. It amazed me in the past what Pommy/ Limey engine designers thought was a good idea but at least they were willing to experiment instead of just copy or steal designs. I'd definitely lean towards the metric but WTF do I know as I don't have yr proposed engine.
I'm more interested in your update post on the new engine. Hopefully you'll do 1 or 2.
Couldn't resist sticking my oar in. lol

ebs001 · 05-01-2020, 02:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

US, Burma, and Liberia actually. Aussies changed over during the 70s and 80s, nothing imperial there from this century, like most of the rest of the world.

Having known imperial measurements back from the early 70s in the UK when I was in primary school, I still find it hilarious watching YouTube woodworking videos from the states where they talk in fractions of inches.

Actually working in metric measurements is terrible. A millimetre is too small a unit and a centimetre is too large on one hand and too small on the other. I worked in construction in Canada where there is a mixture but given a choice everyone works in imperial because it's so much easier to read the measurements. All the younger workers were raised entirely on metric but soon switch to imperial once they see how much easier it is to work in inches and feet.

GILow · 05-01-2020, 02:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Compass790

It always surprised me that the USA held on to a std that was based on an English kings " widget" given their reluctance to pay his tea tax. However there are a lot of surprises in life.
Beta kubota based so metric on engine parts but I'm not qualified to judge on the marinisation side. It amazed me in the past what Pommy/ Limey engine designers thought was a good idea but at least they were willing to experiment instead of just copy or steal designs. I'd definitely lean towards the metric but WTF do I know as I don't have yr proposed engine.
I'm more interested in your update post on the new engine. Hopefully you'll do 1 or 2.
Couldn't resist sticking my oar in. lol

I look forward to being able to report on the new engine, but based on the experiences of others I suspect it will be a positive and pretty uneventful outcome.

Fingers crossed.

Grattaway · 05-01-2020, 15:07

Matt as stated I think its a good idea to keep both imperial and metric tools available if possible. Despite NZ being metric for 40 years imperial nuts and bolts are still common and particularly in certain industries e.g. refrigeration

**Wotname** · 05-01-2020, 19:11

Matt, with regards to the weight saving programme, thank your lucky stars that you don't need to BSW and BSF spanners as well to say nothing of the newer style E-Torx popular in Europe.

Here is some light reading The Classic Mechanic: MM, AF, BSW, BSF Spanner Conversion Chart

And a chart of the spanner size relationship.

As a teaser - 21mm ~= 13/16AF ~= 7/16BSW = 1/2BSF

where "~=" is close enough to be interchangeable and "=" is exactly the same size.

GILow · 06-01-2020, 01:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

Matt, with regards to the weight saving programme, thank your lucky stars that you don't need to BSW and BSF spanners as well to say nothing of the newer style E-Torx popular in Europe.

Here is some light reading The Classic Mechanic: MM, AF, BSW, BSF Spanner Conversion Chart

And a chart of the spanner size relationship.

As a teaser - 21mm ~= 13/16AF ~= 7/16BSW = 1/2BSF

where "~=" is close enough to be interchangeable and "=" is exactly the same size.

This might explain some of the issues I’ve experienced with old cars over the years.

How very nice it will be to be all metric on the boat at least.

FPNC · 13-01-2020, 12:08

Your Beta engine will be built with all metric fasteners. All pipe threads, ( oil & temp senders, water fittings, zinc plug) will be BSP.

chrisr · 13-01-2020, 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wotname

Fixed it for you

pretty sure that most stainless steel fastenings here in land of Oz are still in imperial

something to do with the machines they are made on ?

cheers,

ps : being the sort of mechanic i am, one decent adjustable is all you need isn't it ?

GILow · 13-01-2020, 13:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPNC

Your Beta engine will be built with all metric fasteners. All pipe threads, ( oil & temp senders, water fittings, zinc plug) will be BSP.

Good to know, thank you also for the details on the senders, I am hoping to recycle a few of mine.

GILow · 13-01-2020, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisr

... one decent adjustable is all you need isn't it ?

Way back when I was still at high school I was approached by another student whose car wouldn’t start. He’d heard I could fix cars so asked if I could help.

I opened the bonnet and asked “the only spanner you have is a shifter... right?”

“Yeah... that’s right... how’d you know?”

“Lucky guess” says I.

**Wotname** · 13-01-2020, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisr

pretty sure that most stainless steel fastenings here in land of Oz are still in imperial

something to do with the machines they are made on ?

cheers,

ps : being the sort of mechanic i am, one decent adjustable is all you need isn't it ?

Most of the machines are in China

I dunno how much SS nuts and bolts are manufactured in Oz and whether they are Whitworth/UNF/UNC or metric or both.

Certainly SS Whitworth/UNF/UNC/metric threads are readily available from speciality fastening suppliers but the chandleries I visit have a large section of metric and only a small selection Whitworth/UNC and almost no UNF.

YMMV.

**Pete7** · 13-01-2020, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebs001

Actually working in metric measurements is terrible. .

Well, for scuba metric just rules, the calculations is so much easier and most people can do them in their head underwater. I went diving in Bermuda and the kit was in imperial measurements, completely confused.

I don't think the UK went through a big bang changeover, more it was a gradual change with both measurements running alongside. Today milk and beer is sold in pints, speed in mph and weights well take your choice even mix them up a bit just for fun to confuse the tourists.

One thing is sacrosanct though, no one touches our currency. Even the evil EU got the finger to that idea

I only have metric sockets and spanners on the boat. There is an old socket set I bought as a teenager 40 years ago in the shed which gets used occasionally surprisingly I can normally find a good fit for the nuts and bolts on the Suzuki.