[Greenbuilding] metric system in building, was 'square head screws'

[Corwyn]

On Sep 28, 2007, at 11:08, Speireag Alden wrote:

> Sgrìobh Sacie Lambertson:
>
>> Now thanks to Speireag I know what a fathom 'looks' like.
>
>      Oh, dear.  I'm not sure my description was all that clear.  A
> fathom is six feet, and it comes from how sailors measure a line,
> passing it through your hands as far as you can stretch it between
> two hands, then dropping one hand and reaching across to draw the
> line through the other hand until you're at full extension again.

The important part is that you coil the rope as you are doing this.  No 
ship wants a pile of untidy rope on deck.  Ever.

My personal fathom (with some modifications) is exactly 5 feet.  After 
tons of rope measuring, I can get within an inch of 50 feet with enough 
confidence to cut it on the first measure.

My biggest trouble is the weird measurements used in building, 2 by 4's 
that aren't, in fact any 'nominal' measurement; 68 as a door height is 
6'8" not 68"; why is 11/4 the same as 5/4; 'yards' of concrete.

Metric building probably has similar things.

Thank You Kindly,

Corwyn

-- 
Corwyn
Kermit didn't know the half of it...
http://www.greenfret.com/
corwyn at greenfret.com