Now the title is obviously controversial.  I have found that my blogs are available to searches and weird people are contacting me trying to comment on my blogs.  You do not see them because I am able to block them.

The reason for this blog is to damn Reagan for canceling the move in the US to the Metric System which they were supposed to do after Canada.  I believe his early Alzheimer condition kicked in (or the fact that he was not that bright) and he said “Well I do not understand the Frenchy measurement” so cancelled the conversion. 

Now the particular reason for my diatribe is as follows. 

Janine asked me to make her a free standing Jewelry box.  I acquired some plans from the US and of course it was in the old english measurement system.  Janine asked that the box resemble her current furniture, and I wanted to make other adjustment.  For instance the plans called for butt joints and I wanted dado joints.  The difference is a piece of furniture that starts to lean and sag in 10 years versus a piece that stays tight for 100 years. 

Now we come to the problem.  Lots of adjustments to every measurment in the plans.  Dozens of parts where you modify 3 3/16 ” (original) plus 1/8″  (for the trim)  less 1/4″(for half the dado joint) plus 1/2″  (to make the frame line up with the picture that Janine sent me).

Needless to say, despite the coffee mug that I proudly own from “This Old House” that states “Measure twice cut once”, I made a number of errors.  Not critical to the finished product, but critical to the amount of material used. 

Would have been much easier if I was doing it in the metric system.  Adding and subtracting millimeters is so much easier.   81+3-6+12=90 mm

Interesting thing is that the US industry agrees and almost all major manufacturers including automotive, have long since converted to metric. 

But I suspect the old system based on the length of some old king’s foot and the dimension of the last joint in his big finger will last to make my grand children suffer.

However Pat maintains my problem goes back to the Measure twice and cut Once. 

I still blame Ronald Reagan.