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xkcd #3138: Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure
(imgs.xkcd.com)
xkcd #3138: Dimensional Lumber Tape Measure
Title text:
A person with two watches is never sure what time it is, especially if I got them one of the watches.
Transcript:
Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com
Source: https://xkcd.com/3138/
Just when I thought I managed to contain my metric arrogance...
It's from a time when you bought undried and planned wood rather than dried and planned like we typically do now.
It's less a quirk of the imperial system and more a quirk of the lumber retail system, which is older than the metric system.
The biggest difference is that in places that use dimensional lumber and the metric system the pattern is to sell by actual dimension, rather than nominal. So a wall stud might be 45mmX145mm, or 63mmX75mm for a rafter, depending on your country.
Most north American hardware stores also sell by finished sizes now.
harrumph..
Those nonsensical rules exercise the brain more. Helps stave off mental deterioration.
Carpenters in the USA have a higher mental acuity at advanced ages than scientists
Maybe they just measure their age wrong.
I don’t think so, they are all 6 doggers old or more