I completely agree that the metric system is easier to work with when making conversions between different orders of magnitude of the same type. Inch, foot, yard, rod, furlong, mile. Those conversions make no sense outside of their various historical derivations. Metric are actually all the same units. The prefixes are just shorthand for multiplying by various powers of 10.
But neither one is more accurate than the other.
I do understand how in the colloquial usage you may use half or quarter as a shorthand for approximately. But a 1/4 inch drill bit is no less accurate (to the 1/4” measurement) than 5mm is when making a hole half a cm.
As you point out, we have very accurate measuring devices. The units don’t make them any more or less accurate.
Boy, I wish we’d just bit the bullet and moved to metric in 1966. I think it is the conversions between the two that drive me mad. And besides being in the minority on the planet, I also think fractions even binary ones are a pain in the …
I suspect we’ll have to cave at some point when it becomes less and less necessary for the world to cater to us so it’s a bummer we picked the long road full of annoying and often inaccurate conversions and decided to stretch it over a century or so.
One thing to note is that the decimal is a coherent system from the ground up. That is the point. Imperial comes from custom and is a system of systems that were somewhat rationalized. Imperial makes great sense for the applications of the original domains of the measurements, but does not scale across domains easily.
Metric makes so much more sense as whole system of measurement and Imperial is a kludge as a system. But that narrative behind Imperial is so amazing and rich. Too bad it really just belongs in a living history museum.
Extreme bare bones, and needs a fan to boot, but with a little more work I’ve almost got em both worked together. For us here in Las Vegas it isn’t a matter of want, it has to be recirculated back into the same room. It’s that or deal with a hole that doesn’t have insulation to weather that is currently @ 111 , (that’s 43.8 for you guys over the pond). Still its a work in progress as the air filters from GF are months away.
FYI, on this forum, it’s against the rules to ask for files. If someone posts them (usually in the Free Laser Designs section; but probably not for this) you’re free to use them for personal use only, but no asking if they didn’t do it in the first place.
The plans for the air filter are in the link just above where you asked for them. as well as in several of the other posts in this same thread. Not to mention if you google laser air filter, I’m sure you’ll find a ton more.
Thanks aanden
I actually meant the plans from the air filter in the original post.
It’s the most elegant design I’ve found so far, especially since it is designed to be cut on the glowforge itself.
Most other designs are too bulky for my setup :s
Hey there, found this post since I recently purchased a glowforge and have been looking into making my own filter (I purchased the compact filter, but didn’t realize how expensive and frequent replacements would be). Just wanted to check in and see how this worked out for indoor use. I love the relative simplicity and convenience of this design, as I’m a newcomer to all of this. Thanks for posting it!
