MASSIVE administrative cock up

I still can't believe it.

I'm making some tall wooden gates to install in one of the back gardens arches. Measured up the gap - went back to the computer and entered the measurements into a spreadsheet. I went out and measured again - cross checking the results of the spreadsheet via pen and paper.

Made one of the gates - installed it into the arch - it's 3 cms too wide.

We're not just talking screws to assemble the gate - we're also talking wood glue.

Just spent an hour reducing the gate by 3 cms.

The annoying thing is, I have some early plans written down where the gates are the correct width - so at some stage later on the error crept in.

 

I think we have all been there clanless, my late Brother in Law would always say measure twice and cut once, sadly it didn't work in your case............I bet the air was Blue

 

In most cases its the old 100mm thing.
People measure off the 100 then forget to take it off.

How you get to be 30mm out is a mystery

 

Adjustable tape measure

 

DIY steel tape measures are more confusing to read than surveyors' tapes and measuring rods.

And using mm is much better than cm, and has been the construction industry standard for nearly 50 years.

 

If you do it in feet and inches you wont make a mistake.

Its when you start using cm, mm and metres.

In metric I never use cm, only mm and metres.
The cm is the worst metric measurement that was ever invented.

 

Agree, not used in industry, only by schoolkids and dressmakers.

 

And Blue Peter. BBC programme.

 

Just mm and metres for me. As an engineer we only used mm dimensions on production parts, sometimes going down to micron tolerances ( one millionth of a metre) for very fine bearing bores.
For building and timber work, the inch and foot are far more reliable and easier to use.

 

Its very precise, the eyeball.

If given two items of very similar size most people can pick out the smallest or largest even if the difference is minute.

 

I still can't believe it.

In any case here is the half gate which has now been reduced in size and installed. The other side is ready to assemble, I'm waiting for a delivery of screws etc.

When I can, I'll get some facing board - probably t&g - and attach this to tidy it up.

 

Other gate installed: (I still can't believe it):