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For fractions, use space: "1 3/8" or just "3/4"
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About

Precision manufacturing and construction often face a "language barrier" between Imperial units (standard in the US) and Metric units (standard elsewhere). A common friction point arises when blueprints specify fractional dimensions like "1 3/8 inch" or "4 1/2 inch," which standard calculators fail to parse directly.

This tool bridges that gap by accepting complex fractional strings alongside standard decimals. It converts inputs directly to millimeters (mm), the standard unit for machining tolerances and 3D printing parameters. It eliminates the manual step of converting fractions to decimals before applying the metric conversion factor.

carpentry machining blueprints imperial to metric fractional inches

Formulas

The core conversion relies on the exact definition of the inch:

Lmm = Linch × 25.4

For fractions (e.g., "a bc"):

Linch = a + bc

Reference Data

Fractional InchDecimal InchMillimeters (mm)Usage Context
1/32"0.031250.7938Fine shims
1/16"0.06251.5875Standard Sheet Metal
1/8"0.1253.1750Welding electrodes
1/4"0.2506.3500Hardware fasteners
1/2"0.50012.7000Piping, Plywood
3/4"0.75019.0500Lumber thickness
1"1.00025.4000Base unit
1 1/2"1.50038.1000Framing lumber (2x4 width)

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Select "Inches (Fractional/Decimal)" from the dropdown and type values like "1 1/2", "3/8", or "10 1/4". The tool parses the space as the separator between the whole number and the fraction.
The conversion factor 25.4 is exact. The output is displayed to 4 decimal places, which exceeds the tolerance requirements for standard carpentry (usually +/- 1mm) and general machining (+/- 0.01mm).
Millimeters are the standard engineering unit because they avoid the use of decimals for most physical objects (e.g., 1200mm vs 1.2m). This reduces the risk of "floating point" errors in reading blueprints.