Correct English in quantity note?

[ajcraig99]

I started my apprenticeship as a boilermaker about 15 years ago where I noticed qty notes on our drawings said "5-off" or "10-off", for example "5-off as drawn, 5-off opp-hand".
I remember thinking this wasn't correct English, and should be "of" instead of "off" but it wasn't my place to comment on it so left it be.

So now after many years and different jobs I am now working on projects in a different English speaking country where the drawings have the same incorrect English when referring to quantity.

Is there a logical reason for this or is it just a coincidence that both places have made the same mistake?

 

[CheckerHater]

Check out this:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=265053

and this:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=179067

Don't be afraid to use "search" feature on this site

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[3DDave]

It's not a mistake - it's a colloquialism.

https://forum.thefreedictionary.com/postst24636_Using--off--in-a-list-instead-of--of-.aspx

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/...-to-indicate-quantity-Acceptable-usage-or-not

(and while I was searching CH was also searching. Nothing new under the sun, apparently.)

 

[CheckerHater]

As neither British or American English is my native language, I am a big fan of any kind of Monkey Wrench vs. Adjustable Spanner discussion.

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[CheckerHater]

Never realized how common it actually was:

"For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert"
Arthur C. Clarke Profiles of the future

 

[drawoh]

ajcraig99,

I think that is a Britishism. I have heard it mostly from old British machinists. I strongly prefer "QTY" as a title on a BOM column.

--
JHG

 

[drawoh]

CheckerHater,

That column marked "N^o off" bothers me. To me, the short form "N^o" indicates a part number. If the number is a quantity, amount or a measurement, I would not use that form. I cannot quote you a reference.

Any other thoughts anybody?

--
JHG

 

[SwinnyGG]

'N^o' also makes my brain default to "whatever I'm about to read is a part number".

 

[dgallup]

Definitely a British usage. When I started here it was a a Lucas CAV (diesel systems) owned plant and all the drawings and BoM's used "off" for quantity. They spoke it that way as well.

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