At least we have no confusion about that over here (UK). What you call a mil we call a thou (due to it being a thousandth of an inch, not a millionth!). That leaves us to use mil when referring to millimetres and millilitres. Easy.
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:04:16 -0700 From: [email protected] Subject: [USMA:47911] Re: mil To: [email protected] The mil is also used in the net contents description of plastic trash bags to describe their thickness, and other plastic film products such as dropcloths. (The metric part of the dual description uses micrometers) From: Patrick Moore <[email protected]> To: U.S. Metric Association <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, June 22, 2010 8:21:31 AM Subject: [USMA:47908] mil The mil (= 0.001 inch) was widely used in metal working and finishing in the USA in the 20th century and is still found in working specifications. Most micrometers (the gages) can measure mils. My impression is that the micrometer (the unit) has been more widely used than the mil since the 1980s, when Japan overtook the USA in production of tool steel. From: Carleton MacDonald <[email protected]> Reply-To: <[email protected]> Date: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 23:53:59 -0400 To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[email protected]> Subject: [USMA:47904] Re: The metric system or what? I had to write an internal memo for our employees. We are changing to a new style of ticket that is of a different color and thinner. I was told that the old ticket was “7 mils” and the new ticket is “5 mils”. A “mil” is a unit used in the US printing industry, and it means 0.001 inch. In the memo, thanks to Pat, I described the “mil” as an “old pre-metric unit” and told people “do not confuse it with the worldwide standard SI/metric unit ‘millimeter’.” There will be one employee in the other building whose politics are somewhat to the right of Glenn Beck who will send me a nastygram about that. (We are good friends, otherwise.) The battle continues. Carleton From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Robert H. Bushnell Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 18:10 To: U.S. Metric Association Cc: USMA Subject: [USMA:47895] Re: The metric system or what? I will stay with "inch-pound". It is not expected to be "complete" but it is clear enough to get the subject started. If somebody asks "is Btu included?" I say yes and I know the whole of measurement units is being talked about. Good enough. Robert Bushnell ---------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/197222280/direct/01/ We want to hear all your funny, exciting and crazy Hotmail stories. Tell us now
