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Tap Drill Chart

Tap drill sizes for UNC, UNF, and metric coarse/fine threads — major diameter, pitch/TPI, and recommended tap drill. NPT and BSP pipe threads included.

Digital Machine
Section view of a tapped hole drawn to scale for 1/4-20 UNC: a hatched block cut by a number 7 tap drill with 60 degree thread teeth on both walls. Dimension arrows mark the basic minor diameter, the tap drill diameter giving about 75 percent thread, and the major diameter. An inset fundamental triangle shows thread height H with the 75 percent engagement zone shaded.MINOR Ø .196 — BASIC FORM (REF)TAP DRILL Ø .201 — ≈75% THREADMAJOR Ø .250SHOWN TO SCALE: 1/4-20 UNC · #7 DRILL (.2010)TAPPED HOLE — SECTION VIEWTap drill — sized for ~75% thread engagement:stronger than it looks, far easier on taps than 100%.RULE OF THUMBINCH: DRILL = MAJOR − 0.974 / TPIMETRIC: DRILL ≈ MAJOR − PITCHboth give ≈75% thread engagementTHREAD HEIGHT H — 60° V-FORM60°≈75% THD100% THDPH = 0.866 × P75% VS 100% ENGAGEMENTThe drill sets the crest; the tap cuts the flanks & root.Past ~75%, tap torque climbs fast for little strength gain.

KEY —Ø diameter ·TPI threads per inch ·#N / A–Z number & letter gauge drills · fractions & plain decimals = inches ·mm = millimeters · ( ) = decimal-inch equivalent ·G = BSP parallel pipe

UNC — Unified National Coarse

18 sizes
DesignationPitchMajor diaTap drill
#1-64640.0730#53 (0.0595)
#2-56560.0860#50 (0.0700)
#4-40400.1120#43 (0.0890)
#5-40400.1250#38 (0.1015)
#6-32320.1380#36 (0.1065)
#8-32320.1640#29 (0.1360)
#10-24240.1900#25 (0.1495)
#12-24240.2160#16 (0.1770)
1/4-20200.2500#7 (0.2010)
5/16-18180.3125F (0.2570)
3/8-16160.37505/16 (0.3125)
7/16-14140.4375U (0.3680)
1/2-13130.500027/64 (0.4219)
9/16-12120.562531/64 (0.4844)
5/8-11110.625017/32 (0.5313)
3/4-10100.750021/32 (0.6563)
7/8-990.875049/64 (0.7656)
1-881.00007/8 (0.8750)

UNF — Unified National Fine

19 sizes
DesignationPitchMajor diaTap drill
#0-8080 TPI0.06003/64 (0.0469)
#1-72720.0730#53 (0.0595)
#2-64640.0860#50 (0.0700)
#3-56560.0990#45 (0.0820)
#4-48480.1120#42 (0.0935)
#5-44440.1250#37 (0.1040)
#6-40400.1380#33 (0.1130)
#8-36360.1640#29 (0.1360)
#10-32320.1900#21 (0.1590)
1/4-28280.2500#3 (0.2130)
5/16-24240.3125I (0.2720)
3/8-24240.3750Q (0.3320)
7/16-20200.437525/64 (0.3906)
1/2-20200.500029/64 (0.4531)
9/16-18180.562533/64 (0.5156)
5/8-18180.625037/64 (0.5781)
3/4-16160.750011/16 (0.6875)
7/8-14140.875013/16 (0.8125)
1-12121.000059/64 (0.9219)

Metric — Coarse (ISO)

14 sizes
DesignationPitchMajor diaTap drill
M1.6 × 0.350.35 mm1.60 (0.0630)1.25 mm (0.0492)
M2 × 0.40.402.00 (0.0787)1.6 mm (0.0630)
M2.5 × 0.450.452.50 (0.0984)2.05 mm (0.0807)
M3 × 0.50.503.00 (0.1181)2.5 mm (0.0984)
M4 × 0.70.704.00 (0.1575)3.3 mm (0.1299)
M5 × 0.80.805.00 (0.1969)4.2 mm (0.1654)
M6 × 1.01.006.00 (0.2362)5.0 mm (0.1969)
M8 × 1.251.258.00 (0.3150)6.8 mm (0.2677)
M10 × 1.51.5010.00 (0.3937)8.5 mm (0.3346)
M12 × 1.751.7512.00 (0.4724)10.2 mm (0.4016)
M14 × 2.02.0014.00 (0.5512)12.0 mm (0.4724)
M16 × 2.02.0016.00 (0.6299)14.0 mm (0.5512)
M20 × 2.52.5020.00 (0.7874)17.5 mm (0.6890)
M24 × 3.03.0024.00 (0.9449)21.0 mm (0.8268)

Metric — Fine

10 sizes
DesignationPitchMajor diaTap drill
M3 × 0.350.35 mm3.00 (0.1181)2.65 mm (0.1043)
M4 × 0.50.504.00 (0.1575)3.5 mm (0.1378)
M5 × 0.50.505.00 (0.1969)4.5 mm (0.1772)
M6 × 0.750.756.00 (0.2362)5.25 mm (0.2067)
M8 × 1.01.008.00 (0.3150)7.0 mm (0.2756)
M10 × 1.251.2510.00 (0.3937)8.8 mm (0.3465)
M12 × 1.51.5012.00 (0.4724)10.5 mm (0.4134)
M14 × 1.51.5014.00 (0.5512)12.5 mm (0.4921)
M16 × 1.51.5016.00 (0.6299)14.5 mm (0.5709)
M20 × 1.51.5020.00 (0.7874)18.5 mm (0.7283)

NPT — National Pipe Thread (tapered)

7 sizes
DesignationPitchMajor diaTap drill
1/16-2727 TPI0.3125C (0.2420)
1/8-27270.4050R (0.3390)
1/4-18180.54007/16 (0.4375)
3/8-18180.675037/64 (0.5781)
1/2-14140.840023/32 (0.7188)
3/4-14141.050059/64 (0.9219)
1-11.511.51.31501-5/32 (1.1563)

BSP — British Standard Pipe (parallel)

6 sizes
DesignationPitchMajor diaTap drill
G1/8 (28 TPI)289.728 mm8.7 mm
G1/4 (19 TPI)1913.157 mm11.7 mm
G3/8 (19 TPI)1916.662 mm15.2 mm
G1/2 (14 TPI)1420.955 mm19.0 mm
G3/4 (14 TPI)1426.441 mm24.2 mm
G1 (11 TPI)1133.249 mm30.5 mm

Pitch shown as TPI for inch series, mm for metric. Major diameter in inches (UNC/UNF/NPT) or mm with decimal-inch equivalent (metric). Tap drills are typical handbook sizes (~65–80% thread; 9/16-18, 5/8-18 and 7/8-14 land near 65%); reduce engagement for harder materials. NPT is tapered (1°47′) and seals by interference. Heli-Coil / STI inserts need an oversize pre-drill per the insert manufacturer’s chart. For a searchable, filterable version of these sizes, see thetap-drill calculator; for the full series reference, see thethread spec library.

Free engineering reference from Digital Machine
digitalmachine.com · 805-697-7829 · Located in California
Typical handbook tap drills (~65–80% thread) per ASME B1.1 / ISO 261 / ISO 262 — verify against current standards for design-critical work. · September 2026
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