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Drill
Bit Sizes Explained
You can
actually custom order a drill bit to any size,
but most drill bits the actual cutting part on
the end of the drill are manufactured to
standard sizes.
In the United States,
fractional inch sizes are still used; in most
other parts of the world, metric bit sizes are
normally used.
Because of the two common different measuring
systems fractional and metric it can be a
little confusing buying the right drill bit
size. To confuse things even more, there are two
other ways of measuring letter sizes and
wire-gauge sizes.
If you are purchasing
drill bit sizes in the United States, the size
will probably be measured in fractions. The
standard twist drill bits, which most people
use begin at 1/64 of an inch and continue in
1/64 increments up to 1 inch. One disadvantage
of this method of bit sizing is that the size
increment between drill bits is extremely large
for the smaller sizes a difference of 100%
between the first two sizes.
Metric drill bit sizes were introduced by the
British Standard in 1959. The British Standard
BS 328 identifies bit sizes ranging from the
smallest, 0.2mm, to the largest which measures
25mm.
Letter sizes for drill bits are perhaps the
easiest to understand. These bits are used to
make precise small hole sizes and are simply
labeled from the smallest A to the largest
Z. Even the largest of these is a mere 0.4
inches in diameter, so you would use letter
sizes for detailed and close up work.
Wire gauge sizes, as the name suggests are
standard measurements used for drilling holes
for particular diameters of wire, especially
wires conducting electricity. Most of these
sizes are extremely small a size AWG 36, for
example is just 0.005 inches in diameter.
Drill bits with a twist on the end are also
sold in standard lengths as well as sizes the
length is in proportion to the diameter of the
bit.
Unless you are an expert and need a particular
size, it is probably best just to purchase a
variety of drill bits of varying sizes, ensuring
you always have one thats the right size for
the job.
Tools and construction tips:
Types
of tools
Garage and home construction
Outdoor diy projects
Heavy construction equipment
Industrial construction
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