Pilot Drill Size For Sheet Metal Screws

This should help whenever you run into a situation you need to drill a pilot hole and are not sure the size bit.

Pilot drill size for sheet metal screws.

Sizes of 4 40 to 3 8 16 are common. It is important that the correct hole size is used and the recommendation below should be followed but if very hard material is being used a hole size slightly larger may have to be used and in very soft material a smaller hole. Size 8 1 8 inches. Twist bit nearest size in fractions of an inch.

To help my readers out i thought i would add this quick reference chart. For shank clearance holes. Lo driv tri round recommended pilot holes sizes inch screws. However there are times when sheet metal screws are required.

Self drilling screws also called teks have a tip that resembles a drill and often have spaced threads like sheet metal screws. Sheet metal screws 100 our trucks deliver throughout se sw florida to place an order please call customer service at 1 800 226 5555 or fax to 800 582 6110 nominal screw size number of threads per inch 2 32 3 28 4 24 5 20 6 20 7 19 8 18 10 16 12 14 1 4 14 5 16 12 3 8 12 48 46 44 36 32 30 29 21 3 16 5 5mm i 21 64 0760 0810 0860 1065 1160 1285. Your pilot hole drill bit size will depend on the size of your sheet metal screw. To counterbore for striking head.

The problem was i didn t know how big to drill the holes and when the holes were too small it was quite difficult to. Material thickness inch nominal screw size diameter tpi. There is nothing more aggravating when you just don t know what size drill bit to use for a pilot. Self tapping screws sheet metal.

Life while installing shelving in my home i had to drill pilot holes for 8 and 12 metal screws into studs. Bit or drill sizes. For instance a non tapered brass screw that s size 6 would use 3 32 drill bit for softwood 7 64 drill bit for hardwood. Types ab b self tapping screws in mild steel brass aluminium alloy stainless steel and monel sheet metal.

And 5 16 inches 1 4 inches. Size 12 5 32 inches. Do not use self drilling screws in blind holes holes that do not pass through the material. In a single time saving operation these screws drill tap and fasten.

Drill gauge no to be used for. Size 10 9 64 inches. Size 14 1 4 inches 3 16 inches. With that being said you may need to go up more sizes depending on other factors.

Twist bit nearest size in fractions of an inch. Drill gauge no or letter to be used for maximum holding power. A size 4 screw should have a pilot hole drill size of 3 32 inches. Pilot hole sizes for metal screws and wood screws posted 30 january 2010 at 9 43pm by michael chu filed under.

No of auger bit.