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Date:         Mon, 11 Nov 2013 08:46:38 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: My MM to Inches Diameters POSTER w Drills and Taps
Comments: To: Derek Drew <derekdrew@derekmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <5280ea7c.8568310a.5327.2cdb@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Nice! Thanks. There are some great conversion apps for smartphones, but nothing else out there that makes sense of the various sizes.

As a quick reference when you can't refer to a chart, remember that for metric taps, you can just subtract the pitch from the diameter to get the drill size. For instance, an 8mm x 1.25 tap will use a 6.75mm drill.

Jim

On Mon, Nov 11, 2013 at 8:30 AM, Derek Drew <derekdrew@derekmail.com> wrote:

> I have uploaded this POSTER for you to print out and put on your garage > wall. > > The need for this document is 1) for a quick reference as to what > drill sizes to use for a given tap, or 2) to check the nearest MM and > Inch options, and 3) to make sense of your drill bits, and 4) because > the USA sizes are insane. Not only are they typically arranged in > confusing fractions like 3/8 and 5/16, but there are parallel size > nomenclatures being used like Number size Drill Bits (1 to 70 size), > Letter Size Drill Bits (A to Z sizes), Machine Screw Sizes (Size 0 to > 16) and 64th sizes and 1,000s of an inch sizes. > > I have made the file available in three locations: > > ============================ > FILE ON GOOGLE > DRIVE: > https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8sxgRMrur9XaWcyaXVacUx5eVE/ > edit?usp=sharing > then hit CONTROL S or FILE DOWNLOAD to your device. (You might have > to have a google account to get this but I am not sure. While it is > possible that there would be no problem, I would discourage you from > trying to use the file using the Google Docs software. Instead, try > to look at the file in Excel. > > FILE ON SUBARU GROUP: I put the file for you all here: > <http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/subaruvanagon/files>htt > p://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/subaruvanagon/files > > > <http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/LON_UhwrI9ccjzuEugT-jDubNPcaOD- > oyoRf6ppkDP0H0DkGe12kPDkXJCJIDtlt2LZhIbHaWitjsaRKCtDDKxRyWMY > i/Dereks%20MM%20Inches%20Diameters%20and%20Tap%20Chart.xls>Dereks > MM Inches Diameters and Tap Chart.xls I think the (crazy) direct > link to it is this: > http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/LON_UhwrI9ccjzuEugT-jDubNPcaOD- > oyoRf6ppkDP0H0DkGe12kPDkXJCJIDtlt2LZhIbHaWitjsaRKCtDDKxRyWMY > i/Dereks%20MM%20Inches%20Diameters%20and%20Tap%20Chart.xls > > > FILE ON SYNCRO GROUP: You should also be able to get it from the > SOFTWARE AND TOOLS area of the FILES section > of > <http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/>http:// > autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Syncro/ > > FILES > SOFTWARE AND > TOOLS > > <http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/LON_UhwrI9ccjzuEugT-jDubNPcaOD- > oyoRf6ppkDP0H0DkGe12kPDkXJCJIDtlt2LZhIbHaWitjsaRKCtDDKxRyWMY > i/Dereks%20MM%20Inches%20Diameters%20and%20Tap%20Chart.xls>Dereks > MM Inches Diameters and Tap Chart.xls > ============================ > > I made this for my own convenience, but it has been so extremely > helpful to me that I figure that I better distribute it so everybody > can use it. > > I suggest you download the file to your own computer and then print > it out, tape it together, and affix to your garage door or whatever > (NOT the refrigerator in your kitchen if you are married). > > > > ======================================================================== > You DO NOT have to read the material below because these notes are > also inside the document. > > Important Notes > ============ > 1. This document was prepared in Excel and is meant to be viewd and > printed form Excel. If you are viewing this in Google Docs it > probably won't be displaying correctly and will probably be a mess. > [By default, Google sometimes sets itself to destroy some Microsoft > documents and convert them to Google Docs, but the conversion tends > to introduce errors. For anybody reading this, unless you know you > want to set it otherwise, I suggest that you navigate to your Google > Drive page (if you have one) and then SETTINGS and then UPLOAD > SETTINGS and then uncheck the box that says "convert uploaded files > to Google Docs format".] > > 2. An "R" designation after a number indicates that the number is > rounded. The first number 0.014 r " is rounded. Many numbers are not > rounded. > > 3. In the unlikely event that you need to see the unrounded number, > you can often select the cell and then look in the formula field > above to see the detail on that number. > > 4. To quickly see the main USA fractional sizes, scan down column D > for the mustard colored cells. > > 5. To quickly see the major metric sizes, scan down column E for the > light blue cells > > 6. To view any size in 64ths of an inch, see column J, but keep in > mind that these numbers are sometimes rounded. > > 7. When metric sizes are rounded, they are identified as "r mm" but > if they are not rounded then column F merely says "mm" > > 8. Many drill bits you find in your shop or garage will be off-size, > meaning that their actual measurement difffers from the measurement > printed on the drill bit > > 9. To see the actual size of a drill bit, use a micrometer with a > 1,000's of an inch readout, not a calipher, which is less accurate > > 10. To tap a new hole, look up the thread pitch in one of the thread > pitch columns (P, S, V, or Y) and then drill the hole out initially > using a drill bit identified in the associated "Tap Drill "" columns. > > 11. EXAMPLE a. You want to make a 6mm hole and you want it to have a > 1.0 metric thread pitch > b. Find the 6mm row in the chart below and then look across > to the column that says "1" in the thread pitch column (to indicate > 1.0 metric thread pitch) > c. Look in the adjacent cell and you will see the number 0.197 > d. This number 0.197 is thousandths of an inch, so look down > row B to find 0.197 > e. You will see that that corresponds to a 5mm drill bit > f. If you don't have metric drill bits, then look for the > nearest drill bit that you have in an American size > g. The nearest American size will be a #9 or a #8 drill bit > so use one of those if you have number bits > h. If you don't have number bits, then you can look for the > nearest 64ths drill bit, which in this case will be 13/64ths, which > is close enough. > > Document Preparation > ================= > 1. This document was prepared for the purpose of printing and being > posted to the shop or garage wall > > 2. Do not "unhide" rows or columns or it will probably get very confusing > > 3. It is suggested to print on a color printer rather than black and white > > 4. It is suggested that you cut the chart up with sizzors and then > tape all the pages of the chart together in one giant chart that you > can staple to the wall > > 5. Staple the chart high on the wall so that the most common sizes > (e.g., 10mm are at eye level; otherwise you will have to squat too > much to see what you want) > > The Insanely Confusing World of Nuts and Bolts, Drill Bits and Diameters > > 1. This document uses 1,000s of an inch along the left side as the > primary unit of organization > > 2. The metric size column is simple and needs no explaination except > to remark that only the blue colored cells are official metric sizes > > 3. The USA sizes are insane. Not only are they typically arranged in > confusing fractions like 3/8 and 5/16, but there are parallel > size nomenclatures integrated with the chart. These parallel size > nomenclatures are: > > -- Number size Drill Bits (1 to 70 size) > > -- Letter Size Drill Bits (A to Z sizes) > > -- Machine Screw Sizes (Size 0 to 16) > > -- 64th sizes are shown in their own column or it would have got > too confusing but keep in mind that the 64th figures are *rounded* > > -- 1,000s of an inch sizes are also shown in their own column and > it says "r" where these are rounded > > > About Tap and Die Sizes > ================== > 1. The guidelines for what size hole to drill to use with any drill > bit are approximate, and you will see variations from one published > chart to the other > > 2. Accordingly, there will be differences between what is published > here and what you may see elsewhere. > > 3. For example, some publishers will state that to make a hole for a > 6mm x 1.0 bolt you should drill a hole which is 5.2mm whereas this > chart gives that measurement as 5.0mm > > 4. Most of the discrepancies are not so large as the example given above. > > 5. The matter of the hole diameter is actually a mater of personal > preference of whether one prefers to drill the hole, for example, to > 60% of thread depth, or 75% of thread depth, and so on. > > 6. Drilling a hole to 75% of thread depth makes the hole harder to > thread (without breaking your tap), but will provide a slightly > stronger bond with the bolt you will subsequently install. > > 7. So, if you find it is too hard to tap a hole using the guide given > here, you can try using a slightly larger drill bit and try again > > 8. Where a tap provides the drill bit diameter printed on the side of > the tap or in the box for the tap set, it will normally be better to > use that number than the number given in this chart > > 9. The main point here is that there is a variation in the number of > acceptable drill hole sizes that can be used with any given tap. > > 10. The drill hole size for a given tap may also depend on the type > of metal (e.g., aluminum, bronze, stainless steel, steel, etc.) but > this chart does not go into that detail. > > Distribution > ========= > 1. This document may be reposted freely on the usual enthusiast > websites where it might end up and may be posted to vendor websites > without permission of the author provided that the address for > corrections (next row) is retained. > > 2. Corrections to derekdrew@derekmail.com, or you can post them in > public to the syncro list (for the purposes of discussion and to > embarrass me). > > 3. Publication date of this version: Septeber 12, 2013 > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Derek Drew > Washington DC / New York > derekdrew@derekmail.com > Email is best normally but... > PHONE: 202-966-7907 (Call the number at left normally) > (alt/cell for diligent calling only): 703-408-1532 >


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