What is a 1/32" drill in decimal and mm?

0.0313 in, or 0.794 mm; nearest number / letter drill: #68 (0.0310 in, -0.0003 in); nearest metric drill: 0.8 mm (0.0315 in, +0.0003 in).

What RPM for a 1/32" drill in steel?

In low-carbon steel (1018) an HSS 1/32" drill (0.0313 in) runs about 11,000 RPM at 90 SFM; a carbide drill about 36,670 RPM at 300 SFM. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D.

What feed for a 1/32" drill?

About 0.0007 in/rev in mild steel, 0.0007 in/rev in aluminum and 0.0005 in/rev in 304 stainless. At 11,000 RPM that is 7.70 IPM in steel (IPM = RPM × IPR).

What RPM for a 1/32" drill in aluminum?

30,560 RPM with HSS (250 SFM) or up to 73,340 RPM with carbide (600 SFM), feeding about 0.0007 in/rev.

What size is a 1/32" drill?

0.0313 in / 0.794 mm. The nearest other drills are #68 (0.0310 in), 0.8 mm (0.0315 in), #67 (0.0320 in).

1/32" drill size

A 1/32" fractional drill is 0.0313 in (0.794 mm).

Decimal inch: 0.0313
Millimeters: 0.794
Nearest 1/64: 1/32" (+0.0000)
Type: fractional drill

Nearest equivalents in other systems

Drills closest to 1/32"
System	Drill	Inch	mm	Difference
Number / letter	#68	0.0310	0.787	-0.0003 in
Metric	0.8 mm	0.0315	0.800	+0.0003 in

Speeds and feeds: in mild steel an HSS drill starts at about 11,000 RPM and 0.0007 in/rev (7.70 IPM); in 6061 aluminum about 30,560 RPM.

1/32" drill speeds and feeds by material

Jobber-length twist drill, D = 0.0313 in. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D, rounded to 10. Feed per rev scales with diameter and material; IPM = RPM × IPR.

1/32" drilling speeds
Material	HSS SFM	HSS RPM	Carbide SFM	Carbide RPM	Feed (in/rev)	HSS IPM	Carbide IPM
Aluminum (6061)	250	30,560	600	73,340	0.0007	21.4	51.3
Brass / free-machining	150	18,330	400	48,890	0.0006	11.0	29.3
Low-carbon steel (1018)	90	11,000	300	36,670	0.0007	7.70	25.7
Alloy steel (4140, annealed)	70	8,560	250	30,560	0.0007	5.99	21.4
Stainless 304	40	4,890	150	18,330	0.0005	2.44	9.17
Gray cast iron	80	9,780	250	30,560	0.0005	4.89	15.3
Titanium 6Al-4V	25	3,060	100	12,220	0.0004	1.22	4.89
Plastics (acetal)	300	36,670	500	61,120	0.0013	47.7	79.5

Small drills: the computed RPM is above most spindles. Run at your spindle's maximum and keep the feed per rev; feed drops in proportion.

Metric: Vc (m/min) = SFM × 0.3048; feed (mm/rev) = in/rev × 25.4. In steel, 11,000 RPM × 0.018 mm/rev = 196 mm/min.

Worked example: 1/32" drill in 1018 steel

HSS drill in low-carbon steel: 90 SFM.
RPM = 3.82 × 90 ÷ 0.0313 ≈ 11,000 RPM.
Feed for a 0.031 in drill in mild steel ≈ 0.0007 in/rev.
IPM = 11,000 × 0.0007 = 7.70 IPM.

Peck cycle by hole depth

1/32" drill: depth and canned cycle
Depth	Cycle	Peck	Note
3×D = 0.094 in (2.4 mm)	G81 (no peck)	None	Up to 3×D a sharp drill clears chips on its own.
5×D = 0.156 in (4 mm)	G73 chip-break	1 × D	Chip-break pecks; full retract if chips pack (soft aluminum, stainless).
8×D = 0.250 in (6.4 mm)	G83 full retract	0.5-1 × D, shrinking with depth	Retract to clear chips; reduce feed ~10-20% past 5×D.

Taps that use a 1/32" drill

No standard UNC, UNF or metric tap in our tables calls for a 1/32" drill. Use it for clearance, pilot or reamer prep holes.

Nearest drills

#68: 0.0310 in / 0.787 mm (-0.0003 in)
0.8 mm: 0.0315 in / 0.800 mm (+0.0003 in)
#67: 0.0320 in / 0.813 mm (+0.0008 in)
0.75 mm: 0.0295 in / 0.750 mm (-0.0017 in)

Drill speed calculator, prefilled for 1/32"Drill finder: sizes near 1/32"Fractional drill chart Decimal equivalent chart

Common questions

What is a 1/32" drill in decimal and mm?: 0.0313 in, or 0.794 mm; nearest number / letter drill: #68 (0.0310 in, -0.0003 in); nearest metric drill: 0.8 mm (0.0315 in, +0.0003 in).
What RPM for a 1/32" drill in steel?: In low-carbon steel (1018) an HSS 1/32" drill (0.0313 in) runs about 11,000 RPM at 90 SFM; a carbide drill about 36,670 RPM at 300 SFM. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D.
What feed for a 1/32" drill?: About 0.0007 in/rev in mild steel, 0.0007 in/rev in aluminum and 0.0005 in/rev in 304 stainless. At 11,000 RPM that is 7.70 IPM in steel (IPM = RPM × IPR).
What RPM for a 1/32" drill in aluminum?: 30,560 RPM with HSS (250 SFM) or up to 73,340 RPM with carbide (600 SFM), feeding about 0.0007 in/rev.
What size is a 1/32" drill?: 0.0313 in / 0.794 mm. The nearest other drills are #68 (0.0310 in), 0.8 mm (0.0315 in), #67 (0.0320 in).

Nearby drill sizes

Sources

Machinery's Handbook, 31st ed., Speeds and Feeds for Drilling, Reaming and Threading (Tables 17-23) — HSS and carbide drilling SFM (rounded).
RedLine Tools (Productivity Inc.) catalog p. 340, Cobalt & HSS Drills Speeds & Feeds — feed per rev by drill diameter and material (middle of the catalog range).
ASME B94.11M twist drills: number (#1-#80) and letter (A-Z) drill sizes; drill size reference.

Material feed multipliers (aluminum 1.3×, brass 1.1×, 4140 0.85×, stainless and titanium 0.7× the mild-steel feed) are JobLine estimates. Peck guidance is JobLine shop practice. Use your drill maker's data first.

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