#14 drill size
A #14 number (wire-gauge) drill is 0.1820 in (4.623 mm). It is the cut tap, 75% thread drill for 12-28.
- Decimal inch
- 0.1820
- Millimeters
- 4.623
- Nearest 1/64
- 3/16" (-0.0055)
- Type
- number (wire-gauge) drill
Nearest equivalents in other systems
| System | Drill | Inch | mm | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional | 3/16" | 0.1875 | 4.762 | +0.0055 in |
| Metric | 4.6 mm | 0.1811 | 4.600 | -0.0009 in |
Speeds and feeds: in mild steel an HSS drill starts at about 1,890 RPM and 0.0046 in/rev (8.69 IPM); in 6061 aluminum about 5,250 RPM.
#14 drill speeds and feeds by material
Jobber-length twist drill, D = 0.1820 in. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D, rounded to 10. Feed per rev scales with diameter and material; IPM = RPM × IPR.
| Material | HSS SFM | HSS RPM | Carbide SFM | Carbide RPM | Feed (in/rev) | HSS IPM | Carbide IPM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum (6061) | 250 | 5,250 | 600 | 12,590 | 0.0043 | 22.6 | 54.1 |
| Brass / free-machining | 150 | 3,150 | 400 | 8,390 | 0.0037 | 11.7 | 31.0 |
| Low-carbon steel (1018) | 90 | 1,890 | 300 | 6,300 | 0.0046 | 8.69 | 29.0 |
| Alloy steel (4140, annealed) | 70 | 1,470 | 250 | 5,250 | 0.0046 | 6.76 | 24.1 |
| Stainless 304 | 40 | 840 | 150 | 3,150 | 0.0030 | 2.52 | 9.45 |
| Gray cast iron | 80 | 1,680 | 250 | 5,250 | 0.0030 | 5.04 | 15.8 |
| Titanium 6Al-4V | 25 | 520 | 100 | 2,100 | 0.0022 | 1.14 | 4.62 |
| Plastics (acetal) | 300 | 6,300 | 500 | 10,490 | 0.0045 | 28.4 | 47.2 |
Metric: Vc (m/min) = SFM × 0.3048; feed (mm/rev) = in/rev × 25.4. In steel, 1,890 RPM × 0.117 mm/rev = 221 mm/min.
Worked example: #14 drill in 1018 steel
- HSS drill in low-carbon steel: 90 SFM.
- RPM = 3.82 × 90 ÷ 0.1820 ≈ 1,890 RPM.
- Feed for a 0.182 in drill in mild steel ≈ 0.0046 in/rev.
- IPM = 1,890 × 0.0046 = 8.69 IPM.
Peck cycle by hole depth
| Depth | Cycle | Peck | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3×D = 0.546 in (13.9 mm) | G81 (no peck) | None | Up to 3×D a sharp drill clears chips on its own. |
| 5×D = 0.910 in (23.1 mm) | G73 chip-break | 1 × D | Chip-break pecks; full retract if chips pack (soft aluminum, stainless). |
| 8×D = 1.456 in (37 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 #14 drill
- 12-28 — cut tap, 75% thread · tap speeds and feeds
Nearest drills
- 4.6 mm: 0.1811 in / 4.600 mm (-0.0009 in)
- #15: 0.1800 in / 4.572 mm (-0.0020 in)
- #13: 0.1850 in / 4.699 mm (+0.0030 in)
- 4.7 mm: 0.1850 in / 4.700 mm (+0.0030 in)
Common questions
- What is a #14 drill in decimal and mm?
- 0.1820 in, or 4.623 mm; nearest fractional drill: 3/16" (0.1875 in, +0.0055 in); nearest metric drill: 4.6 mm (0.1811 in, -0.0009 in).
- What RPM for a #14 drill in steel?
- In low-carbon steel (1018) an HSS #14 drill (0.1820 in) runs about 1,890 RPM at 90 SFM; a carbide drill about 6,300 RPM at 300 SFM. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D.
- What feed for a #14 drill?
- About 0.0046 in/rev in mild steel, 0.0043 in/rev in aluminum and 0.0030 in/rev in 304 stainless. At 1,890 RPM that is 8.69 IPM in steel (IPM = RPM × IPR).
- What RPM for a #14 drill in aluminum?
- 5,250 RPM with HSS (250 SFM) or up to 12,590 RPM with carbide (600 SFM), feeding about 0.0043 in/rev.
- What tap uses a #14 drill?
- 12-28 (cut tap, 75% thread).
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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