#17 drill size
A #17 number (wire-gauge) drill is 0.1730 in (4.394 mm).
- Decimal inch
- 0.1730
- Millimeters
- 4.394
- Nearest 1/64
- 11/64" (+0.0011)
- Type
- number (wire-gauge) drill
Nearest equivalents in other systems
| System | Drill | Inch | mm | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional | 11/64" | 0.1719 | 4.366 | -0.0011 in |
| Metric | 4.4 mm | 0.1732 | 4.400 | +0.0002 in |
Speeds and feeds: in mild steel an HSS drill starts at about 1,990 RPM and 0.0043 in/rev (8.56 IPM); in 6061 aluminum about 5,520 RPM.
#17 drill speeds and feeds by material
Jobber-length twist drill, D = 0.1730 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 | 5,520 | 600 | 13,250 | 0.0041 | 22.6 | 54.3 |
| Brass / free-machining | 150 | 3,310 | 400 | 8,830 | 0.0035 | 11.6 | 30.9 |
| Low-carbon steel (1018) | 90 | 1,990 | 300 | 6,620 | 0.0043 | 8.56 | 28.5 |
| Alloy steel (4140, annealed) | 70 | 1,550 | 250 | 5,520 | 0.0043 | 6.67 | 23.7 |
| Stainless 304 | 40 | 880 | 150 | 3,310 | 0.0029 | 2.55 | 9.60 |
| Gray cast iron | 80 | 1,770 | 250 | 5,520 | 0.0028 | 4.96 | 15.5 |
| Titanium 6Al-4V | 25 | 550 | 100 | 2,210 | 0.0021 | 1.16 | 4.64 |
| Plastics (acetal) | 300 | 6,620 | 500 | 11,040 | 0.0046 | 30.4 | 50.8 |
Metric: Vc (m/min) = SFM × 0.3048; feed (mm/rev) = in/rev × 25.4. In steel, 1,990 RPM × 0.109 mm/rev = 217 mm/min.
Worked example: #17 drill in 1018 steel
- HSS drill in low-carbon steel: 90 SFM.
- RPM = 3.82 × 90 ÷ 0.1730 ≈ 1,990 RPM.
- Feed for a 0.173 in drill in mild steel ≈ 0.0043 in/rev.
- IPM = 1,990 × 0.0043 = 8.56 IPM.
Peck cycle by hole depth
| Depth | Cycle | Peck | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3×D = 0.519 in (13.2 mm) | G81 (no peck) | None | Up to 3×D a sharp drill clears chips on its own. |
| 5×D = 0.865 in (22 mm) | G73 chip-break | 1 × D | Chip-break pecks; full retract if chips pack (soft aluminum, stainless). |
| 8×D = 1.384 in (35.2 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 #17 drill
No standard UNC, UNF or metric tap in our tables calls for a #17 drill. Use it for clearance, pilot or reamer prep holes.
Nearest drills
- 4.4 mm: 0.1732 in / 4.400 mm (+0.0002 in)
- 11/64": 0.1719 in / 4.366 mm (-0.0011 in)
- #18: 0.1695 in / 4.305 mm (-0.0035 in)
- 4.3 mm: 0.1693 in / 4.300 mm (-0.0037 in)
Common questions
- What is a #17 drill in decimal and mm?
- 0.1730 in, or 4.394 mm; nearest fractional drill: 11/64" (0.1719 in, -0.0011 in); nearest metric drill: 4.4 mm (0.1732 in, +0.0002 in).
- What RPM for a #17 drill in steel?
- In low-carbon steel (1018) an HSS #17 drill (0.1730 in) runs about 1,990 RPM at 90 SFM; a carbide drill about 6,620 RPM at 300 SFM. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D.
- What feed for a #17 drill?
- About 0.0043 in/rev in mild steel, 0.0041 in/rev in aluminum and 0.0029 in/rev in 304 stainless. At 1,990 RPM that is 8.56 IPM in steel (IPM = RPM × IPR).
- What RPM for a #17 drill in aluminum?
- 5,520 RPM with HSS (250 SFM) or up to 13,250 RPM with carbide (600 SFM), feeding about 0.0041 in/rev.
- What size is a #17 drill?
- 0.1730 in / 4.394 mm. The nearest other drills are 4.4 mm (0.1732 in), 11/64" (0.1719 in), #18 (0.1695 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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