#32 drill size
A #32 number (wire-gauge) drill is 0.1160 in (2.946 mm). It is the form (roll) tap, 65% thread drill for 5-44.
- Decimal inch
- 0.1160
- Millimeters
- 2.946
- Nearest 1/64
- 7/64" (+0.0066)
- Type
- number (wire-gauge) drill
Nearest equivalents in other systems
| System | Drill | Inch | mm | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional | 7/64" | 0.1094 | 2.778 | -0.0066 in |
| Metric | 2.95 mm | 0.1161 | 2.950 | +0.0001 in |
Speeds and feeds: in mild steel an HSS drill starts at about 2,960 RPM and 0.0027 in/rev (7.99 IPM); in 6061 aluminum about 8,230 RPM.
#32 drill speeds and feeds by material
Jobber-length twist drill, D = 0.1160 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 | 8,230 | 600 | 19,760 | 0.0026 | 21.4 | 51.4 |
| Brass / free-machining | 150 | 4,940 | 400 | 13,170 | 0.0022 | 10.9 | 29.0 |
| Low-carbon steel (1018) | 90 | 2,960 | 300 | 9,880 | 0.0027 | 7.99 | 26.7 |
| Alloy steel (4140, annealed) | 70 | 2,310 | 250 | 8,230 | 0.0027 | 6.24 | 22.2 |
| Stainless 304 | 40 | 1,320 | 150 | 4,940 | 0.0019 | 2.51 | 9.39 |
| Gray cast iron | 80 | 2,630 | 250 | 8,230 | 0.0017 | 4.47 | 14.0 |
| Titanium 6Al-4V | 25 | 820 | 100 | 3,290 | 0.0014 | 1.15 | 4.61 |
| Plastics (acetal) | 300 | 9,880 | 500 | 16,460 | 0.0046 | 45.5 | 75.7 |
Metric: Vc (m/min) = SFM × 0.3048; feed (mm/rev) = in/rev × 25.4. In steel, 2,960 RPM × 0.069 mm/rev = 203 mm/min.
Worked example: #32 drill in 1018 steel
- HSS drill in low-carbon steel: 90 SFM.
- RPM = 3.82 × 90 ÷ 0.1160 ≈ 2,960 RPM.
- Feed for a 0.116 in drill in mild steel ≈ 0.0027 in/rev.
- IPM = 2,960 × 0.0027 = 7.99 IPM.
Peck cycle by hole depth
| Depth | Cycle | Peck | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3×D = 0.348 in (8.8 mm) | G81 (no peck) | None | Up to 3×D a sharp drill clears chips on its own. |
| 5×D = 0.580 in (14.7 mm) | G73 chip-break | 1 × D | Chip-break pecks; full retract if chips pack (soft aluminum, stainless). |
| 8×D = 0.928 in (23.6 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 #32 drill
- 5-44 — form (roll) tap, 65% thread · tap speeds and feeds
- 6-32 — cut tap, 50% thread · tap speeds and feeds
Nearest drills
- 2.95 mm: 0.1161 in / 2.950 mm (+0.0001 in)
- 2.9 mm: 0.1142 in / 2.900 mm (-0.0018 in)
- 3.0 mm: 0.1181 in / 3.000 mm (+0.0021 in)
- #33: 0.1130 in / 2.870 mm (-0.0030 in)
Common questions
- What is a #32 drill in decimal and mm?
- 0.1160 in, or 2.946 mm; nearest fractional drill: 7/64" (0.1094 in, -0.0066 in); nearest metric drill: 2.95 mm (0.1161 in, +0.0001 in).
- What RPM for a #32 drill in steel?
- In low-carbon steel (1018) an HSS #32 drill (0.1160 in) runs about 2,960 RPM at 90 SFM; a carbide drill about 9,880 RPM at 300 SFM. RPM = 3.82 × SFM ÷ D.
- What feed for a #32 drill?
- About 0.0027 in/rev in mild steel, 0.0026 in/rev in aluminum and 0.0019 in/rev in 304 stainless. At 2,960 RPM that is 7.99 IPM in steel (IPM = RPM × IPR).
- What RPM for a #32 drill in aluminum?
- 8,230 RPM with HSS (250 SFM) or up to 19,760 RPM with carbide (600 SFM), feeding about 0.0026 in/rev.
- What tap uses a #32 drill?
- 5-44 (form (roll) tap, 65% thread); 6-32 (cut tap, 50% 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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