ISO metric · fine
M16 × 1 tap drill size
For general work, OSG suggests 65–70% of full thread. Harder materials and deep holes want less; the calculator sets it from your material.
Cut tap
15 mm
0.5906" · 77% thread
Form tap
15.5 mm
0.6102" · 74% thread
Pick your material for its % of thread, tapping RPM and the rigid-tap code.
Thread dimensions
- Major Ø
- 16.000 mm (0.6299")
- Pitch
- 1 mm
- Pitch Ø (basic)
- 15.350 mm (0.6043")
- Minor Ø (internal, basic)
- 14.917 mm (0.5873")
- Thread depth (internal)
- 0.541 mm (0.0213")
Basic sizes of the 60° form. Tolerance classes (6H) set the limits around them.
Cut tap drills
For a cutting (fluted or spiral) tap. Every standard drill from 50% to 85% thread; suggested rows are in the 65–70% band.
| Drill | Ø in | Ø mm | Thread |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 mm | 0.5906 | 15.00 | 77% |
| 19/32 | 0.5938 | 15.08 | 71% |
Form tap drills
A form (roll) tap displaces metal instead of cutting it, so it needs a bigger hole. Every standard drill from 50% to 85% thread; suggested rows are in the 65–70% band.
| Drill | Ø in | Ø mm | Thread |
|---|---|---|---|
| 39/64 | 0.6094 | 15.48 | 77% |
| 15.5 mm | 0.6102 | 15.50 | 74% |
3-wire measurement
- Best wire size
- 0.577 mm (0.0227")
- Over wires, at basic pitch Ø
- 16.217 mm (0.6384")
For the external thread (the screw). The best wire touches the flanks at the pitch diameter.
Sources
- ISO 261 / ISO 262 — ISO general purpose metric screw threads: general plan and selected sizes
- OSG — Tap drill size and pitch diameter limit chart (formula, suggested % of full thread)
- Cutting Tool Engineering — "Threads will roll": form tap hole size = D − 0.0068 × % / TPI
- ASME B94.11M — Twist drills (fractional, number, letter and metric sizes)
- NIST (NBS) Letter Circular 23 and Pratt & Whitney — three-wire thread measurement, best wire size