Inch/Metric Threaded Hole Depth

This guide establishes the recommended minimum tap drill length in order
to have a maximum amount of full threads. The depth of a threaded hole
beyond the length of letter “A” requires special tooling. The taper at the
beginning of the tap, does not produce useable full form threads. This is
why the tap drill is longer, otherwise a more costly bottom tap is required.
The thread depth stated on the drawing is the depth of full form threads.
The drawing should not specify a tap drill depth because the machinist will
make the tap drill deep enough to meet the full thread requirement.

THREAD TAP

A
B
(Full Threads)
A
(Min. Tap Drill Length)
.250-20 UNC - 2B
.62 MIN
INCH THREADS METRIC THREADS
Nominal Length of Length of Nominal Length of Length of
Thread Thread Full Thread Thread Thread Full Thread
Size A B Size A B
(inch) (inch) (inch) (mm) (inch) (inch)
#0 .3125 .218 1.6 .3125 .218
#1 .375 .262 2 .4375 .306
#2 .4375 .306 2.5 .500 .350
#3 .500 .350 3 .625 .438
#4 .5625 .394 3.5 .6875 .481

#5 .625 .438 4 .750 .525

#6 .6875 .481 4.5 .875 .612
#8 .750 .525 5 .875 .612
# 10 .875 .612 6 1.000 .750
# 12 .9375 .656 7 1.125 .844

.250 1.000 .750 8 1.125 .900

.3125 1.125 .844 10 1.250 .938
.375 1.250 .938 12 1.656 1.242
.4375 1.4375 1.078 14 1.656 1.242
.500 1.656 1.242 16 1.8125 1.359

.5625 1.656 1.242 20 2.000 1.500

.625 1.8125 1.359 24 2.2188 1.664
.6875 1.8125 1.359 30 2.5625 1.922
.750 2.000 1.500 36 3.000 2.250
.875 2.2188 1.664
1.000 2.500 1.875