#6-32 UNC Thread

Recommended tap drill #36
Tap drill Ø 0.1065″ / 2.705 mm
Major Ø 0.1380″ / 3.505 mm
Threads per inch 32

The chart recommendation gives approximately 77.6% thread engagement — the conventional target for average materials. It is not the only valid choice; see the options below.

Specification

Designation#6-32 UNC
Thread familyUnified National Coarse (UNC)
Nominal size#6
Basic major diameter 0.1380″ / 3.505 mm
Threads per inch / pitch32 TPI (0.794 mm pitch)
Recommended tap drill #36 (0.1065″ / 2.705 mm)
P = 0.0313″ (32 TPI) 60° major Ø 0.1380″ 60° thread form (UN / ISO) — schematic

Tap drill options by thread engagement

Any of these standard drills produces a usable engagement for #6-32 UNC; smaller drills give stronger threads but higher tapping torque. Percentages use the conventional approximation (60° thread form).

#37 83.8% #36 ★ 77.6% #33 61.6% shaded = share of the full thread height the tap forms · accent line = drilled hole wall
★ = chart recommendation. A smaller drill leaves more of the thread height for the tap to form.
Drill Decimal in mm Approx. engagement
#37 0.1040 2.642 83.8%
2.7 mm 0.1063 2.7 78.1%
#36 — chart recommendation 0.1065 2.705 77.6%
7/64″ 0.1094 2.778 70.5%
#35 0.1100 2.794 69%
2.8 mm 0.1102 2.8 68.4%
#34 0.1110 2.819 66.5%
#33 0.1130 2.87 61.6%

Nearest drills to the tap drill in other systems

Drill Size vs #36 Resulting engagement
2.7 mm 0.1063″ / 2.7 mm −0.005 mm 78.1%
7/64″ 0.1094″ / 2.778 mm +0.073 mm 70.5%

Clearance holes

For a bolt or screw of this size to pass through freely. Recommended drills per ASME B18.2.8: close, normal, and loose fits.

Tapped hole Clearance hole #36 tap drill threads cut into the material #18 (normal fit) the tinted gap lets the bolt pass freely
Schematic — proportions exaggerated for clarity; use the table values.
Fit Drill / Ø Decimal in mm
close #23 0.1540 3.912
normal #18 0.1695 4.305
loose #13 0.1850 4.699

Related threads

Data provenance. ASME B1.1, Unified Inch Screw Threads (ASME). Machinery’s Handbook — tap drill charts (Industrial Press). ASME B18.2.8, Clearance Holes for Bolts, Screws, and Studs (ASME). Engagement percentages use the conventional approximation (engagement = (major − drill) ÷ (1.29904 × pitch)) and are guidance, not a tolerance specification. See all data sources.