#4-48 UNF Thread

Recommended tap drill #42
Tap drill Ø 0.0935″ / 2.375 mm
Major Ø 0.1120″ / 2.845 mm
Threads per inch 48

The chart recommendation gives approximately 68.4% thread engagement — the conventional target for average materials. It is not the only valid choice; see the options below.

Specification

Designation#4-48 UNF
Thread familyUnified National Fine (UNF)
Nominal size#4
Basic major diameter 0.1120″ / 2.845 mm
Threads per inch / pitch48 TPI (0.529 mm pitch)
Recommended tap drill #42 (0.0935″ / 2.375 mm)
P = 0.0208″ (48 TPI) 60° major Ø 0.1120″ 60° thread form (UN / ISO) — schematic

Tap drill options by thread engagement

Any of these standard drills produces a usable engagement for #4-48 UNF; smaller drills give stronger threads but higher tapping torque. Percentages use the conventional approximation (60° thread form).

#43 85% #42 ★ 68.4% 2.4 mm 64.7% 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
#43 0.0890 2.261 85%
2.3 mm 0.0906 2.3 79.3%
#42 — chart recommendation 0.0935 2.375 68.4%
3/32″ 0.0938 2.381 67.4%
2.4 mm 0.0945 2.4 64.7%

Nearest drills to the tap drill in other systems

Drill Size vs #42 Resulting engagement
2.4 mm 0.0945″ / 2.4 mm +0.025 mm 64.7%
3/32″ 0.0938″ / 2.381 mm +0.006 mm 67.4%

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 #42 tap drill threads cut into the material #30 (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 #31 0.1200 3.048
normal #30 0.1285 3.264
loose #27 0.1440 3.658

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.