#28 drill bit size
0.1405 in
3.57 mm · number drill
| Inches | 0.1405 in |
| Millimetres | 3.57 mm |
| Nearest metric drill | 3.6 mm |
| System | Number (#1 to #60) |
What #28 means
A bit marked #28 is a number drill, and the number is an index rather than a measurement — the higher the number, the smaller the bit. #1 is 0.228 inches and #60 is 0.04. That is the opposite of the fractional sizes stamped on a home set, which is why a number drill and a fraction of similar appearance can be very different holes.
The same hole in the other systems
Three drill systems overlap across this range and a workshop rarely has all three. The nearest bit of each other kind to #28:
| System | Nearest size | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| letter | A — 0.234 in | 0.0935 in larger |
| fractional | 9/64" — 0.1406 in | 0.0001 in larger |
| metric | 3.6 mm | 0.031 mm larger |
One of those is within three thousandths of an inch, which is inside the tolerance of most hand-held work — substitute it and nobody will know.
What gets drilled at 0.1405 inches
The busiest part of the number series. Tapping drills for machine screws from #4 to #12 sit in here, along with pilot holes for wood screws and clearance for small pins. If a number drill in a workshop is worn out, it is usually one of these.
Either side of it
| Drill | Inches | Millimetres |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8" | 0.125 in | 3.18 mm |
| #30 | 0.1285 in | 3.26 mm |
| #29 | 0.136 in | 3.45 mm |
| #28 | 0.1405 in | 3.57 mm |
| 9/64" | 0.1406 in | 3.57 mm |
| #27 | 0.144 in | 3.66 mm |
| #26 | 0.147 in | 3.73 mm |
Frequently asked questions
What size is a #28 drill bit?
0.1405 inches, which is 3.57 mm. Number drills run from #1 at 0.228 inches down to #60 at 0.04, getting smaller as the number rises — the opposite of what most people expect the first time.
What is a #28 drill bit in mm?
3.57 mm. A metric index will offer 3.6 mm as the nearest stocked size, which is 0.031 mm larger — enough to matter when tapping and not enough to matter for a clearance hole.
Is #28 a tapping drill size?
Not for any of the unified threads on this site. It sits between the sizes the standard taps call for, so it is a clearance or pilot drill rather than a tapping one.
What is the next size up from #28?
9/64" at 0.1406 inches — 0.0001 inches larger. Below it is #29 at 0.136.
Other sizes
- 9/64" drill bit — 0.1406 in, 3.57 mm
- #27 drill bit — 0.144 in, 3.66 mm
- #26 drill bit — 0.147 in, 3.73 mm
- #25 drill bit — 0.1495 in, 3.8 mm
- #24 drill bit — 0.152 in, 3.86 mm
- #23 drill bit — 0.154 in, 3.91 mm
- 5/32" drill bit — 0.1563 in, 3.97 mm
- #22 drill bit — 0.157 in, 3.99 mm