Tap drill for each pitch
Tap this hole: 10.7 mm (0.4213 in). Bolt must pass (normal clearance): 13.7 mm.
| Thread | Tap drill | Clearance |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2-13 UNC | 10.7 mm | 13.7 mm |
| 1/2-20 UNF | 11.4 mm | 13.7 mm |
| 1/2-28 UNEF | 11.8 mm | 13.7 mm |
1/2-13 UNC tap drill size in mm is 10.7 mm (27/64 in / 0.4219 in). 75% tap drill ≈ 0.500 − 1/13 ≈ 0.423 in. 1/2-13 UNC drill size and 1/2 13 tap drill are that same hole. Normal clearance is about 13.5 mm (17/32 in). Fine 1/2-20 UNF uses a 29/64 in drill.
Common metric tap drills: M3 tap drill size · M6 tap drill 5.0 mm · M8 tap drill size · M10 tap drill 8.5 mm · M12 tap drill 10.2 mm · M24 tap drill 21.0 mm.
Formula
Major Ø 12.7 mm
Pitch 1.954 mm
Tap drill 10.7 mm
Minor Ø 10.585 mm
1/2-13 UNC at a glance
Tap drill vs clearance hole
Tap this hole (then cut the thread): 10.7 mm. Bolt must pass (clearance): 13.7 mm normal. That is why “1/2-13 UNC drill size” can mean two different holes — this page lists both.
How we use this in the toolroom
At 1/2 inch we treat it like M12: machine tap or thread mill in tool steel, and never assume the incoming bolt is UNF just because it is ‘half inch’.
Accurate Industries in Pune still looks these sizes up the same way: tap drill ≈ major − pitch, then a clearance hole for the bolt. AlwaysReach is that chart in the browser — our story.
Full metric and imperial lookup lives on the thread & tap drill calculator. After tapping, check a locational bore on the ISO tolerance calculator. Other pages: M8 × 1.25, M10 × 1.5, M12 × 1.75, M6 × 1, M16 × 2, M4 × 0.7, M5 × 0.8, 1/4-20 UNC, M3 × 0.5, M20 × 2.5, M24 × 3, 5/16-18 UNC, 3/8-16 UNC, UNC chart, UNF chart, BSW chart, UNEF chart, BSF chart.