Other bit types, such as Forstner bits, will contain different size cutting surfaces.Īnother example of a metric set of drill sizes is the Renard series, which uses a simple factor to determine the diameter: Please note that BS 328 sizing only applies to twist drill bits. There are a variety of standards used to define drill sizes, the most common one in the UK is the British Standard BS 328 set which includes twist drill bit sizes between 0.2 mm and 25 mm.īS 328 drill sizes are defined as shown in the drill size chart below: ø0.2 to 0.98 mm: Metric drill sizes are used primarily in Europe and use metric units to measure the drill bit diameter. To get an accurate measurement, use Vernier callipers, but be aware that depending on the quality of the drill bit, there could be a tolerance error of between 5 and 15 thousandths of a unit.
To measure the diameter of a drill bit, it’s best to measure the cutting edge rather than the shank (the shank is the part that is held by the drill chuck).
