Hardwood and Softwoods - Recommended Drill Bit Speeds
Hardwood and softwood drill speed chart.
Recommended drill bit speed in hardwood and softwood are indicated below:
| Diameter (in) | Speed (rpm) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Softwood (Pine) | Hardwood (Hard Marple) | Acrylic | Brass | Aluminum | Steel | |
| Twist drill bits | ||||||
| 1/16 - 3/16 | 3000 | 3000 | 2500 | 3000 | 3000 | 3000 |
| 1/4 - 3/8 | 3000 | 1500 | 2000 | 1200 | 2500 | 1000 |
| 7/16 - 5/8 | 1500 | 750 | 1500 | 750 | 1500 | 600 |
| 1 1/16 - 1 | 750 | 500 | - | 400 | 1000 | 350 |
| Brad-point bits | ||||||
| 1/8 | 1800 | 1200 | 1500 | - | - | - |
| 1/4 | 1800 | 1000 | 1500 | - | - | - |
| 3/8 | 1800 | 750 | 1500 | - | - | - |
| 1/2 | 1800 | 750 | 1000 | - | - | - |
| 5/8 | 1800 | 500 | 750 | - | - | - |
| 3/4 | 1400 | 250 | 750 | - | - | - |
| 7/8 | 1200 | 250 | 500 | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1000 | 250 | 250 | - | - | - |
| Forstner bits | ||||||
| 1/4 - 3/8 | 2400 | 700 | - | - | - | - |
| 1/2 - 5/8 | 2400 | 500 | 250 | - | - | - |
| 3/4 - 1 | 1500 | 500 | 250 | - | - | - |
| 1 1/8 - 1 1/4 | 1000 | 250 | 250 | - | - | - |
| 1 3/8 - 2 | 500 | 250 | - | - | - | - |
| Spade bits | ||||||
| 1/4 - 1/2 | 2000 | 1500 | - | - | - | - |
| 5/8 - 1 | 1750 | 1500 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 1/8 - 1 1/2 | 1500 | 1000 | - | - | - | - |
| 1 5/8 - 2 | 1200 | 700 | - | - | - | - |
Related Topics
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Miscellaneous
Engineering related topics like Beaufort Wind Scale, CE-marking, drawing standards and more.
Related Documents
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Drill Bits - Conversion Chart
Convert between drill bit dimensions - gauge numbers, inches and mm. -
Hardwood and Softwood Species
Species of hardwood vs. softwood. -
Lumber - Surface Finishing
Lumber and surface finishing abbreviations. -
Metric Bolt Heads and Wrench Sizes
ANSI/SO, DIN and JIS bolts. -
Steel Bolts - SAE Grades
SAE steel bolts - grades ranging grade 1 to 8.2 - proof and tensile strength. -
US Wood Screws - Nominal Sizes
Wood screws - nominal sizes vs. diameters. -
US Wood Screws - Pilot Holes
Hard wood and soft wood pilot holes, shank clearance holes and countersink diameters. -
Withworth Threads - Taps and Drill Sizes
Taps and drill sizes used for Whitworth - ISO 7 and ISO 228 threads. -
Wood Hardness
Soft and hardwood - the Janka Hardness scale. -
Wood Screws - Withdrawal Force
Allowable withdrawal load force. -
Wood Species - Densities
Densities of various wood species - apple, ash, cedar, elm and more.
