Inch drill bit size for wood

5/32 in drill bit

The size of a 5/32 in bit in both systems, how fast to run it on a drill press in softwood and hardwood for each kind of bit made in this size, and what it drills in the rest of this site’s charts.

Inch

0.1563 in

5/32 in exactly.

Metric

3.97 mm

5/32 in × 25.4 = 3.969 mm.

Drill press speed by bit type

RPM in softwood (pine) and hardwood (hard maple), on face grain. The figure is the median of three charts, or the mean of two, and the lower of two that are more than twice apart. Each chart’s own figure is listed under it. A dash means fewer than two charts cover that bit at this size.

Bit	Softwood RPM	Hardwood RPM
Twist drill bit	3,000 Only two sources publish this: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly WOOD Magazine 3,000 · Grizzly 3,000	2,750 Only two sources publish this: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly WOOD Magazine 3,000 · Grizzly 2,500
Brad-point bit	2,400 Only two sources publish this: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly WOOD Magazine 1,800 · Grizzly 3,000	1,000 Two sources disagree: WOOD Magazine 1000, Grizzly 2500 WOOD Magazine 1,000 · Grizzly 2,500

Bit

Softwood RPM

Hardwood RPM

Twist drill bit

3,000

Only two sources publish this: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly

WOOD Magazine 3,000 · Grizzly 3,000

2,750

Only two sources publish this: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly

WOOD Magazine 3,000 · Grizzly 2,500

Brad-point bit

2,400

Only two sources publish this: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly

WOOD Magazine 1,800 · Grizzly 3,000

1,000

Two sources disagree: WOOD Magazine 1000, Grizzly 2500

WOOD Magazine 1,000 · Grizzly 2,500

Bigger bits and hole saws run slower: every chart here steps the speed down as the size grows.
3 sources agree , sources [1, 2, 3]
Hardwood never runs faster than softwood with the same bit, and usually slower.
Two sources: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly , sources [1, 2]
The charts are a starting point: when a bit or hole saw comes with its maker’s speed, use that.
One source: Grizzly, the maker of that drill press , sources [2]
WOOD Magazine tested on face grain: slow down when drilling into end grain.
One source: WOOD Magazine, the publisher of that chart , sources [1]
Clamp the work to the drill press table: a large bit at low speed can grab it.
Two sources: WOOD Magazine and Grizzly , sources [1, 2]

Sources

What this size drills on this site

The same size elsewhere

Sources, read 2026-11-07/08: WOOD Magazine, WOOD Magazine’s Drill Press Speed Chart: twist, brad-point, spade bits and hole saws in softwood (pine) and hardwood (hard maple); Grizzly, G7943/G7944 drill press manual (mfd. since 09/17): drill bit speed chart, p. 27 (a guide; the bit maker’s speed comes first); Exchange-A-Blade, Hole saw tech: bimetal hole saw recommended RPM by size, wood column; Infinity Cutting Tools, Forstner Bit Speed & Feed Chart (HSS Forstner bits, hardwoods and softwoods, 3/8" to 2").