Hi all,

I am building my first ARF and require a set of metric drill bits, from 1-15mm, to do so. I have been looking at local stores and can't find any. When I called my LHS they seemed as if I had just asked an absurd question. Just wondering if this is an odd tool to aquire. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

I use standard sized drill bits. I picked up a cheap caliper, and measure the standard bits to get the one closest to the metric size required. Hasn't failed me yet. I have found that I always have a standard bit that is the same size as the metric one called for.

My standard bit set has the metric equivalent written on the case and using the closest one on the small side has been fine for 6 planes so far.

There are metric drill bits. Maybe you have to go to a real tool shop to find them.

I have a plastic card with holes in it for both metric and standard I use what is nearest to metric,

What kind of ARF are you building? I haven't run into a need for a metric drill bit yet regardless of what instructions might say.

If you really want some though check out your local industrial supply place or online at places like www.mcmaster.com

go online and to a mm to inches conversion,multiply the decimal number by 64,the numbers before the decimal point will be the bit size in 64ths of an inch.

All you need to remember is that 0.4mm = 1/64th inch (actually 0.396875mm = 1/64, but most times this won't matter)

So, 5/64 = 5 X 0.4 = 2mm

and 1/16 = 4 X 04 = 1.6mm (1/16 = 1.6mm is probably the easiest of all to remember)

From this you can usually multiply your way to any conversion you need.


Terry

Try Homedepot or Lowes. If you don't find it there then try Mc Master-carr, you can find just about anything there online. I order from them all the time.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#



Graham

Come on you guys the world is metric now!

[link=http://www.micromark.com/displaygroup.aspx?DisplayID=7083&map=web&sc=WGB&ut m_source=GoogleBase&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=G oogleBase]CLICKY[/link] for $11.65

The Modelfly ARF's from Hobbypeople have metric sizes in their instructions. I just used a online converter and used Standard sizes that were close. Haven't crashed it yet...

[link=http://www.carbidedepot.com/formulas-drillsize.htm]This[/link] might help if your mathematically challenged.

A6Ordie
were can I find the online converter

Whatever size you want here from .16MM to 38MM

http://www.biscotoolsupply.com/home/...rill_bits.html

rjr cool tools has lots of neat stuff including metric drill bits

just typed metric to english conversion in google and there was a bunch to choose from. matched to as close as I could and the plane flies fine.

Here is the set i bought http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/pr...romSearch=true on sale it was less than $40 and it gets me every bit size from .040" to 1/2" .

as for converters just remember 1"=25.4mm, so 5mm would be 5/25.4=.197" 1mm would b 1/25.4=.039" and so on.

Thanks to everyone for responding. You have all been a big help.

Wzak, Tower Hobbies has an online standard metric converter for lenght measure and volume conversions.

I hadn't noticed that there were any metric drills, I have the 115 drill tridex that has 1 - 60, A - Z and 1/16 - 1/2 by 1/64ths. With that and a metric conversion chart, you will always be able to get within .002 inch and that is plenty close.