Update, not working What size hole for #10 screw?

[polk county]

I am installing a bow light on my aluminum boat. I am using a number 10 x3/4 stainless steel sheet metal screw. What size drill do I need for a smooth fit? There has got to be a chart for this somewhere. I would like to tighten the screw by hand.
Thanks for the help

 

[Fireman431]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Use a 1/8" bit (don't know the decimal equivilent). Campher the top of the hole so the gel coat doesn't crack off in little pieces. Put a dab of clear silicone/3M 5200 in the hole prior to putting the screw in.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

http://www.marfas.com/machinescrewtapping.shtml

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Use self tapping screws and then you don't have to worry about the right size hole.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

I am installing a bow light on my aluminum boat. I am using a number 10 x3/4 stainless steel sheet metal screw. What size drill do I need for a smooth fit? There has got to be a chart for this somewhere. I would like to tighten the screw by hand.
Thanks for the help

The accepted pilot hole size for a #10 sheet metal screw is 9/64". Now, that size will vary a little depending on what material thickness you are screwing into. If the base material is very thin then I would go with the smaller 1/8" drill. If I was screwing into thick material then I would go with 5/32".

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

If it's a real nice boat and your intersted in quality then a thread insert would be the way to go, then you can use stainless pan head machine screws and no worries about them comming loose or striping out.

 

[polk county]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Maybe I'm stupidly overlooking something but I cant get this to work. The hole made by the 1/8" drill is way to small to tighten by hand. I'm striping the ss head with a reqular screw driver. The aluminum Im drilling into is about the same thickness as a shovel or a lawnmower deck. What am I doing wrong here?
Thanks

 

[voyager al]

Re: Update, not working What size hole for #10 screw?

go the 9/64. Like Moody Blue said.and use a quality #2 phillips

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Update, not working What size hole for #10 screw?

go the 9/64. Like Moody Blue said.and use a quality #2 phillips

Yup, typically if you line the screw and drill bit up the drill bit should be a slight bit smaller then the body of the screw...not the threads but the actual shank. Also it will be (should be) a bit hard to get the thread through the gel coat initially. As Voyager said, use a quality screw driver, and not your drill for driving the screw. The biggest problem I see often is that people use the drill (which has a lot more torque then you think) to drive the screw in and either strip them or break them or round them off. So I don't recommend it to anyone that doesn't do this sort of work daily..even then it can be tricky with a new drill.

Ian

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

Re: What size hole for #10 screw?

The accepted pilot hole size for a #10 sheet metal screw is 9/64". Now, that size will vary a little depending on what material thickness you are screwing into. If the base material is very thin then I would go with the smaller 1/8" drill. If I was screwing into thick material then I would go with 5/32".

1/8" is too small unless screwing into very thin material.