What Size Drill Bit

M8 x 1 tap drill size

7 mm

Inches
0.2756
Inch bit
Letter J
Thread
77%

Drill a 7 mm hole before cutting an M8 thread with 1 mm pitch. The rule for metric taps is diameter minus pitch.

7 mm 8 mm thread

No metric bits? A Letter J bit (0.2770 in) gives about 74% thread.

M8 x 1 thread and hole sizes

ThreadM8, 1 mm pitch, fine
Major diameter8 mm 0.3150 in
Tap drill7 mm 0.2756 in
Closest inch bitLetter J 0.2770 in
Clearance hole, close fit8.4 mm
Clearance hole, medium fit9 mm

Why 7 mm

Subtract the pitch from the diameter: 8 minus 1 is 7 mm. That leaves 77% thread, the usual target for a cut tap.

More thread than that adds almost no strength and makes the tap much easier to break. In hard or tough material, go 0.1 mm larger.

Tools for this job

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