WorkbenchPilot
The workbench reference

The right size, the first time.

Tap drills, drill sizes, board feet, sheet metal gauges and the tape measure itself, with every number checked against the standards and the makers’ own charts, and drawn to scale.

  1. Look it upCharts for drills, threads, fasteners, gauges and lumber.
  2. Work it outFinders and calculators that do the math for your job.
  3. See it drawnDrawings to scale, so you can check a size by eye.
Start here

Charts and calculators

Tool · Drill & TapTap drill size chartTap drill sizes for every common thread: 1/4-20 takes a #7 drill, 10-24 a #25, 3/8-16 a 5/16 in, M6 a 5 mm. With % of thread, clearance holes and a finder.Tool · Drill & TapDrill bit size chartEvery drill bit size in inches and millimeters: fractions, number drills #80 to #1, letter drills A to Z and metric, with a converter that finds the nearest drill in each series.Tool · Measure & ConvertHow to read a tape measureEach inch on a tape measure splits into 16: the longest line is the inch, then 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16. Tap any mark on our drawn tape to read it, then try the quiz.Calculator · Wood & Sheet GoodsBoard foot calculatorBoard feet = thickness × width (in inches) × length (in feet) ÷ 12. A 2x4x8 is 5.33 board feet. Calculator for a whole lumber list, with hardwood quarters, cost and a drawing.Tool · Metal & PlasticSheet metal gauge chartGauge to thickness in inches and mm: 16 gauge steel is 0.0598 in (1.52 mm), 14 gauge 0.0747 in, 18 gauge 0.0478 in. Steel, galvanized, stainless and aluminum, with a converter.
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Sections

Section 1 · 2 pagesDrill & TapWhich drill makes which hole: tap drills for every common thread, clearance holes for bolts, and number, letter, fraction and metric drill sizes side by side.Section 2 · coming soonFastenersScrew and bolt sizes, threads per inch, nail sizes, head types and grades, with pilot holes and the wrench each one takes.Section 3 · 1 pageMeasure & ConvertHow to read a tape measure, a ruler, a caliper and a micrometer, and how fractions, decimals and millimeters line up.Section 4 · 1 pageWood & Sheet GoodsBoard feet, real lumber and plywood sizes, and how wood species compare in hardness, weight and movement, from the USDA Wood Handbook and the lumber standards.Section 5 · coming soonJoinery & ToolsWoodworking joints, router bit profiles, pocket holes, socket and wrench sizes, and how to use the main hand and power tools.Section 6 · coming soonFinishingSandpaper grits, staining, oils and polyurethane, dry and recoat times from the makers’ data sheets, and how much epoxy a pour takes.Section 7 · 1 pageMetal & PlasticWhat a sheet metal or wire gauge means in inches and millimeters, for steel, galvanized, stainless and aluminum, and how to cut and drill acrylic.Section 8 · coming soonShop SetupWorkbench height and plans, dust collection, extension cords and how to lay out a garage or basement workshop.
How we work

Every number comes from a primary source: drill and tap tables from Starrett and university machine shops, the 1893 U.S. Standard Gauge law and the galvanizing industry for sheet metal, and the USDA Forest Products Laboratory’s Wood Handbook for lumber. Where a size can be worked out from a formula, we work it out and check it against the published tables. How we check our numbers.