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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Popcorrin on October 26, 2008, 06:30:57 pm

Title: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Popcorrin on October 26, 2008, 06:30:57 pm: I was going to drill holes for a single led in the bottom of some Happ Transluscent buttons and was wondering what size standard drill bit works best. Thanks
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Knievel on October 26, 2008, 10:36:52 pm: 3/16" is what you want.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Blanka on October 27, 2008, 02:05:30 am: Guess buying a 5mm bit is the easiest. Even in the U-S and A. 3/16 seems a little toit to me.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Franco B on October 27, 2008, 05:58:36 am: Its not a standard size but 4.9mm works for me :)
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Popcorrin on October 27, 2008, 09:17:40 am: I tried 3/16 but it was too small. I don't know if I can get my hands on anything metric. Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on a 13/64 and give it a shot.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: 2600 on October 27, 2008, 09:27:33 am: It's a drill vs. plastic. Just wiggle the drill around a bit to enlarge the hole a little.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Popcorrin on October 27, 2008, 12:13:47 pm: Quote from: 2600 on October 27, 2008, 09:27:33 am
It's a drill vs. plastic. Just wiggle the drill around a bit to enlarge the hole a little.

I know but I will be drilling out quite a few of them and if I could get the right size it would save me the hassle.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Knievel on October 27, 2008, 12:48:37 pm: Quote from: Popcorrin on October 27, 2008, 09:17:40 am
I tried 3/16 but it was too small. I don't know if I can get my hands on anything metric. Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on a 13/64 and give it a shot.

Really? I've been using a 3/16" since day one, and I've done piles of LED holes.

5mm is a standard LED, right?
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: 2600 on October 27, 2008, 02:44:41 pm: Come on guys basic math.

5mm ~= 0.197 inches
3/16" = 0.1875 inches

So a 3/16" drill bit is slightly too small, 1/4" is way too big. Just work the drill around one swipe for each button.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Franco B on October 27, 2008, 02:55:13 pm: Or you could just buy a drill to suit your LEDs. Perfect hole every time. My LEDs slide into the hole and then just pinch when the shoulder meets the hole.

Every 5mm LED I have had has been 4.9mm - 4.95mm to allow for clearance in a 5mm hole.

Here is a 4.9mm drill on UK ebay, £1.75 + 75p, im sure you US guys must be able to get one for a similar price [Linky (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120084390955&cguid=f08484c211c0a0e202677747fff694b3)]
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Cornchip on October 27, 2008, 05:26:52 pm: Even better...use a number drill. Plenty of choices under 5mm to try. ;)
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Franco B on October 27, 2008, 05:58:49 pm: Quote from: Cornchip on October 27, 2008, 05:26:52 pm
Even better...use a number drill. Plenty of choices under 5mm to try. ;)

Good thinking Cornchip.

I had a little search and you can buy number drills even cheaper in the UK than that ebay link I linked. Check out [this (http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/cgi-local/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2echronos%2eltd%2euk%2facatalog%2findex%2ehtml%3fhttp%253A%2f%2fwww%2echronos%2eltd%2euk%2facatalog%2fChronos_Catalogue_Number_Drills_1___80_86%2ehtml%26CatalogBody&WD=drill%20number&PN=Chronos_Catalogue_Number_Drills_1___80_142%2ehtml%23aND#aND)] site. Number drills 9-13 (the most usefull in this application) are £0.81 including VAT+p&p
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Kevin Mullins on October 27, 2008, 06:06:50 pm: #9

3/16" would work fine too I'm sure, especially if drilling by hand.... you won't have a perfect hole guaranteed.

Jeez, take a relatively close but undersized drill bit and try one.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Zebidee on October 28, 2008, 02:42:01 am: I always just use a 5mm bit, and when I paint the panel the paint takes up the extras fraction of a millimetre to make a snug fit for the LED.
Title: Re: What size drill bit do you use for 5mm leds?
Post by: Popcorrin on October 31, 2008, 06:40:19 pm: Quote from: Popcorrin on October 27, 2008, 09:17:40 am
I tried 3/16 but it was too small. I don't know if I can get my hands on anything metric. Maybe I'll see if I can get my hands on a 13/64 and give it a shot.

Well, I figured out what the problem was. I got some different 5mm leds and tried them on 3/16" holes and they worked just fine. I guess the first batch of 5mm leds I got were actually slightly larger than 5mm. Strange. :dunno