Drill Press Speed Chart — HSS Cutting Speeds by Material & Bit Size
Drill press speed chart: HSS twist-drill cutting speeds by material with computed RPM for common bit diameters, cross-checked across manufacturers.
Updated August 22, 2026
Drill speed is really surface speed: how fast the cutting edge at the bit’s periphery moves through the material, in surface feet per minute (SFM). Each material tolerates a band of surface speeds with high-speed-steel (HSS) tooling, and the RPM you dial in follows from the bit diameter: RPM = 12 × SFM ÷ (π × D). That single division is why a 1/2″ bit runs at a quarter the RPM of a 1/8″ bit in the same material — and why “one speed fits all” drilling burns small bits and chatters big ones.
Published speed charts are manufacturer data, not a standard, and brands genuinely differ — so the first table shows two independent manufacturers’ ranges side by side with their computed overlap as the consensus setting. Materials whose published ranges disagree beyond overlap (medium-carbon steel, magnesium, zinc) are omitted rather than averaged. The second table converts the consensus band to RPM at common bit sizes through the same formula our speeds and feeds calculator uses. These are HSS values: carbide and cobalt tooling runs faster (one maker’s rule is about 2.5× for carbide), and a benchtop drill press that tops out near 3,000 RPM simply runs its top speed where the computed number is higher.
HSS Twist-Drill Surface Speeds by Material (Two-Manufacturer Consensus)
| Material | Viking/Norseman (SFM) | Second source (SFM) | Consensus overlap (SFM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum alloys | 200–300 SFM | 197–295 SFM — Slugger by FEIN (6061) | 200–295 SFM |
| Brass & bronze | 150–300 SFM | 131–197 SFM — Slugger by FEIN | 150–197 SFM |
| Plastics | 100–300 SFM | 100–125 SFM — RedLine Tools (composites/plastics) | 100–125 SFM |
| Gray cast iron (soft) | 75–125 SFM | 72–115 SFM — Slugger by FEIN | 75–115 SFM |
| Mild steel (0.2–0.3% C) | 80–110 SFM | 66–98 SFM — Slugger by FEIN | 80–98 SFM |
| Tool steel (annealed) | 50–60 SFM | 30–65 SFM — RedLine Tools | 50–60 SFM |
| Stainless steel (austenitic) | 30–50 SFM | 26–46 SFM — Slugger by FEIN (304/316) | 30–46 SFM |
Bright HSS twist drills, with cutting fluid where the material calls for it. The consensus column is the computed overlap of the two published ranges. Slugger’s “tool steel/hard” row (16–33 SFM) covers hardened stock and RedLine tiebreaks annealed tool steel with Viking; medium-carbon steel, magnesium, and zinc are omitted because the published ranges do not substantially overlap. Multiply by roughly 2.5 for carbide tooling (RedLine/UF guidance).
Computed Drill Press RPM from the Consensus Range (RPM = 12·SFM/(π·D))
| Material | RPM @ 1/8″ | RPM @ 1/4″ | RPM @ 3/8″ | RPM @ 1/2″ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum alloys | 6,110–9,010 | 3,060–4,510 | 2,040–3,000 | 1,530–2,250 |
| Brass & bronze | 4,580–6,020 | 2,290–3,010 | 1,530–2,010 | 1,150–1,500 |
| Plastics | 3,060–3,820 | 1,530–1,910 | 1,020–1,270 | 760–950 |
| Gray cast iron (soft) | 2,290–3,510 | 1,150–1,760 | 760–1,170 | 570–880 |
| Mild steel (0.2–0.3% C) | 2,440–2,990 | 1,220–1,500 | 810–1,000 | 610–750 |
| Tool steel (annealed) | 1,530–1,830 | 760–920 | 510–610 | 380–460 |
| Stainless steel (austenitic) | 920–1,410 | 460–700 | 310–470 | 230–350 |
Generated through the speeds and feeds calculator from each material’s consensus endpoints, rounded to the nearest 10 RPM. Start near the low end, especially on a hand-fed drill press. Where the number exceeds your machine’s top speed, use the top speed — small bits in soft materials are the only rows where that matters.
Sources & Further Reading
- Viking Drill & Tool, published “Drill Feeds and Speeds” recommended cutting speeds for HSS drills (identical chart published under the Norseman brand — same manufacturer, counted once)
- Slugger by FEIN, published drill speed chart (M2 HSS reference values by material); RedLine Tools, “Cobalt & HSS Drills Speeds & Feeds” technical data (tool steel and composites/plastics rows)
- Morse Cutting Tools HSS drill speed/feed recommendations (single starting values — consulted as tiebreaker only); RPM identity 12·V/(π·D) as encoded in the speeds and feeds calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
What speed should I run a 3/8″ bit in mild steel?
The consensus band for mild steel is 80–98 SFM, which at 3/8″ computes to roughly 810–1,000 RPM. On a step-pulley drill press, pick the setting closest below 1,000 and use steady feed pressure with a drop of cutting oil. If the chips come off blue and the corners of the bit round over, you are running too fast — drop a pulley step.
Why does the chart have no wood row?
Because HSS twist-drill SFM charts are metalworking data, and none of the manufacturer charts this table is built from publishes a wood surface speed. Wood bits are rated differently: spade, Forstner, and hole-saw makers publish maximum RPM per bit diameter, since burning (not edge wear) is the failure mode. As a practical matter, twist drills in wood are usually run near the top of the drill press range for small bits and slowed only for large diameters.
Why do manufacturers publish different speeds for the same material?
Because the numbers are tool-and-condition recipes, not properties of the material. Each maker assumes its own steel grade, point geometry, coolant, and machine rigidity — one brand’s mild-steel range is 80–110 SFM while another prints 66–98. The consensus column shows the overlap both endorse, which is the defensible starting window on any brand; the medium-carbon steel row was dropped entirely because the two published ranges barely touch.
Do these speeds change for cobalt or coated bits?
Yes — upward. Cobalt (M35/M42) drills tolerate more surface speed than bright HSS in the same material — RedLine’s chart prints its cobalt column roughly 10–40% above its HSS column depending on the material — and carbide runs about 2.5× HSS. Coatings mostly buy tool life rather than speed on a drill press. Downward corrections matter more: deep holes (over 3 diameters) and hand feeding both call for cutting the tabulated speed substantially.
Try the Calculators
Drill Press Speed Chart — HSS Cutting Speeds by Material & Bit Size — reuven.tools/reference/drill-press-speeds — verified against: Viking Drill & Tool, published “Drill Feeds and Speeds” recommended cutting speeds for HSS drills (identical chart published under the Norseman brand — same manufacturer, counted once); Slugger by FEIN, published drill speed chart (M2 HSS reference values by material); RedLine Tools, “Cobalt & HSS Drills Speeds & Feeds” technical data (tool steel and composites/plastics rows); Morse Cutting Tools HSS drill speed/feed recommendations (single starting values — consulted as tiebreaker only); RPM identity 12·V/(π·D) as encoded in the speeds and feeds calculator