Ideal Industries 36 Series High Speed Steel 3-Flute Drill and Tap Bit

Ideal Industries 36 Series High Speed Steel 3-Flute Drill and Tap Bit

The Ideal Industries 36 Series Drill and Tap Bit combines a drill point and a thread-forming tap into a single high-speed steel (HSS) tool, letting electricians and maintenance technicians drill a pilot hole and cut a matching thread in one continuous operation. This family is available in two thread sizes — 3/8 in. - 16 TPI and 5/16 in. - 18 TPI — covering two of the most common fastener specifications used in electrical panel and enclosure assembly. Built with a 3-flute design across both sizes, this combination tool is engineered to reduce the number of separate steps and tool changes required when preparing enclosures, panels, brackets, and other metal components for threaded fasteners. The HSS construction shared by every option in the family is selected for its hardness and heat resistance, helping the cutting edges hold up under the friction generated during repeated drill-and-tap cycles on steel, aluminum, and other common jobsite metals.

Key Features

• Thread Size Options: Choose from 3/8 in. - 16 TPI or 5/16 in. - 18 TPI, matching two of the most common fastener specifications used in electrical panel and enclosure assembly.
• Durable Construction: Manufactured from high-speed steel (HSS) for durability and resistance to the heat generated during combined drilling and tapping, on every size in the family.
• 3-Flute Design: The 3-flute configuration shared across both thread sizes is engineered to evacuate chips efficiently and support a smoother, more controlled tapping action as the tool advances through the material.
• Combination Drill and Tap Function: Drills the pilot hole and forms the internal thread in a single pass, eliminating the need to switch between a separate drill bit and tap for either size.
• Model Designation 36: Identified in the Ideal Industries lineup as the 36 Series, sized specifically for 3/8 in. - 16 TPI and 5/16 in. - 18 TPI thread work.

Technical Specifications

• Thread Size Options: 3/8 in. - 16 TPI, 5/16 in. - 18 TPI
• Material: High Speed Steel
• Flute Design: 3-Flute
• Series: 36

Typical Applications

• Electrical Panel and Enclosure Fabrication
• Bracket and Mounting Hardware Preparation
• Metal Fabrication for 3/8-16 and 5/16-18 Threaded Fasteners
• Maintenance and Field Repair Work Requiring On-Site Tapping
• General Industrial and Commercial Metalworking

Why Ideal Industries?

Ideal Industries builds the 36 Series drill and tap bit from high-speed steel with a 3-flute design intended to hold up to the demands of repeated drilling and tapping in the field or on the bench, across both the 3/8 in. - 16 TPI and 5/16 in. - 18 TPI thread sizes. By combining two operations into a single tool, it helps professionals move through metalworking and assembly tasks with fewer tool changes and consistent, reliable results regardless of which thread size the job calls for. Choose Ideal Industries when you need a dependable combination drill and tap solution for 3/8-16 or 5/16-18 threaded connections.