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Thread identifier

Measure the outside diameter of the bolt or the crest-to-crest pitch (or count threads per inch), and ThreadRef ranks the closest standard threads. Tap any result for its full drill, clearance and torque reference.

Enter a diameter to see matching threads. Add pitch or TPI to narrow it down.

How to measure a thread

Diameter: close your calipers on the crest (outer edge) of the threads — that is the major or outside diameter. For metric it is roughly the size number (an M6 is about 6 mm across).

Pitch / TPI: metric threads are quoted as the millimetre distance from one crest to the next (the pitch). Inch threads are quoted as threads per inch (TPI) — lay a rule along the thread and count the crests in one inch, or use a thread pitch gauge.

The ranking uses the standard major diameters and pitches in ThreadRef's database; it weights pitch more heavily than diameter because pitch is what separates a coarse thread from a fine one at the same size.