The RIAA specification is .284 to .287 (technically, specified as .286 +.001/-.002).
Whether manufacturers hold to this, as well as of course the need for cleaning out the hole, is a case by case situation.
As ttweights said, a .286 drill bit will work.
As an aside, you'll find many turntable manufacturers exercising a bit too much faith in record companies holding to this tolerance. Thorens comes to mind as a manufacturer whose spindle tolerance nudges up against the minimum RIAA spec and many records bind against the spindle.
Most manufacturers realize that this is unnecessary and only serves to create usability problems like the ones reported here (whether it be for turntables or cleaners). They'll spec their spindles in the.281-.283 range which is a nice balance between precision and usability.
As an aside, this variance is why our good friend at MintLP asks you your turntable brand, in order to specify a precision fit for his arc protractors. This is a place where precision makes a difference. We want our pivot-spindle setting to get within .001" (at least those of us on the lunatic fringe)..
Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier Design
Whether manufacturers hold to this, as well as of course the need for cleaning out the hole, is a case by case situation.
As ttweights said, a .286 drill bit will work.
As an aside, you'll find many turntable manufacturers exercising a bit too much faith in record companies holding to this tolerance. Thorens comes to mind as a manufacturer whose spindle tolerance nudges up against the minimum RIAA spec and many records bind against the spindle.
Most manufacturers realize that this is unnecessary and only serves to create usability problems like the ones reported here (whether it be for turntables or cleaners). They'll spec their spindles in the.281-.283 range which is a nice balance between precision and usability.
As an aside, this variance is why our good friend at MintLP asks you your turntable brand, in order to specify a precision fit for his arc protractors. This is a place where precision makes a difference. We want our pivot-spindle setting to get within .001" (at least those of us on the lunatic fringe)..
Cheers,
Thom @ Galibier Design