Cutting Tools & Machining

9,000+ products

Expected delivery: Wed, Nov 18

Cutting tools for maintenance shops, fabricators and machine shops: drill bits in high-speed steel, cobalt and carbide, taps and dies for inch and metric threads, end mills and inserts, hole saws and annular cutters, countersinks, reamers and burs and saw blades. Maintenance techs, contractors and machinists all use this range.

How to choose cutting tools

• Match the tool material to the workpiece. High-speed steel (HSS) covers general drilling in mild steel, aluminum and wood. Cobalt HSS holds its edge in stainless and harder alloys. Solid carbide runs faster and lasts longer in rigid machines, but it is brittle in a hand drill. Our guide to drill bits by material explains coatings, point angles and lengths.
• Use the right point angle. A 118 degree point is common for general-purpose work. A 135 degree split point starts without a center punch and suits harder metals.
• Size the tap drill before you tap. Each thread size has a matching tap drill, and the wrong one breaks taps or strips threads. See how to read thread sizes and our taps and dies.
• Control speed and heat. Harder materials and larger diameters need slower speeds. Use cutting fluid on steel and stainless, found under oils and cutting fluids.
• Pick the right hole-making tool. Twist drills suit small holes, step drills suit thin sheet, and hole saws or annular cutters suit large holes.

We carry the Alfa Tool line of drill bits, taps, end mills, countersinks and hole saws. For production tooling, a recurring tool crib order or part numbers you don't see online, ask for a quote. Shops that go through bits every week can set up vendor managed inventory so bins are counted and refilled on a schedule.

Common questions

What drill bit should I use for stainless steel?

A cobalt drill bit with a 135 degree split point is a common choice. Run it at a low speed with steady pressure and cutting oil, so the bit keeps cutting and does not work-harden the steel.

What is the difference between a plug tap and a bottoming tap?

A plug tap has a few tapered threads at the tip and is the general-purpose choice. A bottoming tap has almost no taper, so it cuts full threads close to the bottom of a blind hole after a plug tap has started the thread.

When should I use an annular cutter instead of a twist drill?

Annular cutters cut only a ring of metal and leave a solid slug, so they make large holes in steel faster and with less power. They are usually run in a magnetic drill press.

Cutting Tools & Machining by type

• Drill Bits 5,000+
• Taps & Dies 2,000+
• End Mills & Inserts 700+
• Countersinks, Reamers & Burs 500+
• Hole Saws & Annular Cutters 400+
• Saw Blades 100+
• Other Cutting Tools & Machining 1+

Cutting Tools & Machining: page 13

• #2-64 UNF HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 8644 $12.41
• #2-64 UNF Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 8645 $20.75
• Approved Vendor #2-64 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 8646 $10.36
• Approved Vendor #20 Carbide Tipped Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8650 $36.24
• Approved Vendor #20 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 8651 $2.87
• Drill America #20 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 8652 $2.08
• Approved Vendor #20 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8653 $4.46
• Approved Vendor #20 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8654 $4.17
• Approved Vendor #20 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 8655 $2.64
• Approved Vendor #20 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8656 $4.48
• Approved Vendor #20 Cobalt Very Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8657 $5.36
• Approved Vendor #20 Extra Long Cobalt Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8658 $5.55
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8659 $4.84
• Drill America #20 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 8660 $1.31
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8661 $3.21
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8662 $4.55
• Drill America #20 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 8663 $1.54
• Drill America #20 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 8664 $0.78
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8665 $7.14
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Double End Drill Bit, D/ADE Series SKU 8666 $3.84
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Double End Drill Bit, DWDDE Series SKU 8667 $2.36
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8668 $3.94
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8669 $5.51
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 8670 $1.54
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 8671 $1.66
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 8672 $1.22
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 8673 $1.45
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 8674 $1.20
• Approved Vendor #20 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 8676 $8.76
• Approved Vendor #20 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 8677 $24.39
• Approved Vendor #20 Tin Coated Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8678 $5.01
• Drill America #20 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 8681 $7.46
• Drill America #20 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 8683 $2.77
• Approved Vendor #21 Carbide Tipped Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8684 $36.24
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Extra Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8685 $5.46
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 8686 $2.87
• Drill America #21 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 8687 $2.07
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8688 $4.46
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8689 $4.17
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 8690 $2.64
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8691 $5.12
• Approved Vendor #21 Cobalt Very Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8692 $5.36
• Approved Vendor #21 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8693 $4.84
• Drill America #21 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 8694 $1.31
• Approved Vendor #21 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8695 $3.18
• Approved Vendor #21 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8696 $4.37
• Drill America #21 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 8697 $1.41
• Drill America #21 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 8698 $0.77