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

Cutting Tools & Machining: page 19

Approved Vendor #3 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 8989 $9.64
Approved Vendor #3 Regular HSS Combined Drill Bit and Countersink SKU 8992 $2.77
Approved Vendor #3 Solid Carbide Combined Drill Bit and Countersink SKU 8993 $39.42
Approved Vendor #3 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 8994 $35.66
Approved Vendor #3 Tin Coated Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8996 $6.03
Drill America #3 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9001 $9.54
Drill America #3 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9006 $3.80
Approved Vendor #3-0 Regular HSS Combined Drill Bit and Countersink SKU 9007 $5.19
Approved Vendor #3-48 STI Tap, High Speed Steel SKU 9008 $18.75
Approved Vendor #3-48 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 9012 $7.03
#3-48 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9013 $10.42
Approved Vendor #3-48 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 9014 $5.75
#3-48 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 9015 $8.85
Approved Vendor #3-48 UNC HSS Plug Tap SKU 9016 $5.75
#3-48 UNC HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 9017 $8.85
Approved Vendor #3-48 UNC HSS Taper Tap SKU 9018 $5.75
#3-48 UNC HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 9019 $8.85
#3-48 UNC Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9020 $17.03
Approved Vendor #3-48 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9021 $10.36
Approved Vendor #3-56 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 9025 $7.69
#3-56 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9026 $10.42
Approved Vendor #3-56 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 9027 $6.10
#3-56 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 9028 $9.45
Approved Vendor #3-56 UNF HSS Plug Tap SKU 9029 $6.10
#3-56 UNF HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 9030 $9.45
Approved Vendor #3-56 UNF HSS Taper Tap SKU 9031 $6.10
#3-56 UNF HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 9032 $9.45
#3-56 UNF Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9033 $17.03
Approved Vendor #3-56 UNF X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9034 $12.70
Approved Vendor #3-56 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9035 $10.36
Approved Vendor #30 Carbide Tipped Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9067 $32.65
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Extra Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9068 $4.96
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 9069 $2.19
Drill America #30 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 9070 $1.59
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9071 $3.76
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9072 $3.66
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 9073 $2.11
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9074 $4.36
Approved Vendor #30 Cobalt Very Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9075 $4.48
Approved Vendor #30 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9076 $3.55
Drill America #30 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 9077 $1.01
Approved Vendor #30 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9078 $2.46
Approved Vendor #30 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9079 $3.50
Drill America #30 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9080 $1.12
Drill America #30 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9081 $0.65
Approved Vendor #30 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9082 $5.32
Approved Vendor #30 HSS Double End Drill Bit, D/ADE Series SKU 9083 $2.52
Approved Vendor #30 HSS Double End Drill Bit, DWDDE Series SKU 9084 $1.47