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 26

Approved Vendor #4-40 HSS Combined Drill Bit & Tap (Drap) SKU 9435 $26.29
Approved Vendor #4-40 STI Tap, High Speed Steel SKU 9436 $13.57
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC Carbon Steel Bottoming Tap SKU 9437 $2.10
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC Carbon Steel Hex Rethreading Die SKU 9438 $7.71
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 9441 $5.64
#4-40 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9442 $8.98
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 9443 $4.75
#4-40 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 9444 $7.50
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC HSS Plug Tap SKU 9445 $4.75
#4-40 UNC HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 9446 $7.50
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC HSS Taper Tap SKU 9447 $4.75
#4-40 UNC HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 9448 $7.50
#4-40 UNC Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9449 $15.77
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9450 $12.70
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 9451 $26.38
Approved Vendor #4-40 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9452 $10.36
Approved Vendor #4-48 HSS Plug Tap and #42 HSS Drill Bit SKU 9527 $7.09
Approved Vendor #4-48 STI Tap, High Speed Steel SKU 9528 $15.85
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 9529 $6.15
#4-48 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9530 $10.42
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 9531 $4.80
#4-48 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 9532 $8.06
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF HSS Plug Tap SKU 9533 $4.80
#4-48 UNF HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 9534 $8.06
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF HSS Taper Tap SKU 9535 $4.80
#4-48 UNF HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 9536 $8.06
#4-48 UNF Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9537 $17.03
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9538 $12.70
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 9539 $26.38
Approved Vendor #4-48 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9540 $10.36
Approved Vendor #4-60 UNS X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9562 $29.07
Approved Vendor #4-64 UNS X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9563 $29.07
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Extra Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9568 $4.77
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 9569 $1.86
Drill America #40 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 9570 $1.36
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9571 $3.37
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9572 $3.18
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 9573 $1.85
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9574 $4.01
Approved Vendor #40 Cobalt Very Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9575 $4.20
Approved Vendor #40 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9576 $3.50
Drill America #40 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 9577 $0.99
Approved Vendor #40 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9578 $2.46
Approved Vendor #40 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9579 $3.50
Drill America #40 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9580 $1.03
Drill America #40 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9581 $0.65
Approved Vendor #40 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9582 $4.61
Approved Vendor #40 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9583 $3.08