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 27

• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9584 $3.61
• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 9585 $1.03
• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 9586 $1.20
• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 9587 $0.99
• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 9588 $0.98
• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 9589 $0.80
• Approved Vendor #40 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 9591 $5.62
• Approved Vendor #40 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 9592 $16.60
• Approved Vendor #40 Tin Coated Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9593 $3.10
• Drill America #40 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9595 $7.01
• Drill America #40 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9597 $2.05
• Approved Vendor #41 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 9598 $1.83
• Drill America #41 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 9599 $1.34
• Approved Vendor #41 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9600 $5.08
• Approved Vendor #41 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9601 $4.77
• Approved Vendor #41 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 9602 $1.92
• Approved Vendor #41 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9603 $4.70
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9604 $3.50
• Drill America #41 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 9605 $0.99
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9606 $2.74
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9607 $3.50
• Drill America #41 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9608 $1.03
• Drill America #41 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9609 $0.74
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9610 $4.56
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9611 $3.08
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9612 $3.61
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 9613 $1.03
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 9614 $1.20
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 9615 $0.99
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 9616 $0.98
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 9617 $0.80
• Approved Vendor #41 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 9619 $5.62
• Approved Vendor #41 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 9620 $16.60
• Drill America #41 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9622 $9.54
• Drill America #41 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9624 $2.58
• Approved Vendor #42 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 9625 $1.80
• Drill America #42 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 9626 $1.33
• Approved Vendor #42 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9627 $5.08
• Approved Vendor #42 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9628 $4.77
• Approved Vendor #42 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 9629 $1.89
• Approved Vendor #42 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9630 $6.57
• Approved Vendor #42 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9631 $3.50
• Drill America #42 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 9632 $0.99
• Approved Vendor #42 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9633 $2.74
• Approved Vendor #42 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9634 $3.50
• Drill America #42 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9635 $1.03
• Drill America #42 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9636 $0.74
• Approved Vendor #42 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9637 $4.51