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 29

• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9693 $3.61
• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 9694 $1.03
• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 9695 $1.20
• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 9696 $0.99
• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 9697 $0.98
• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 9698 $0.80
• Approved Vendor #44 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 9700 $4.74
• Approved Vendor #44 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 9701 $15.91
• Drill America #44 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9703 $12.09
• Drill America #44 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9705 $3.30
• Approved Vendor #45 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 9706 $1.80
• Drill America #45 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 9707 $1.33
• Approved Vendor #45 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9708 $5.08
• Approved Vendor #45 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9709 $4.77
• Approved Vendor #45 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 9710 $1.89
• Approved Vendor #45 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9711 $5.91
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9712 $3.40
• Drill America #45 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 9713 $0.96
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9714 $2.74
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9715 $3.50
• Drill America #45 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9716 $1.10
• Drill America #45 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9717 $0.74
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9718 $4.51
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9719 $3.08
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9720 $3.82
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 9721 $1.10
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 9722 $1.20
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 9723 $0.99
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 9724 $0.98
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 9725 $0.80
• Approved Vendor #45 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 9727 $4.74
• Approved Vendor #45 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 9728 $15.91
• Drill America #45 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9730 $12.09
• Drill America #45 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9732 $3.30
• Approved Vendor #46 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 9733 $1.80
• Drill America #46 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 9734 $1.33
• Approved Vendor #46 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9735 $5.08
• Approved Vendor #46 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9736 $4.77
• Approved Vendor #46 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 9737 $1.89
• Approved Vendor #46 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 9738 $5.91
• Approved Vendor #46 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9739 $3.40
• Drill America #46 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 9740 $0.96
• Approved Vendor #46 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9741 $2.74
• Approved Vendor #46 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9742 $3.50
• Drill America #46 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9743 $1.10
• Drill America #46 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9744 $0.74
• Approved Vendor #46 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9745 $4.51
• Approved Vendor #46 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9746 $3.08