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 32

• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Black & Gold Step Drill Bit (1/4" - 1-3/8" by 1/8") SKU 9865 $52.15
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9866 $4.55
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9867 $6.31
• Drill America #5 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 9868 $2.19
• Drill America #5 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 9869 $1.22
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9870 $11.31
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9872 $5.98
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9873 $7.48
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 9874 $2.19
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 9876 $2.33
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 9877 $1.80
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 9878 $1.96
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 9879 $1.64
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Step Drill Bit (1/4" - 1-3/8" by 1/8") SKU 9880 $52.15
• Approved Vendor #5 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 9883 $9.64
• Approved Vendor #5 Regular HSS Combined Drill Bit and Countersink SKU 9884 $4.49
• Approved Vendor #5 Solid Carbide Combined Drill Bit and Countersink SKU 9885 $79.10
• Approved Vendor #5 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 9886 $34.31
• Approved Vendor #5 Tin Coated Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 9887 $6.03
• Drill America #5 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9892 $9.54
• Drill America #5 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 9897 $3.80
• Approved Vendor #5-36 UNS HSS Plug Tap SKU 9899 $17.35
• Approved Vendor #5-36 UNS X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9900 $29.07
• Approved Vendor #5-40 HSS Plug Tap and #38 HSS Drill Bit SKU 9901 $6.96
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC Carbon Steel Bottoming Tap SKU 9902 $1.75
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC Carbon Steel Hex Rethreading Die SKU 9903 $7.71
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 9906 $5.64
• #5-40 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9907 $8.98
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 9908 $4.80
• #5-40 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 9909 $7.06
• #5-40 UNC HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 9913 $7.06
• #5-40 UNC Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9914 $15.77
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9915 $12.70
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 9916 $26.38
• Approved Vendor #5-40 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9917 $10.36
• Approved Vendor #5-44 HSS Plug Tap and #37 HSS Drill Bit SKU 9926 $6.96
• #5-44 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9931 $10.42
• Approved Vendor #5-44 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 9932 $4.80
• #5-44 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 9933 $7.06
• Approved Vendor #5-44 UNF HSS Plug Tap SKU 9934 $4.80
• #5-44 UNF HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 9935 $7.06
• #5-44 UNF HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 9937 $7.06
• #5-44 UNF Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 9938 $17.03
• Approved Vendor #5-44 UNF X 1" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 9939 $30.27
• Approved Vendor #5-44 UNF X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9940 $12.70
• Approved Vendor #5-44 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 9941 $26.38
• Approved Vendor #5-44 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9942 $10.36
• Approved Vendor #5-48 UNS X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 9943 $29.07