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 35

• Drill America #54 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10058 $12.92
• Drill America #54 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10059 $6.60
• Approved Vendor #55 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10060 $1.97
• Drill America #55 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10061 $1.49
• Approved Vendor #55 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 10062 $2.12
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10063 $3.30
• Drill America #55 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 10064 $0.93
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10065 $2.74
• Drill America #55 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10066 $1.10
• Drill America #55 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10067 $0.74
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10068 $5.01
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10069 $3.11
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10070 $3.82
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10071 $1.10
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 10072 $0.98
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 10073 $0.80
• Approved Vendor #55 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10075 $3.74
• Approved Vendor #55 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 10076 $13.17
• Drill America #55 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10077 $12.92
• Drill America #55 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10078 $6.60
• Approved Vendor #56 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10079 $2.27
• Drill America #56 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10080 $1.69
• Approved Vendor #56 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 10081 $2.12
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10082 $3.30
• Drill America #56 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 10083 $0.93
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10084 $2.74
• Drill America #56 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10085 $1.10
• Drill America #56 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10086 $0.74
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10087 $5.59
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10088 $3.11
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10089 $3.82
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10090 $1.10
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 10091 $0.98
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 10092 $0.80
• Approved Vendor #56 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10094 $3.74
• Approved Vendor #56 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 10095 $14.08
• Drill America #56 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10097 $12.92
• Drill America #56 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10098 $6.60
• Approved Vendor #57 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10099 $2.27
• Drill America #57 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10100 $1.69
• Approved Vendor #57 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 10101 $2.12
• Approved Vendor #57 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10110 $1.21
• Approved Vendor #57 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 10111 $1.14
• Approved Vendor #57 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 10112 $0.93
• Approved Vendor #57 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10114 $3.74
• Approved Vendor #57 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 10115 $16.70
• Drill America #57 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10116 $12.92
• Drill America #57 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 10117 $7.96