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 39

• Approved Vendor #62 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10786 $4.00
• Approved Vendor #63 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10787 $3.45
• Drill America #63 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10788 $2.19
• Approved Vendor #63 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10789 $2.90
• Drill America #63 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10790 $1.35
• Drill America #63 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10791 $0.79
• Approved Vendor #63 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10792 $7.11
• Approved Vendor #63 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10793 $4.58
• Approved Vendor #63 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10794 $1.35
• Approved Vendor #63 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10795 $4.00
• Approved Vendor #64 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10796 $3.45
• Drill America #64 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10797 $2.19
• Approved Vendor #64 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10798 $2.90
• Drill America #64 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10799 $1.35
• Drill America #64 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10800 $0.79
• Approved Vendor #64 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10801 $7.11
• Approved Vendor #64 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10802 $4.58
• Approved Vendor #64 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10803 $1.35
• Approved Vendor #64 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10804 $4.00
• Approved Vendor #65 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10805 $3.45
• Drill America #65 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10806 $2.19
• Approved Vendor #65 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10807 $2.90
• Drill America #65 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10808 $1.35
• Drill America #65 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10809 $0.79
• Approved Vendor #65 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10811 $4.58
• Approved Vendor #65 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10813 $4.00
• Approved Vendor #66 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10814 $3.63
• Drill America #66 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10815 $2.31
• Approved Vendor #66 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10816 $2.90
• Drill America #66 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10817 $1.35
• Drill America #66 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10818 $0.79
• Approved Vendor #66 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10819 $7.49
• Approved Vendor #66 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10820 $4.58
• Approved Vendor #66 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10821 $1.35
• Approved Vendor #66 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10822 $4.85
• Approved Vendor #67 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10823 $3.63
• Drill America #67 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10824 $2.31
• Approved Vendor #67 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10825 $2.90
• Drill America #67 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10826 $1.35
• Drill America #67 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 10827 $0.79
• Approved Vendor #67 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10828 $7.49
• Approved Vendor #67 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10829 $4.58
• Approved Vendor #67 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 10830 $1.35
• Approved Vendor #67 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 10831 $4.85
• Approved Vendor #68 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 10832 $3.63
• Drill America #68 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 10833 $2.31
• Approved Vendor #68 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 10834 $2.90
• Drill America #68 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 10835 $1.35