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 41

• Approved Vendor #70 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 11013 $1.65
• Approved Vendor #70 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 11014 $5.30
• Approved Vendor #71 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 11015 $4.11
• Drill America #71 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 11016 $2.62
• Approved Vendor #71 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11017 $3.79
• Drill America #71 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 11018 $1.65
• Drill America #71 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 11019 $1.09
• Approved Vendor #71 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11020 $8.41
• Approved Vendor #71 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11021 $5.49
• Approved Vendor #71 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 11022 $1.65
• Approved Vendor #71 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 11023 $5.30
• Approved Vendor #72 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 11024 $4.11
• Drill America #72 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 11025 $2.62
• Approved Vendor #72 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11026 $3.79
• Drill America #72 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 11027 $1.65
• Drill America #72 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 11028 $1.09
• Approved Vendor #72 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11029 $8.41
• Approved Vendor #72 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11030 $5.49
• Approved Vendor #72 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 11031 $1.65
• Approved Vendor #72 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 11032 $5.30
• Approved Vendor #73 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 11033 $4.11
• Drill America #73 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 11034 $2.62
• Ridgid #73 Deburring Tool SKU LS-00574781-9 $67.07
• Approved Vendor #73 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11035 $3.79
• Drill America #73 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 11036 $1.65
• Drill America #73 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 11037 $1.09
• Approved Vendor #73 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11038 $8.41
• Approved Vendor #73 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11039 $5.49
• Approved Vendor #73 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 11040 $1.65
• Approved Vendor #73 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 11041 $5.30
• Approved Vendor #74 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 11042 $4.11
• Drill America #74 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 11043 $2.62
• Approved Vendor #74 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11044 $3.79
• Drill America #74 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 11045 $1.65
• Drill America #74 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 11046 $1.09
• Approved Vendor #74 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11047 $8.41
• Approved Vendor #74 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11048 $5.49
• Approved Vendor #74 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 11049 $1.65
• Approved Vendor #74 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 11050 $5.30
• Approved Vendor #75 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 11051 $4.55
• Drill America #75 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 11052 $2.88
• Approved Vendor #75 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11053 $3.79
• Drill America #75 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 11054 $1.84
• Drill America #75 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 11055 $1.09
• Approved Vendor #75 HSS Cobalt 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11056 $9.22
• Approved Vendor #75 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 11057 $6.05
• Approved Vendor #75 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 11058 $1.84
• Approved Vendor #75 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 11059 $5.30