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

Cutting Tools & Machining: page 46