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 6

• Drill America #1 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 6619 $4.23
• #1-64 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 6625 $14.25
• Approved Vendor #1-64 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 6626 $8.79
• #1-64 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 6627 $13.36
• Approved Vendor #1-64 UNC HSS Plug Tap SKU 6628 $8.79
• #1-64 UNC HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 6631 $13.36
• Approved Vendor #1-64 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 6633 $10.36
• Approved Vendor #1-72 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 6637 $10.35
• Approved Vendor #1-72 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 6639 $8.79
• Approved Vendor #1-72 UNF HSS Plug Tap SKU 6641 $8.79
• #1-72 UNF HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 6642 $13.36
• Approved Vendor #1-72 UNF HSS Taper Tap SKU 6643 $8.79
• #1-72 UNF HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 6644 $13.36
• #1-72 UNF Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 6645 $21.37
• Approved Vendor #1-72 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 6646 $10.36
• Approved Vendor #10 Carbide Tipped Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6712 $38.34
• Approved Vendor #10 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 6714 $3.71
• Drill America #10 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 6715 $2.69
• Approved Vendor #10 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 6716 $5.14
• Approved Vendor #10 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 6717 $4.91
• Approved Vendor #10 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 6718 $3.49
• Approved Vendor #10 Cobalt Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 6719 $5.65
• Approved Vendor #10 Cobalt Very Stubby Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 6720 $5.75
• Approved Vendor #10 Extra Long Cobalt Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 6721 $6.04
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Black & Gold 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6733 $5.93
• Drill America #10 HSS Black & Gold KFD Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit Killer Force Drill Bit SKU 6734 $1.68
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Black Oxide 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6735 $4.14
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Black Oxide 135° Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6736 $5.61
• Drill America #10 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AN Series SKU 6737 $1.98
• Drill America #10 HSS Black Oxide Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDN Series SKU 6738 $1.09
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Cobalt 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6739 $8.99
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Left Hand Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6741 $5.03
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Polished 118° Standard Point Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6742 $6.86
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Polished Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/AP Series SKU 6743 $1.98
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ASP Series SKU 6745 $2.03
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Split Point Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDSP Series SKU 6746 $1.57
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, D/AST Series SKU 6747 $1.69
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Split Point Stub Drill Bit, DWDST Series SKU 6748 $1.40
• Approved Vendor #10 HSS Taper Length Drill Bit SKU 6751 $9.64
• Approved Vendor #10 Solid Carbide Drill Bit SKU 6778 $29.09
• Approved Vendor #10 Tin Coated Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 6906 $5.68
• Drill America #10 x 12" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 6914 $8.70
• Drill America #10 x 6" HSS Aircraft Extension Drill Bit, DWDA/C SKU 6916 $3.18
• Approved Vendor #10-24 HSS Combined Drill Bit & Tap (Drap) SKU 6966 $25.18
• Milwaukee #10-24 HSS Plug Tap and #25 HSS Drill Bit SKU 6967 $5.84
• Approved Vendor #10-24 STI Tap, High Speed Steel SKU 6981 $15.83
• Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC Carbon Steel Hex Rethreading Die SKU 6987 $7.71
• Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC Combined Drill Tap and Countersink with 1/4" Quick Change Hex Shank SKU 6990 $7.51