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 7

Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 6991 $4.72
#10-24 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 6992 $7.56
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 6993 $3.84
#10-24 UNC HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 6994 $6.54
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS Left 4 Flute Bottoming Tap SKU 6995 $5.76
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS Left 4 Flute Plug Tap SKU 6996 $5.76
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS Left 4 Flute Taper Tap SKU 6997 $5.76
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS Plug Tap SKU 6998 $3.84
#10-24 UNC HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 6999 $6.54
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC HSS Taper Tap SKU 7000 $3.84
#10-24 UNC HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 7001 $6.54
#10-24 UNC Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 7004 $13.17
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 7006 $12.70
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 7007 $26.38
Approved Vendor #10-24 UNC X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 7008 $10.36
Approved Vendor #10-24 x 6" HSS Pulley Tap SKU 7012 $19.49
Approved Vendor #10-24 x 6" HSS Spiral Point Tap SKU 7013 $26.00
Approved Vendor #10-28 UNS HSS Plug Tap SKU 7341 $16.63
Approved Vendor #10-28 UNS X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 7342 $33.01
Approved Vendor #10-32 HSS Combined Drill Bit & Tap (Drap) SKU 7364 $25.18
Milwaukee #10-32 HSS Plug Tap and #21 HSS Drill Bit SKU 7365 $5.91
Approved Vendor #10-32 STI Tap, High Speed Steel SKU 7376 $17.92
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNC HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap SKU 7379 $4.72
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF Carbon Steel Hex Rethreading Die SKU 7383 $7.71
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF Combined Drill Tap and Countersink with 1/4" Quick Change Hex Shank SKU 7386 $7.51
#10-32 UNF HSS 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 7387 $7.56
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap SKU 7388 $3.84
#10-32 UNF HSS Bottoming Tap, Tap America SKU 7389 $6.54
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF HSS Left 4 Flute Bottoming Tap SKU 7390 $5.76
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF HSS Left 4 Flute Plug Tap SKU 7391 $5.76
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF HSS Left 4 Flute Taper Tap SKU 7392 $5.76
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF HSS Plug Tap SKU 7393 $3.84
#10-32 UNF HSS Plug Tap, Tap America SKU 7394 $6.54
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF HSS Taper Tap SKU 7395 $3.84
#10-32 UNF HSS Taper Tap, Tap America SKU 7396 $6.54
#10-32 UNF Tin-Coated 2 Flute Spiral Point Tap, Tap America SKU 7397 $13.17
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF X 1" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 7399 $12.70
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Left Round Adjustable Die SKU 7400 $26.38
Approved Vendor #10-32 UNF X 13/16" OD HSS Round Adjustable Die SKU 7401 $10.36
Approved Vendor #10-32 x 6" HSS Pulley Tap SKU 7404 $19.49
Approved Vendor #10-32 x 6" HSS Spiral Point Tap SKU 7405 $26.00
Approved Vendor #13 Carbide Tipped Jobber Length Drill Bit SKU 8197 $38.34
Approved Vendor #13 Cobalt Extra Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8198 $6.23
Approved Vendor #13 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, D/ACO Series SKU 8199 $3.54
Drill America #13 Cobalt Jobber Length Drill Bit, DWDCO Series SKU 8200 $2.58
Approved Vendor #13 Cobalt Long Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8201 $5.15
Approved Vendor #13 Cobalt Short Threaded Shank Drill Bit SKU 8202 $5.20
Approved Vendor #13 Cobalt Split Point Stub Drill Bit SKU 8203 $3.40