Cutting speed--freedom of choice.(shop talk)

As a machinist working for ABC or XYZ Company, you don't have a lot of variables that you personally select in your day-to-day duties. You don't select which machine tools to purchase, you don't pick which part to machine, and you generally don't choose the tools in the tool crib or the coolant in your machine.

There are three items that you can select every day for each part on the machine: the speed, the feedrate, and the depth of cut. These variables all affect tool life, so all are important.

Last month we discussed using the surface footage value in our