Abstract
Tests described in this report extend portions of Taylor’s original investigations in rough turning carbon steels to current commercial high-speed tool and structural alloy steels. They were made primarily to show the effect upon tool performance of variation in chemical composition and mechanical properties of the steel cut, and accordingly include lathe tests on carbon, nickel, low- and high-chromium, chromium-vanadium, chromium-molybdenum, and nickel-chromium steels having tensile strengths between 65,000 and 195,000 lb. per sq. in. However, many of the tests with the customary high-tungsten-low-vanadium steel tools were duplicated with low-tungsten-high-vanadium or cobalt high-speed steel tools, and there is included a partial study of the effects of cutting speed, feed, depth of cut, and coolants upon tool life and the power required in cutting. Graphical representation of results is employed, wherever possible, to show the laws of cutting.