September 2019
Craftsman’s Cribsheet #80
To shop personnel, “free machining” has several meanings:
• High rate of production is what the boss is looking for.
• Low cost of production is what the business owner and accounting seek.
• Smooth, workman-like finish is what the engineers and customers are expecting.
• To the operator, longer tool life (fewer tool changes and adjustments) and short controlled chips are desired.