What Tool Should You Use When Turning? | The Lathe Lab Ep.2

Every machinist has asked this question at some point: “What insert should I use for turning?” Whether you're roughing, finishing, or need a special profiling tool, using the right insert can make or break your machining process. Luke from Crusader Machine breaks it down in plain English—no overcomplicated nonsense, just real talk on picking the right tool for the job: ✅ Rough Turning – Best inserts, feed rates, and depth of cut ✅ Finish Turning – Proper allowances and surface finish tips ✅ Special Inserts – When WNMG, VCMT, or BMG inserts work best ✅ Speeds & Feeds – Simple rules to dial in your cutting parameters 🔹 Rough Turning Rule of Thumb: ✔️ Feed Rate: 1/3 to 2/3 of the nose radius ✔️ Depth of Cut: At least 1x the nose radius ✔️ Check Surface Footage from Manufacturer 🔹 For Brass? One tool can rough & finish—no need for extra tooling! Timestamps: 02:26 - 1/3 & 2/3 Feed Rate Rule 06:17 - WNMG 432 Rough turning Demo 10:25 - Finish turning Demo 12:01 - Special Profiling Inserts 13:40 - Brass Machining & One-Tool Approach 16:00 Conclusion 💬 Comment below: What’s your go-to insert for roughing? Connect with Luke Niels at Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crusadermachining/ YouTube: @Crusadermachining ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Practical Machinist is the largest and most engaged #metalworking community across the web. With more than 200,000 registered members and 400,000+ social media followers, Practical Machinist is the easiest way to learn new techniques, get answers quickly, and discuss common challenges with your peers. Visit Practical Machinist today to join the community and start connecting with your peers. Become a Practical Machinist member (https://www.practicalmachinist.com/) Like us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/PracticalMachinist) Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/practicalmachinist/) Follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/prac_machinist) Follow us on TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@practicalmachinist) Connect with us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/practical-machinist/) #machineshop #metalworking #machining