Detailed cutting tool information, including basic articles on cutting tools, is available on the Internet at www.americanmachinist.com. The information available on the web includes six interactive calculators that provide:

• Break-even analysis to help to determine which machine is most profitable for a specific job.
• Conversions from horsepower rat ings to kilowatt ratings.
• Conversion for speed and feed rates for such variables as surfacefeetper-minute to revolutionsperminute, or inches-per-revolution to inches-per-minute.
• Conversions for thread cutting values.
• Calculations that consider variables that affect tool life and a tool-life/cutting speed adjuster.
• And, a conversions of variables that affect turning surface finishes.

A related Internet page, American Machinist's Cutting Tool Central (www.cutting-tool.americanmachinist.com) includes updated articles and information on the basics of cutting tools, and a cutting tool selector for a range of carbon steels, alloy and tool steels and stainless materials.

The web-based calculators and selectors are easy to navigate and provide valuable information for selecting the proper tool or to perform comparative analyses that can lead to improved quality and productivity.