This article discusses the factors influencing cast iron machining and selection of cutting fluid and cutting tool materials. It presents a comparison of machinability of different types of cast iron, namely, gray cast iron, ductile cast iron, and malleable cast iron. In addition, the article provides an overview of different methods used in the machining of cast iron, namely, turning, boring, broaching, planing and shaping, drilling, reaming, counterboring and spotfacing, tapping, milling, grinding, and honing and lapping. Nominal speeds and feeds for the machining of cast iron with single-point and box tools, ceramic tools, high-speed steel, and carbide tools are also tabulated.

This article provides a discussion on cutting tools, their materials and design; cutting fluids; and various aspects of machining operations of heat-resistant alloys, with several examples. Operations such as turning, planing and shaping, broaching, drilling, reaming, counterboring and spotfacing, tapping and thread milling, milling, sawing, and grinding are discussed. Nominal compositions of wrought heat-resistant alloys and nickel-base heat-resistant casting alloys, as well as compositions of cobalt-base heat-resistant casting, iron-base heat-resistant casting, and mechanically alloyed (oxide dispersion strengthened) products are also listed.

Countersinking, counterboring, and spotfacing operations can be carried out on drilling machines and usually follow drilling operations. This article discusses five common types of countersinking tools or countersinks, namely, machine, three-flute, single-flute, insert-type, and interchangeable countersinks. It provides a short description of the two types of spotfacing tools: back and double-end spotfacers and automatic back spotfacers. The article describes different types of counterboring tools, including interchangeable-pilot, integral-pilot, and interchangeable-cutter counterbores. It tabulates the nominal speeds and feeds for counterboring and spotfacing of carbon and low-alloy steels with high-speed steel and carbide tools.