Cutting Speed & RPM Charts
Cutting speed (SFM / Vc) and spindle RPM for common shop materials, HSS and carbide, with a live diameter-to-rpm and feed calculator on every page.
Cutting speed by material
| Material | HSS SFM | HSS m/min |
Carbide SFM | Carbide m/min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel | ||||
| Mild steel (1018 / low-carbon) | 90–130 | 27–40 | 400–600 | 122–183 |
| 1045 medium-carbon steel | 70–100 | 21–30 | 350–500 | 107–152 |
| 4140 alloy steel | 50–80 | 15–24 | 300–450 | 91–137 |
| Tool steel (O1 / A2 / D2, annealed) | 40–70 | 12–21 | 200–350 | 61–107 |
| Stainless | ||||
| 304 stainless steel | 35–60 | 11–18 | 250–400 | 76–122 |
| 316 stainless steel | 30–55 | 9–17 | 200–350 | 61–107 |
| Cast iron | ||||
| Gray cast iron | 60–90 | 18–27 | 250–450 | 76–137 |
| Non-ferrous | ||||
| Aluminium 6061 | 250–600 | 76–183 | 600–1500 | 183–457 |
| Brass (free-machining) | 200–350 | 61–107 | 500–1000 | 152–305 |
| Bronze | 100–200 | 30–61 | 300–600 | 91–183 |
| Copper | 150–250 | 46–76 | 400–800 | 122–244 |
| Exotic | ||||
| Titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) | 30–50 | 9–15 | 100–200 | 30–61 |
These are starting bands for milling and turning with a rigid setup and flood or through-tool coolant. Speed is not the whole answer — feed per tooth decides whether the edge cuts or rubs, and rpm follows from your cutter diameter. Open a material for the rpm calculator and its own feed reference.
One page per material
Steel
- Mild steel (1018 / low-carbon)
- 1045 medium-carbon steel
- 4140 alloy steel
- Tool steel (O1 / A2 / D2, annealed)