THE USE OF MINUTE APPLICATIONS OF PRIMARILY VEGETABLE OIL-BASED LUBRICANTS IN MACHINING OPERATIONS CAN REDUCE HEAT GENERATION, SPEED PRODUCTION, IMPROVE SURFACE FINISH, IMPROVE TOOL LIFE, AND REDUCE HOUSEKEEPING WHILE ELIMINATING THE COLLECTING, TREATING, AND DISPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH FLUID COOLANTS. THE HIGH- STRENGTH MICROSCOPIC LUBRICATING FILM ON THE TOOL REDUCES FRICTION, THUS REDUCING HEAT GENERATION AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE NEED TO REMOVE HEAT. THE LUBRICANTS ARE SAFE, NON-TOXIC, BIODEGRADABLE AND SOMETIMES WATER-SOLUBLE. RELIABLE, CONSISTENT, AND CONTROLLABLE APPLICATIONS EQUIPMENT IS CRITICAL FOR OBTAINING OPTIMUM RESULTS. APPLYING TOO MUCH LUBRICANT IS DETRIMENTAL, MAY RESULT IN UNNECESSARY CLEAN UP AND SMOKING (EVEN FIRE), AND WILL IMPEDE THE FRICTION REDUCTION PHENOMENON. THIS CONCEPT APPLIES TO VIRTUALLY ALL METALWORKING PROCESSES ON METALS, MANY PLASTICS, AND COM