I would say "In-OFF-Out" because for most jobs, one moves the the tool "in" to make the cut, and "out" at the end.

Advance, Retard, Plunge all seem to imply a different type of operation to me, although they could apply here. Cut, Back-out & Withdraw would be be more applicable I think than the first three, but overall I would go for the In-Out option.

I have read at least one author talking about "putting the cut on", but I don't recall taking the cut off.

For milling, I would use Forward-OFF-Backward as in Forward = away from you and Backward = towards you. The trouble with milling is that cutting can take place equally well in either direction, whereas in lathework, most work involves either doing something to a longitudinal external diameter, or facing a disc. Cutting an internal diameter does involve cutting the other way round, but in my limited experience is less often done.

Regards,

Peter G Shaw

The convention used for CNC programming is left-to right axis -X table moves to left…….+X table moves to right

in and out axis -Y table moves out (towards operator)

in and out axis +Y table moves in (away from operator)

Vertical axis +Z tool moves up …………..-Z tool moves down

That's the way I remember it anyway so the cross slide on a lathe would be +/- Y. Colin

Andrew. thank you for the lathe axis description I've only worked with CNC machining centres so I am pleased to learn a little more. It's a useful forum. Colin

With the Common Cold, the rule is:

If you do nothing, it will go after seven days. If you take medication, you will be rid in a week!

I favour the ideas of arrows, unlikely to be misunderstood.

Howard

I now have The Hokey Cokey as an earworm…

D'oh!

Regards,

John.