Experiments were carried out to study the performance of different tool materials, like ceramics, SIALON, whisker-reinforced ceramic, cemented carbide, cubic boron nitrite (CBN), and diamond (PCD). They were tested in turning of carbon and glass fiber reinforced fenolic resin composite. Two different workpiece shapes were used: laminated plate and filament wound tube. During the experiments, tool wear, surface roughness, and feed force were measured, under several cutting lengths, cutting speed, and fiber directions in composite. Experimental results showed that, due to the great influence of tool wear on workpiece surface roughness, only diamond tools are suitable for use in finish turning. In rough turning, the cemented carbide tools showed to be the best solution. Although, it showed larger wear than diamond, the cost/benefit ratio is much lower and special precautions are not necessary. 847447453