In machining, the proper selection of cutting fluids result in benefits that vary from superior quality of the machined component to manufacturing cost. In addition, the must have characteristics that do not harm the user and the environment. In this sense, this work evaluates the effects of the vegetable base oil extracted from Carapa Guianensis in the external cylindrical turning process of the ABNT 1020 and 1045 steel grades. Highspeed steel tools were tested under roughing and finishing conditions. In addition to the physico-chemical characterization (dynamic viscosity at 40 °C and pH) of fluid, the chip form, surface finish, tool wear and workpiece temperature were evaluated. After characterization of oil, there were recorded in the dynamic viscosity at 40 °C of 0.11 Pa.s and pH of 2.3. The average roughness recorded were very close to those usually reported in the literature for finishing turning for ABNT 1020 and 1045 steels. It was also observed that the workpiece temperatures were higher when machining the ABNT 1020 steel grade under finishing condition than for other steel and conditions tested. Based on these findings, the andiroba oil delivered the conventional coolant technique demonstrated to be a technically viable alternative to conventional coolants in the turning process of ABNT 1020 and 1045 steels, because of it biodegradability characteristics and to reduce petroleumbased cutting fluids in the machining processes.