In-process recognition of the cutting states is one of the very important technologies to increase the reliability of mordern machining process. In this study, practical methods which use the dynamic component of the cutting force are proposed to recognize cutting states (i.e. chip formation, tool wear, surface roughness) in turning process. The signal processing method developed in this study is efficient to measure the maximum amplitude of the dynamic component of cutting force which is closely related to the chip breaking (cut-off frequency : 80-500 Hz) and the approximately natural frequency of cutting tool (5, 000-8, 000 Hz). It can be clarified that the monitoring of the maximum apmlitude in the dynamic component of the cutting force enables the state of chip formation which chips can be easily hancled and the inferiority state of the machined surface to be recognized. The microcomputer in-process tool wear monitor- ing system introduced in this paper can detect the determination of the time to change cutting tool.