The effects of the cutting conditions on the surface roughness of workpiece in turning were studied in this paper. The workpieces made of carbon steel SM20C and SM45C were tamed without the support of the tailstock center. Cutting conditions were changed in three or flour steps in each parameter and cutting fluid was used. The surface roughness results of tests were measured and the effects of the cutting conditions were analyzed by the method of analysis of variance. The summary of the experimental research is as follows. The main parameters were cutting speed, fred-rate, depth of cut, and the interactions between speed and fled-rate, speed and depth of cut, and fred and depth of cut. As cutting speed increased, surface roughness showed lower value. The surface roughnesses of feed-rate 0.102 mm/rev and 0.147 mm/rev were better than those of feed-rate 0.05 mm/rev and 0.2 mm/rev.