Abstract Nickel-based superalloys, such as Inconel 783, have exclusive characteristics like excellent corrosion resistance and physical and chemical strength against high temperatures, and therefore, are ubiquitous in the industries include turbine manufacturing, petroleum and petrochemical companies, aerospace and ship building. However, their low coefficient of heat transfer in combination with high toughness, can put these materials into the category of hard-to-machine ones and make the use of cutting fluid inevitable, and also, may constraint the range of machining parameters. Disadvantages contribute to the using of cutting fluid, the difficulty of performing machining process and the limitations in choosing input parameters can induce detrimental impacts on the environment and human health and it may also increase the machining and manufacturing costs and therefore, significantly reduce the efficiency of machining. In the present article, the influences of utilizing polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) and coated carbide tools in combination with spray mode of biodegradable vegetable cutting fluid with compressed air were investigated on cutting forces, surface finish and tool tip temperature, in order to make a dramatic reduction in the consumption rate of the cutting fluid in turning process of Inconel 783. In addition, the feasibility of increasing the range of machining input parameters was explored via this approach. The results showed that making use of a PCBN tool, in comparison with the coated carbide tool, can result in a significant reduction in the consumption rate of cutting fluid. This may make it viable to remarkably increase machining input parameters. Moreover, in application of cutting fluid with the spray mode in combination with compressed air and a PCBN tool, it is practical to monitor the temperatures of machining area via a thermal imager. This is done in order to control the machining process and the behavior of Inconel 783 during this process.