The present study was aiming at measuring cutting forces for wood of lesser used species from Mozambique such as Acacia nigrescens Oliv (namuno), Pericopsis angolensis Meeweven (muanga), Pseudolachnostylis maprounaefolia Pax (ntholo) and Sterculia appendiculata K. Schum (metil). Another aim was to use an expeditious method to compare performance of the species when cut. A machinability index calculated using Digraph and Matrix Methods was used for ranking the performance of the species when cut. Two different cutting tools 20o and 30o rake angle were used. Main cutting force in 90°-90° and 90°-0°cutting directions were measured by piezoelectric gauge. The results of the experiments showed that cutting forces followed normal trends to increase with density and decrease with increasing rake angle. The ratio between wood density and cutting forces in cutting directions 90°-90° and 90°-0° were 7 s2m-4 and 17.3 s2m-4, respectively. The most difficult species to be machined was Namuno, whereas the easiest species to be machined was Metil.