PURPOSE: To improve the efficiency of work, by transferring a tool gripper supporting a tool, between a tool magazine and a spindle head so that the magazine does not need to be put aside for the spindle head.

CONSTITUTION: A tool magazine 10 is provided with a plurality of tool holding sections 40 for holding various tools T. To attach a desired tool T to a spindle head 60, the spindle head is pulled up and a support plate 56 is thereafter moved forth through a midget cylinder 54. Subsequently, a magazine turning section 12 is rotated by a motor 18 so that the tool T is indexed just under a tool receiving hole 60a. The spindle head 60 is then moved down so that the tool T is put in the receiving hole 60a. The support plate 56 is thereafter moved back. The spindle head 60 is then moved down further so that a tool gripper 38 is moved down together. After that, the tool T held by the gripper 38 starts machining.