Foredom rotary tools & flexible shaft machines have always been built to industrial standards. Over time, the name has become synonymous with quality, reliability, and even the tool style itself. Flex shafts are used for various jobs including grinding, deburring, carving, engraving, stone setting, and polishing on virtually any material. A complete Foredom flexible shaft machine consists of a motor, speed control, and handpiece.

Micromotors and bench lathes have grown into important product categories. Micromotors have ‘micro-sized’ power tool motors inside of a handpiece and simple cord connections to a control box. High speed operation is permitted without the drag of a flexible shaft. A portable model is also available that is powered by a lithium-ion battery, and it can be used on-the-go for hours. Bench lathes are an important product category because they are excellent companions to flex shafts. Many users are surprised by their power, compact size and versatility for many grinding, buffing and polishing applications.

Rotary Tools, Rotary Tool Components and More!

Who uses Rotary Tools?

Foredom power rotary tools are used by jewelers, machine shop operators, mold and die makers, woodcarvers, luthiers, designers, custom fabricators of all kinds (e.g. prosthetics, hearing aids, etc.), dental and optical lab technicians, conservators, artisans, and hobbyists. Foredom rotary tools are also used in leading scientific research, engineering, defense, military, aviation, and other high-tech businesses and institutions.

What are some of the broad applications of power rotary tools?

Rotary tools are used for deburring, drilling, grinding, sanding, smoothing, contouring, honing, filing, routing, carving, polishing, and finishing on virtually any material. Common materials include metal, wood, glass, stone, silicone, acrylic, resins, plastics and composites.

What applications are best suited for Foredom industrial tools?

Foredom rotary tools offer the below benefits to industrial and other users:

1. Variable Speed Foot operated or bench top dial controls allow users to find the right speed for the accessory, material, and application. Standard flexible shaft speeds up to 18,000 RPM with low speed/high torque models are also available. Micromotor rotary tools offer speeds as high as 50,000 RPM.
2. Interchangeable Handpieces and Usability Foredom handpieces can easily be switched out, adding tremendous versatility to the product line. Users benefit from the slenderness of handpieces, opposed to hand-held motors that are heavier, and more difficult to manage and maneuver. Handpieces, flexible shafts and micromotors are also light weight and run smoothly. The user experiences significantly less vibration, noise, and heat associated with hand-held electric or air motors due to the flex shaft motor being positioned above and out of the way of the workpiece. Handpieces are available with either collets or chucks for holding rotary accessories and drills with shanks from 1/16″ to 1/4″ in diameter.
3. Reliable and Economical Flexible shaft rotary tools have permanently lubricated, ball bearing, fan cooled, motors that are easy to maintain and more economical to operate than air tools.
4. Comprehensive Selection of Rotary Accessories An enormous selection of quality made rotary accessories is available for accomplishing almost any task on virtually any material. In addition to cutters, burs, bits, drills, buffs, brushes, hones, abrasive stones, wheels, saws and more, Foredom features several exclusive and unique lines including Typhoon® Tungsten Carbide Burs, CeramCut Blue® Stones, Plated Diamonds from Dumont®, and 3M products including Scotch-Brite Radial Bristle Discs, EXL Unitized Wheels, and Trizact and Purple Ceramic Bands and Discs.