How to spot a fake foredom

Last updated on August 4th, 2022 at 09:50 pm

What is a foredom flexible shaft machine?

A complete Foredom flexible shaft machine includes a motor that rotates a flexible shaft attached to a precision handpiece and a foot or hand-adjustable speed control. Foredom also manufactures micromotors and bench lathes, among other rotary equipment.

Rotary tools and flexible shaft machines from Foredom originated to satisfy industrial requirements. Some individuals prefer any Flexible Shaft Machine as Foredom. Flex shafts are ideal for various tasks on practically any material, comprising grinding, deburring, carving, engraving, stone setting, and polishing.

Some fakes are reasonably complex and seem very similar to the real thing. As a result, counterfeits are difficult to spot because they usually have an authentic-looking Foredom label with a serial number directly on the motor, just like the real thing. The trademark and little ringed label are the only ways to identify it.

Different types of Foredom motors

Foredom flexible shaft power tools use either Universal motors that can run on both AC and DC power or Permanent Magnet (PM) motors that can only run on DC power. Some PM motors have a rectifier bridge that converts AC power to DC, allowing them to be operated straight from an AC line. If a rectifier exists in the speed control, you can run PM motors without a rectifier bridge from AC power. 

Both universal and permanent magnet motors feature two magnetic components that interact to cause the motor shaft to rotate. The first, dubbed “Field,” is permanently attached to the motor case. The second, known as the “Armature,” is the rotating component attached to the motor shaft.

Even though production ceased nearly eight years ago, the Foredom CC remains the most commonly counterfeited model. Counterfeits of vintage Series S and SR motors, current SR models, and duplicates of our handpieces, speed controls, and BL bench lathe are available. Of course, there are thousands of authentic pre-owned CC motors on the market.

How to spot a fake foredom

Counterfeits of vintage Series S and SR motors, current SR models, and duplicates of our handpieces, speed controls, and BL bench lathe are all available. Counterfeits are challenging to spot since they usually include an authentic-looking Foredom label on the motor with a serial number, just like the genuine product. As a result, Foredom flexible shaft machines are commonly available as counterfeits. As a result, you should be wary about buying a Foredom from anyone other than an Authorised Distributor or us, the manufacturer.

You can identify fake foredom by its low worth and misspelled spelling. For example, based on geo-location, you can locate it for less than half the price you’d expect to pay. Furthermore, the label can be spelled ‘Fordom’ rather than ‘Foredom,’ making it suspect of being a genuine article. If something appears too good to be true, it most likely is! It’s difficult to tell the difference between a genuine and a fake if someone tries to sell one on a social media group or website. However, if only a few people report the post, it can be investigated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsqwkhFcnj0

According to other users’ experiences, bogus Foredom is simply a “copy of Foredom” created in China. Similar machines, similar to the previous design, Foredom, were offered in the United States before their current permanent magnet motor style. The old “clone Foredom” looked beautiful, and a few people bought them despite the official manufacturer’s recommendations. They got their money’s worth, as most motors burned out within a month or two.

Customers who had purchased Foredom machines since 1978 had used the first one until around 1995, when they received a new one and passed the old one on to someone else, spanning 32 years. Purchase a genuine Foredom If you want a machine that will last a lifetime, the price may appear outrageous at first, but after ten or twenty years of use, you will thank yourself for the best money you’ve ever spent!

Another example of a Foredom Counterfeit scenario is when someone was looking for their first flex shaft. They were wary of being counterfeit because of the price. In the $100 area, eBay appears to have a choice of Foredom flex shafts with a red label. Look at the following variables to see if you can recognize a fake foredom in this scenario. 

As dodgy as it appears, the first flex shaft is a $300+ piece of equipment. The brand is also unbranded throughout the listing, except for the photo. Another factor to consider is that it has a red label indicating a 230v international model. A blue label is found on the unit often sold in the United States.

Several low-cost flex shafts on the market look identical to Foredom, but they do not run or last. If this vendor were an approved dealer, it doesn’t appear that they would be making any money. So it’s either a knockoff or something that fell off the back of a truck. If you’re serious about getting into jewelry, put money down for a piece from a renowned company like the Rio Grande. Because it’ll be one of the most crucial pieces of equipment in your shop, it’s worth double-checking that it’s a genuine Foredom.

What to do with fake foredom?

The same merchants are likely to have “Genuine Foredom” listings on eBay. On eBay, there are a lot of knockoff vendors. That isn’t to imply the device isn’t functional. Many knockoffs are created in the same factory as the real thing but are sold directly (and illegally) by the manufacturer’s cousin for a lower price. 

While you may not have utilized any Chinese $100 Foredoms yet, other lower-cost Chinese gadgets have proven effective. They update the label from time to time, and occasionally they don’t bother. The shipping delay is usually the most significant issue. Buying a fake foredom, on the other hand, is not a 100 percent regrettable loss.

Ideally, foredom tools last nearly a lifetime. Foredom tools should, in theory, last almost a lifetime. You can probably operate them for 500 hours a year for decades without having to change the brushes or grease the shaft. Every five years, a shaft becomes worn out. Parts for a 30-year-old unit are readily available. You can only ever burn out one Foredom in all my years. It was utilized for intense grinding and was run in the dustiest region possible. It took ten years to extinguish it.