With sales growing to new highs every year in all facets of our business, we will continue to offer top of the line products and services to our customers. We appreciate the opportunity to service new and old customers every day.

Carbide step drills, chamfer and counterbore drills, coolant drills, form tools, step reamers, endmills, and router bits made at Ekstrom in Rockford, I

Ekstrom Carlson manufactures carbide and high speed steel round shank cutting tools utilizing very experienced tool designers and grinders, state of the art 5 axis CNC machines and Zoller Genius inspection equipment to offer better quality cutting tools at better prices.   Need a new supplier – we can match your existing tool and improve it.  Click links to learn more: Custom tools.    Step drills.    Variable helix endmills.    Match Your Current tool.    O flute router bits.    Router bits.    Tool sharpening.

Spindle repair services

Utilizing our past experience as an original equipment spindle and spindle motor manufacturer, we provide spindle repair and upgrade services that are competitive and timely.  We repair all makes and models from all industries including metalworking, woodworking, plastics, and stone cutting.   Repairing over 600 spindles each year keeps our technicians trained to best spindle repair practices, following our ISO 9001 process controls.  All spindles are re-assembled in our clean room facility.   We offer the highest value, most competitive, spindle repair in the industry.  Contact us for a repair estimate and to send your spindle in for a free inspection.  Click here to learn more:  Spindle repairs.

Spindle motors, saw motors & router motors

Ekstrom Carlson offers high quality motors that function in special applications as spindle motors, saw motors, saw arbor motors, arbor motors, tenoner motors, shaper motors, special shaft motors, compact motors, blower motors, wood router motors, cnc router motors, quick tool change motors, high speed spindle motors, high speed router motors, automatic tool change motors, cnc spindle motors, electro spindles, custom motors, and extended shaft motors.   We can take a standard motor and make it a modified or custom motor with a special or extended motor shaft. Click here to learn more:   Motors and Spindles.

Live tool, right angle aggregate head, and multi-spindle head repairs

Live tooling repairs, multispindle drill head repairs, right angle milling head repairs, and aggregate head repairs represent our core repair service capability.  All brands.  All makes.  Fast, competitive repairs.  Inspections are free – Ask us for a quotation.  Click links to learn more:  Lathe live tool repair.    Aggregate head repair.    Live center repair.    Gearbox speed reducer repair.

Mistic mist cooling spray system

Mistic Mist Systems are considered the most efficient mist systems for a cooling spray.

The compressed air passing through the valve body and to the nozzle tip creates a vacuum in the liquid line which draws coolant from the tank.  The coolant is instantly vaporized and forms a conical mist pattern. At the same time, the compressed air expands absorbing heat surrounding the tool and work piece. The result is a cooling effect as well as lubrication.  Click here to learn more: Mist systems.

OUR HISTORY

Ekstrom Carlson began manufacturing woodworking equipment in 1904.   D & R Autochuck, incorporated in 1984 and the OEM replacement parts manufacturer for Greenlee Screw Machines, purchased Ekstrom Carlson in 1996.

In 2001, we made the move to utilize our highly trained staff and technical expertise from years of Ekstrom Carlson design and production to offer repair services for spindles, live tools, angle heads, and multi-spindle boring heads of competing manufacturers.  In the past, we focused on our own equipment, but the experience gained offered a seamless transition to other manufacturer’s spindles and tools.

Since then, we have focused our manufacturing to provide better quality endmills, router bits,  and cutting tools at better prices.  We manufacture and sell cutting tools for the metalworking, woodworking, plastics, foam, aerospace, composites, medical, automotive, packaging, and machine manufacturing industries.  We can sell direct and we work with distributors.

In 2003, we took on a new line of router motors and saw motors out of a reputable manufacturer in Italy.   We offer a broad range of industrial spindle router motors, saw motors, and spindle arbors for various industries including woodworking, metalworking, plastics, aerospace, and stone cutting.  We can provide standard off the shelf spindles from our stock or modify quickly to meet customer needs.

Our design experience in spindle manufacturing provides us the ability to repair any make and model spindle, live tool, or aggregate head used in vertical or horizontal machining centers, CNC routers, point to point machines, grinders, horizontal mills, lathes, and other types of machining centers. We offer the most competitive prices and best quality spindle repair in the industry.

In 2006, we bought our first CNC 5 axis tool grinder to be followed quickly by 2 additional machines, and the purchase of a small tool grinding company.

In 2008, we moved to our new location at 5248 27th Avenue, Rockford, IL, 61109,  to provide more than 4 times the space previously occupied.  Now, we have 25000 square feet to work and produce our products and services.

In October of 2009, we acquired the coolant spray mist system product line from Aetna Manufacturing (originally established in 1954) called Mistic Mist. We are now manufacturing and selling these mist coolant lubrication systems for use in milling, drilling, grinding, sawing, turning, tapping and other areas providing the most efficient coolant spray lube mist system in the world.

In November of 2012, we began building our new clean room facility for spindle repairs to provide for continued growth.   The project is now completed and allows room to grow to more than 2000 spindles repaired each year.

March 18, 2013, Ekstrom Carlson launched a new website with the goal to provide a more user friendly site which better communicates our services and products.  The end result is a site that not only looks better, but is easier to use.

March 18, 2013, Ekstrom Carlson becomes the second North American KOMET SERVICE®licensed partner, providing customers with tool refurbishment services, as well as KOMET brand standard and made-to-order solid carbide tools.

April 25, 2013,  A Grand Opening celebrates the next step  in the Ekstrom Carlson growth strategy materializes itself with the company joining the KOMET SERVICE network currently being established in North America. This partnership will allow Ekstrom Carlson to supply its expanding customer base with the best products and services in the region thanks to KOMET’s support, training and technology.

In 2014, Ekstrom Carlson becomes ISO 9001 certified which continues to this day.  The certification applies to all of our products and services including cutting tools, mist systems, spindle and live tool repairs, and new saw motors, router motors and spindles.

In 2015, we purchased 2 more CNC tool grinders to add to our 4, making a total of 6 CNC tool grinders, 2 profile step grinders, a Zoller Genius inspection system, and multiple comparators, and video inspection systems.

In November, 2015,

EKSTROM CARLSON
5248 27th Avenue
Rockford, Illinois 61109
. . . has demonstrated that their Quality Management System complies with the requirements of: ISO 9001:2015. The scope of registration includes:
Manufacture and reconditioning of custom cutting tools including drills, end
mills, and router bits. Sales, modifications, and repair of spindle motors and
industrial tooling. Manufacture, assembly, and sales of Mistic Mist spray mist
coolant systems

In 2019, the KOMET SERVICE Partnership ended due to Ceratizit buying KOMET and eliminating the KOMET SERVICE program.

In 2020, we added a 3rd cnc profile step grinder to add to our production capacity of carbide and high speed step drills and form tools.

Today,

we continue to focus on value, quality, manufacturing and servicing of:

  • Custom and high production carbide cutting tools for metalworking, plastics, and woodworking
  • Spindle, aggregate head, and live tool products and repair services
  • Router spindles, saw motors, custom spindles
  • Coolant mist spray systems