Tool having buffered electromagnet drive for depth control

A magnetically driven tool, comprising:

• a shaft having a bottom application end including a contacting surface;
• at least one housing around a portion of said shaft for supporting components positioned outside said shaft and floating with respect to said shaft;
• a first permanent magnet within said housing affixed to said shaft;
• an electromagnet secured to said housing positioned outside said shaft and floating with respect to said shaft above said first permanent magnet;
• a second permanent magnet between said first permanent magnet and said lower bearings outside said shaft and floating with respect to said shaft, wherein said first permanent magnet and said second permanent magnet are positioned so that like poles face one another;
• upper bearings attached to said support above said electromagnet and lower bearings attached to said support below said first permanent magnet, said upper and lower bearings for sliding said shaft in an axial direction;
• wherein for pushing operations a direction of current through said electromagnet is applied so that like poles relative to said first permanent magnet face one another and unlike poles face one another during pulling operations, and a magnitude of said current sets a force applied by said contacting surface to a workpiece;
• a position sensor coupled to said shaft, and
• a force sensor outside said shaft on either side of said electromagnet without a fixed attachment to said shaft, wherein a force resulting from a magnetic field generated by said first magnet sensed by said force sensor provides a force measurement of said force applied by said contacting surface to said workpiece.