A portable, battery-operated manicuring machine is disclosed in which the batteries and the final output shaft are aligned substantially coaxially. The motor and actuating switch are positioned within the housing intermediate the battery chamber and the final drive unit with the motor being radially offset from the axis of alignment of the drive unit, batteries and housing and the switch being positioned diametrically opposite the motor. The drive between the motor and the final output shaft includes a gear reduction train comprising a pinion gear on the motor output shaft, a cluster gear having it's larger-diameter gear in meshing relationship with the pinion gear and its smaller gear in meshing relationship with an internally-toothed gear and the output shaft.The motor and gear-reduction train are mounted on opposite sides of a bulkhead which is mounted transversely within the forward part of the machine housing. The motor is mounted by means of a pressed fit in the bulkhead and is retained therein by a yoke engaging the remote surfaces of the motor and the bulkhead.The output speed and the diameter of the manicure accessories are correlated to provide a slow surface speed of the working surface in the order of 23 inches per second. A speed of 360 rpm is preferred as is an outside diameter of 1.20 inches.