RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Bought the cute and cool little pen sander off Aliexpress for $35CAD and it is good! Looks to be a Proxxen knockoff (or the same production line with a different sticker), but a quarter of the price. I got the variable speed model and it goes from very slow to "I'll never use it at that speed"! Straight and angle sanding heads that use adhesive sandpaper. Fortunately, my woodworker wife has miles of the stuff, but that thick super sticky double-sided tape works well, too. It's like a dremel--let the tool speed do the work, not pressing harder. That said, it does have good power and you're mistreating it if you stall it out. Linear, side-to-side movement, not rotary.

I've bought some crazy gizmos, but this one isn't!

Don't buy this steaming pile. Cheap price but the single AA battery can barely keep it going even under its own weight. Trash. For those hesitant to use Aliexpress, they got this tool to me in 2 weeks. The two I tried to buy through Amazon-- one order was mysteriously cancelled and the other still hasn't arrived after 2 months. Needless to say, fully refunded. I guess Bezos hasn't figured out Chinese suppliers like Aliexpress has.

Mike.

Yes, that looks just like the Proxxon tool, but with a smaller transformer. I think the Proxxon transformer that I have was intended to run other Proxxon tools, too.

Cool tool. I bought the Proxxon unit years ago and it does work well, but the Proxxon sandpaper wears out really fast. I have some double sided tape at home and never really thought of making my own sandpaper for it. I'll have to try that.

tankme wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 10:24 pm Cool tool. I bought the Proxxon unit years ago and it does work well, but the Proxxon sandpaper wears out really fast. I have some double sided tape at home and never really thought of making my own sandpaper for it. I'll have to try that.

Check out Permagrit tungsten carbide flexible file / sanding sheet.

It is a thin metal sheet with a carbide grit stuck to it. Usually comes in course medium and fine in various sizes, and can be cut and bent to suit your tools.

Ooo, something else I didn't know I couldn't live without!

BTW, I've always had great luck with AliExpress

Only problem with Ali Express is you end up buying more than you intended to buy

Stormbringer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 29, 2026 12:04 pm Only problem with Ali Express is you end up buying more than you intended to buy

TankDriver wrote: ↑Thu Jan 29, 2026 6:21 am Ooo, something else I didn't know I couldn't live without!

Sums up Aliexpress in a nutshell! My cottage neighbour (handyman, inventor, fettler extraordinaire), had to quit cold turkey.

TankDriver wrote: ↑Thu Jan 29, 2026 6:21 am BTW, I've always had great luck with AliExpress

Me, too. And they have gotten much better in terms of delivery times in the last year or so. Great source for rc tank stuff and bits you just can't find anywhere else, or at non-stupid prices.

Mike.

Son of a gun-ner wrote:
[/quote]

Check out Permagrit tungsten carbide flexible file / sanding sheet.

It is a thin metal sheet with a carbide grit stuck to it. Usually comes in course medium and fine in various sizes, and can be cut and bent to suit your tools.
[/quote]

I'll need to check out permagrip, sounds useful.

tankme wrote: ↑Wed Jan 28, 2026 10:24 pm Cool tool. I bought the Proxxon unit years ago and it does work well, but the Proxxon sandpaper wears out really fast. I have some double sided tape at home and never really thought of making my own sandpaper for it. I'll have to try that.

Yes, the supplied paper is pretty fine grit and wears/clogs quickly. I'm going to print up some smaller sized sanding heads that combined with other grades of paper should make this thing even more useful.

Mike.