Metal Part General Discussion topic

[aFrInaTi0n]

Hello beloved EB community,

I would like to start this thread to have a distinct place where people can discuss metal parts from different manufacturers and speak about your experiences with those parts.

List of current vendors which offer metal parts:

• Metal Technic Parts / MTP (formerly known from the companys main brandname "DarkIceDesigns")
• Brick Machine Shop (California, USA - discontinued)
• ZENE Bricks

 

Brand Metal Technic Parts (MTP)

General information

"Metal Technic Parts" is a rebranding of the company DarkIceDesigns' products. They started with liftarms/beams and axles and have expanded their products by gears and other useful parts.

Statement for the exact type of aluminium and how they are machined from the vendor:

Quote

They are machined from 6061 aluminium and then they are sand blasted to remove any sharp edges to be kinder to plastic parts. They may look to have a rough surface but it is only because they are very small and photographed very closely. I hope that helps!

The company resides in the UK and offers an online-shop where users can order their products.

Details of their products are shown in the spoiler:

Spoiler

Available Products

• Beams & Liftarms
  • Aluminium Liftarm Beams  (available lengths: 2,3,5,7,9,11,13,15,17,19,21,23,25,31 in studs - the beams can also be bought in a length of 1 meter (125 studs))
    Spoiler

    
    
    Brick Experiment Channel endurance test for 15L aluminium liftarm:

     

     

  • Aluminium Beam - alternating Holes ("flip flop", available lengths: 1 meter (125 studs))
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Liftarm Beam Frame 5x7 (like LEGO 64179)
     

    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium BallBeared Liftarm

    Spoiler

    
    
    HINT from @Ryokeen:
     

    Quote

    The bearings they use are most likly "Miniatur Kugellager Zoll / Inch R156 ZZ / 2Z 4.762 x 7.938 x 3.175 mm". A good sorted store for bearings(kugellager-express) should have them.

    Thanks for the add mate!

     

• Axles
  • Micro Bushes for Technic axles
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Axle X Bar Shaft Rods (available lengths: 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,16,19,25 studs)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Threaded M5 Axle X Bar Shaft Rods (available lengths: 45 studs) Currently not available in the shop
    no picture atm
     
  • Aluminium Axle X Bar Shaft Rods with STOP (compatible with Lego Technic like 32209)
    Spoiler

    

     

• Connectors
  • Aluminium Universal Joint
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Frictionless Screws/Nuts (available lengths: 2,3,4,5 studs)
    Spoiler

     

     

  • Aluminium Low Profile Axle Connectors
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Axle Shaft Connector Coupling Joiner
    Spoiler

    

     

• Differential
  • Metal differential
    Spoiler

    Different options available
    
    
    
    
    Just the housing:
    
    
    Differential Housing + 3x Metal 12T Gears:
    
    
    Differential Housing + 3x Metal 12T Gears + Metal Frame:
    
    
    Differential Housing + 3x Metal 12T Gears + 1x Metal 20T Beveled Gear + Metal Frame:
    

     

• Gears
  • Stainless Steel Gear 8T
    Disclaimer: Stainless Steel, better think of lubrication when working with / against aluminium gears, as the aluminium may wear easily!
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 16T
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 12T v2 (Double Beveled Gear)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 12T (Beveled Gear)
    Spoiler

    

    Torque testing: 

     

    Speed testing: 

     

     

  • Aluminium Clutch Gear 16T  (PROTOTYPE/SOLD OUT)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 20T v2 (Beveled Gear)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 20T v2 (Double Beveled Gear)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 24T v2
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 40T v2
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Metal ballbeared Turntable 56 teeth
    Spoiler

    

     

• Adapters (RC Hobbies)
  • Technic Axle to 1/10th Scale RC Wheel 12mm Hex Adapter
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Technic Axle to 1/10th & 1/8th scale RC Wheel 12/17mm Hex Adapter
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Metal Wheel hub with sealed bearings compatible with Lego Technic like 11950/92909

    Spoiler

    Quote

    A CNC machined aluminium wheel hub fitted with sealed ABEC 5 rated bearings for smooth and long lasting performance. These wheels hubs allow greater speed and loads than the standard plastic wheel hubs from Lego Technic. The wheels are also screwed on to the hub for extra security.

    Compatible with our metal axles and our metal universal joints for the ultimate drivetrain set up.

    Our wheels hub is similar to parts 11950 & 92909.

     

    

    

    

    

    

     

Update 09.08.2022: Added pictures & videos in Spoilers

Update 11.10.2022: Removed discontinued currently not available threaded M5 Axle & added 5.5L Axle with stop

Update 15.03.2023: Added more prototype gears and other new parts

Update 11.05.2023: Added Metal Differential, ammended new 8T picture, added info about sold out prototype products

Update 19.10.2024: Exchanged images for v2 series for some gears & updated their availability status; Added 56t turntable

Update 31.10.2024: Added Metal Wheelhubs

 

Brand Zene Bricks

Homepage: https://www.zenebricks.com/

General information

"ZENE Bricks" is brand started by user @ZENE (please give me some more information for where you are located and what you like to share to us!). ZENE is offering parts with the focus of closing gaps to use high performance & RC equipment together with LEGO bricks, so the offer differentials made out of metal parts with custom closed housings. Also they have ballbeared wheelhubs in their inventory. Besides metal parts they also create Lightkits to known sets (the lightkits are out of scope for this thread obviously 🙄).

From Zene:

Quote

Thank you very much for bringing us up. It is a great recognition of our products and an honor for us.

We initially aimed to provide comprehensive modification packages and solutions for flagship models(because many new fans are starting to wonder why the cost of RC is so high), such as 42143, 42096, 42156, as well as high-performance RC modifications for the 42172 currently under designing.

Later on, we found that many friends with similar hobbies would use high-performance accessories for their own creation and modification, so we released some parts.

I am looking forward to sharing and enjoying the fun and creativity of extreme modification with friends who share the same interests here. I also feel that this forum is the most professional community.

Details of their products are shown in the spoiler:

Spoiler

• High Performance Differential

Spoiler

Plain copy of the product text from their homepage:

Quote

The differential is designed for LEGO High performance & Brushless Motor RC to facilitate rotation at ultra-high speeds. To solve the problems of stuck gears, skipped teeth, and wear and strength, with metal half-shaft gears, planetary gears, gear racks, and a highly integrated shape and size. It offers full compatibility with the chassis and connecting drive and shaft.

For high-performance, high-speed and high-torque high-end players modification. It uses 3D printed high-strength plastic with metal gears, which perfectly solves the problem of gear hitting in RC modification. 

Size parameters (Perfect compatibility with LEGO cars):

• Square, length: 7 units (56mm), width: 5 units (40mm), height: 3 units, highest point (24mm), leaving space for the axis to pass through
• H shape, length: 11 units (88mm, 2 more connecting beams at each end compared to the square shape), width: 5 units (40mm), height: 3 units, highest point (24mm), with a shaft in the middle through space

Four Versions

• The square differential can be adapted to all 1:8 models and can be driven with universal joints or cross shafts.
• H shape, can match all 1:10 models, can be used with universal joints or direct drive shafts.
• Available in white and black, sent randomly.

Diff Interface:

• Diff: Female part (Connect axis), cross hole interface, used to directly connect the output shaft, matching LEGO or metal shaft, diameter 4.8mm.
• Diff: Male part (U-joint), square metal solid output shaft, connected to a universal joint, which is used to connect the output shaft.
• Diff: Both types, two types of parts are provided, which can be plug and unplug, no additional disassembly is required, and can be flexibly configured.
   

 

 

• High Performance RC Accessories Bearing Drive Axle Metal Alloy (1:10)

Spoiler

Quote

For high-performance speed RC modification. The RC drive axle is suitable for 1:10 models. It uses high-strength 3D printed plastic parts and alloy brake discs to be equipped with separate RC tires, which are not compatible with Lego tires.

If you have requirements for the color of the brake disc, you can inform us by email.

Two Versions:

Version 1

• 23801 (LEGO accessory number) * 2
• 11950 (LEGO accessory number) rear wheels * 2
• Alloy brake discs * 4
• RC Racing tires * 4
• Universal joint * 4

Version 2

• 23801 (LEGO accessory number) * 4
• Alloy brake discs * 4
• RC Racing tires * 4
• Universal joint * 4

Why do we use this transaxle instead of the one that comes with Lego?

• The drive axle of Lego bricks has sliding friction and a large friction coefficient. When the load is small, the bricks will wear out after continuous rotation for several minutes or more than ten minutes. When the load is large, the friction will be more serious. There may also be severe heat that causes the bricks to melt and be damaged. In response to these problems, the drive axle I designed has built-in ball bearings, which greatly reduces the friction coefficient. The heat generated by friction is very small and almost no heat is generated. Therefore, we have never encountered metal heating in this case.
• The only one problem is basically caused by hitting things, causing the building blocks to be separated from the metal parts and damaged.

 

 

 

If you know any company which shall be listed in this main post, hit me up with a message, so I can add the vendor to the list (please check before mentioning them if their products don't infringe any copyrights!).

FYI, got permission from @Jim to create this topic in this category, thanks again for helping out!

Edited November 16, 2024 by aFrInaTi0n

[Davidz90]

I'd love to know people's experience with these. Considered buying some, but prices put me off.

From what I saw on some Youtube videos:

steel axles seem to be considerably stronger than plastic ones, but in terms of strength to weight ratio it is not so obvious what is better?

[aFrInaTi0n]

7 hours ago, Davidz90 said:

steel axles seem to be considerably stronger than plastic ones, but in terms of strength to weight ratio it is not so obvious what is better?

Those are made of steel, I never found that vendor - do you have a link by any chance so I can add them to the list?

I have a vide variety of parts from MTP till now and was able to test out shorter beams, the ballbeared 5L beam and aswell their aluminium axles. All are 100% compatible with Lego Pins and hold them very strong.

Things which I have already bought but wasn't able to test them out: 8T, 16T gears and the 12T beveled ones for the differentials.

Edited August 9, 2022 by aFrInaTi0n

[Davidz90]

1 hour ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

do you have a link by any chance so I can add them to the list?

Unfortunately not, and the link in video description doesn't work for me.

The aluminium gears seem to be cast, with drilled/machined holes? The surface finish looks very rough. Too bad the vendor doesn't seem to specify what aluminium type it is exactly, there are substantial differences between various types.

[aFrInaTi0n]

@Davidz90 I will ask if I can get the exact type they are using

[brunojj1]

I love this stuff and the variety of possibilities opening, testing new limits in the pursuit for greater performance. It´s the same in the RC world - once you replace a weak part anywhere, another part would break somewhere else which you can tune as well, making something else break etc... So let´s damage some more plastic anyway! I can imagine the lubrication spreading all over the place in your model, to be covered by more dirt playing outdoors . 

 

[Davidz90]

1 hour ago, brunojj1 said:

once you replace a weak part anywhere, another part would break somewhere else

Yeah, that would totaly be case here. Metal axles? Gears will yield. Add metal gears? Liftarms holding everything together will yield. In the end you need more and more metal parts. Clever business strategy 

[Mr Jos]

3 hours ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

Things which I have already bought but wasn't able to test them out: 8T, 16T gears and the 12T beveled ones for the differentials.

Those 8T gears in the picture look reaaaally thin where the widest part of the axle is, like a tenth of a mm. I'ld imagine if you put that on a metal axle and power it, you will get Osprey results.

For the rest, they look very rough indeed. I'ld think that it eats plastic liftarms for breakfast if you drive it with a buggy motor.

[aFrInaTi0n]

9 minutes ago, Davidz90 said:

Yeah, that would totaly be case here. Metal axles? Gears will yield. Add metal gears? Liftarms holding everything together will yield. In the end you need more and more metal parts. Clever business strategy 

There are some usecases where more sturdy parts come in handy. Imagine a fixed driving axle for left and right wheel with an off-centered gear. Plastic axles tend to flex for one of the wheels when you start to accelerate.

Also I am a huge fan of the ballbeared liftarm too - this part alone made a one-swingarm construction working - opening more possibilities for rc motorcycle builds.

But generally with the gears it will be true that a metal part will just move the wear to its plastic countergear.

[nerdsforprez]

3 hours ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

Those are made of steel, I never found that vendor - do you have a link by any chance so I can add them to the list?

So, I have those axles.  Bought them many years ago from Brick Machine Shop out of California, USA.  However, it appears as though the store is not up any more.  And I can't find them online.  Here is an example of another metal part they made: 

10 hours ago, Davidz90 said:

I'd love to know people's experience with these. Considered buying some, but prices put me off.

From what I saw on some Youtube videos:

steel axles seem to be considerably stronger than plastic ones, but in terms of strength to weight ratio it is not so obvious what is better?

They are excellent for the right applications.  I have not actually harmed them, too expensive, but I have used them strategically and I don't think they have added too much to the weight of my builds.  Mostly in rock crawlers, for the axles in the wheel hubs.  (check 42 seconds into the first video, 31 seconds into the second).  

5 minutes ago, Davidz90 said:

Yeah, that would totaly be case here. Metal axles? Gears will yield. Add metal gears? Liftarms holding everything together will yield. In the end you need more and more metal parts. Clever business strategy 

Not necessarily.  If used very strategically and at a minimum you can be be fine. I have used them for years in my crawlers without incident.... 

[aFrInaTi0n]

@Mr Jos yeah it is really thin at those spots. As already written I havent tested it for its sturdyness. I will update as soon as I have some experiences with them

@Davidz90:

Already got the reply, will add it to the main post:

Quote

They are machined from 6061 aluminium and then they are sand blasted to remove any sharp edges to be kinder to plastic parts. They may look to have a rough surface but it is only because they are very small and photographed very closely. I hope that helps!

 

[Mr Jos]

11 minutes ago, nerdsforprez said:

 

 

 I need that actuator! Been waiting to make a machine that my company makes for a long time, as the Lego actuators are to short to make a Baling Press.

[shroomzofdoom]

I bought metal axles twice from ebay:

1. stainless steel axles from ebay seller 'cncgear' in April 2021 - the seller is no longer offering any items on ebay.

2. I bought the aluminum axles from ebay seller 'darkicedesigns' in May 2022 - it looks like they are still selling them

Both held up very well in some high torque applications (4 XL motors). I prefer the aluminum ones for weight and torsional rigidity and will likely buy more soon. I wish I had bought some of the metal universals that cncgear was selling last year. He also had metal liftarms with bearings which looked pretty cool. :-(

 

It's cheaper to buy the longest lengths and then cut your own. 

 

[2GodBDGlory]

It might be worth mentioning the "carbon fibre" axles available from certain Chinese companies. I've used a few of them, and while they're definitely stronger than plastic, I did manage to break one. Their advantages would be easier availability and much lower prices, compared to metal.

[aFrInaTi0n]

@2GodBDGlory I was asked by Jim to make it a generic metal part thread - but I can see your point to them being mentioned as an alternative before going for metal parts in some usecases.

[SNIPE]

Won't metal just chew up the plastic?

Trust me, I ruined a lot of lego parts by combining lego with metal as a kid.

[nerdsforprez]

Not necessarily. I think they are great for crawlers, or hauling trucks that need torque/power but move slow. See above. I've used SS axles in my crawlers for years with minimal problems...

[dr_spock]

Metal can chew plastic depending on how it is used.  I bought one of the metal axles to broach axle holes in 3D printed parts.

[aFrInaTi0n]

@SNIPE: from my experiences ABS on ABS will heat up and melt parts more easily then having an axle out of aluminium, taking away the heat from the point of friction - but in the end there will be wear on the weaker parts.

I think there are some common rules one should follow for using metal parts:

• They will create more wear on the next weak part, depending on the amount of axial forces applied
• For gears the best approach is having the gear with lower number of teeth being the metal one because the higher teethcount will wear out more slowly
• For axles I would recommend to use the ballbeared liftarms (although not possible in all scenarios), those will result in having no friction towards the surrounding construction

[aFrInaTi0n]

Updates for MTP:

• Added new Part Aluminium Metal Beam Alternate Holes (flipflop liftarms)
• Added new Part Aluminium Liftarm Beam 5x7
• Exchanged picture of the new version of the Aluminium Axle Shaft Coupling Joiners

[aFrInaTi0n]

Updates for MTP:

• Ammended threaded axle (from "discontinued" to "not available right now")
• Added single / double beveled gears
• Added micro bushes for technic axles
• Added clutch gear 16T
• Added 3D model of their upcoming differential housing

[aFrInaTi0n]

Update 11.05.2023:

• Added Metal Differential which is available as from today - ordered me one & a review may follow in some weeks.
• Ammended new 8T picture
• Added information about sold out prototype products

Edited May 11, 2023 by aFrInaTi0n

[Milan]

2 hours ago, aFrInaTi0n said:

Added Metal Differential which is available as from today - ordered me one & a review may follow in some weeks.

Nice to see a metal diff.
I'm curious to see if the metal 12t bevel gear will skip it, when under heavy load and if the frame surrounding it starts to twist.
Looking forward to see your review.

[Sentinel]

I would like the metal parts, but I don’t like to spend money lol

[stagecoachfan]

The metre long beams could be handy as internal structure for a large span railway bridge with actual LEGO attached round them