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 (formerly known from the companys main brandname "DarkIceDesigns")
• Brick Machine Shop (California, USA - discontinued)

 

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

    

     

• 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
  • Aluminium Gear 8T
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 16T
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 12T (Double Beveled Gear, PROTOTYPE/SOLD OUT)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 12T (Beveled Gear)
    Spoiler

    

    Torque testing: 

     

    Speed testing: 

     

     

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

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 20T (Beveled Gear,PROTOTYPE/SOLD OUT)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 20T (Double Beveled Gear)
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 24T
    Spoiler

    

     

  • Aluminium Gear 40T
    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

    

     

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

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 May 11, 2023 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