Older cubers discussions

[mafergut]

I had my first 6x6 pop today. As usual, my pops tend to happen when scrambling rather than when solving.

It surprised me that it took less time to fix that 6x6 pop than a 4x4 pop. I guess the extra pieces give it a bit more stability during reconstruction.

Not long after the pop I got a PB single and average on 6x6 in the Weekly Comp, so all is good anyway!

Time for me to go buy that Yuxin 6x6, don't you think? But I am just waiting for the new Shengshou Kilominx (or whatever they decide to call it) to come on sale to pick that one too. It looks so beautiful!!!

 

[earth2dan]

Wow. Respect to you guys that are down under 4:00 for megaminx. I just did my first mega solve in a long time and it took over 9:00...

Any tips on methods/algs to learn?

This is how I solve it. I guess this would be considered a beginners method:
1. Cross
2. F2L
3. Then I just finish each bottom face one at a time, however I can put them together
4. Insert remaining 5 edges
5. Orient top edges (F sexy F')
6. Permute top edges (Sune)
7. Orient top corners (Swap method)
8. Permute top corners (Swap method)

Time for me to go buy that Yuxin 6x6, don't you think?

Mine just shipped today, along with the 4x4. Cubicle ships pretty fast so hopefully I should have it by end of next week

 

[Rastinha]

I know what you mean, I got my mega a week and a half ago and it takes so long to solve that I haven't done that many. I enjoy it in the beginning though when you're making such good progress. Like 19 minutes for the first solve, down to 17, 14, 12, 11, 10... so far my best is 10 minutes but I don't remember all of the last steps. I bought the yj one but it's a bit sticky in a lot of places. More practice i think but also keen for any hints!

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[muchacho]

My first solves took more than 15 minutes, I think I was slower than 9 minutes until having done like 20-25 solves. I got below 4 minutes just by practicing, even inserting one piece at a time during F2L. I started learning some algs for LL but don't think that shaved me more than a few seconds, that's not were to focus in the beginning.

So, practice... and a better mega. I'm modding a Shengshou, but I think they are releasing soon a new one with Florian mod

 

[moralsh]

@mafergut, about 6x6 and 7x7 centers, yes definitely, buiding bars elsewhere and inserting them in the center you are doing is the way to go, you've got to force yourself to use as many undone centers as you can to try to lower the move count as much as possible and once you get the hang of every case, focus on moving fast.

Last two centers are not that hard your last bar has to be a side bar and the previous one the next to center bar, that should leave you enough freedom to solve everything or everything but an oblique center which you can solve with a conmutator.

As in 3x3 slow turnning and practicing just last 2 centers (easy to hand scramble) helps a lot.

@earth2dan, I do the same as you except after star and F2L I always continue with dark green and then every other center clockwise, I insert an edge and then the corresponding S2L pair the last 2 ones are a bit trickier but nothing very complicated, my times started to drop when I started following a precise order other than just insert whatever I find.

I can't wait for the QiYi megaminxes

 

[h2f]

I've started regular practice in 3bld. I'm back to M2 with only few comms due to comp in 2 weeks. Yesterday my practice session was around midnight. This is last solve. I've realized, after watching it now, it should be sub 1 - my excuse is: I was to tired after a job day.

 

[mark49152]

I've started regular practice in 3bld. I'm back to M2 with only few comms due to comp in 2 weeks. Yesterday my practice session was around midnight. This is last solve. I've realized, after watching it now, it should be sub 1 - my excuse is: I was to tired after a job day.

Nice solve. 22 second memo is great, execution was slow - should have been sub-50!

 

[muchacho]

Wow, memo was so fast!

3x3 PBs

Ao5: 18.681 (it was 18.780 from 28-may)
Ao12: 20.637 (it was 20.665 from 29-may)

Spoiler

20162 09-jun-2016 9:06:10 00:22.806 U2 L2 U' R2 L2 B2 L2 D' F2 D2 F D2 R' F' R U2 R F D' B2 U'
20161 09-jun-2016 9:05:21 00:22.206 R2 L2 D' R2 F2 R2 D' B2 R2 D' L' U' B' L D F' U' L' U2 B2
20160 09-jun-2016 9:04:27 00:21.656 U2 R2 L2 U' L2 D' U' R2 F2 U R' B L U2 B2 U' L' B2 D' U2
20159 09-jun-2016 9:03:47 00:19.279 D L2 D2 B2 U F2 R2 L2 D F2 U' B R2 F2 L' F U' L D B' L D2
20158 09-jun-2016 9:02:58 00:22.392 L2 U' B2 F2 R2 L2 D2 R2 U L2 F2 R B2 D F' L' D L D' B' D' U'
20157 09-jun-2016 9:02:10 00:21.519 L2 F2 R2 D2 R2 U R2 B2 U L2 D' R D' U2 B' D U' B D' B2 D'
20156 09-jun-2016 9:01:25 00:20.471 U2 F2 L2 D2 R2 D R2 B2 D' L2 U' F' R' F2 L' U' B' R L D2 F D
20155 09-jun-2016 9:00:32 00:18.231 D R2 L2 D R2 D2 U R2 F2 D F2 R' F D2 R' F U L B U B U2
20154 09-jun-2016 8:59:48 00:15.558 B2 L2 D R2 F2 U B2 D L2 D U R D F' R' F' L U L B U L
20153 09-jun-2016 8:59:01 00:19.046 U' B2 D' U2 R2 B2 L2 B2 L2 U2 R' D F U' F L D' F L2 D' U'
20152 09-jun-2016 8:58:10 00:25.536 L2 D' B2 R2 U B2 D' R2 D2 L2 U2 L' D2 R B2 F' R2 D L' U' B U2
20151 09-jun-2016 8:57:29 00:18.768 R2 D2 L2 U F2 U F2 L2 F2 D2 F2 R D L' B F2 D2 U L B' D'

 

[h2f]

Wow, memo was so fast!

3x3 PBs

Ao5: 18.681 (it was 18.780 from 28-may)
Ao12: 20.637 (it was 20.665 from 29-may)

Spoiler

20162 09-jun-2016 9:06:10 00:22.806 U2 L2 U' R2 L2 B2 L2 D' F2 D2 F D2 R' F' R U2 R F D' B2 U'
20161 09-jun-2016 9:05:21 00:22.206 R2 L2 D' R2 F2 R2 D' B2 R2 D' L' U' B' L D F' U' L' U2 B2
20160 09-jun-2016 9:04:27 00:21.656 U2 R2 L2 U' L2 D' U' R2 F2 U R' B L U2 B2 U' L' B2 D' U2
20159 09-jun-2016 9:03:47 00:19.279 D L2 D2 B2 U F2 R2 L2 D F2 U' B R2 F2 L' F U' L D B' L D2
20158 09-jun-2016 9:02:58 00:22.392 L2 U' B2 F2 R2 L2 D2 R2 U L2 F2 R B2 D F' L' D L D' B' D' U'
20157 09-jun-2016 9:02:10 00:21.519 L2 F2 R2 D2 R2 U R2 B2 U L2 D' R D' U2 B' D U' B D' B2 D'
20156 09-jun-2016 9:01:25 00:20.471 U2 F2 L2 D2 R2 D R2 B2 D' L2 U' F' R' F2 L' U' B' R L D2 F D
20155 09-jun-2016 9:00:32 00:18.231 D R2 L2 D R2 D2 U R2 F2 D F2 R' F D2 R' F U L B U B U2
20154 09-jun-2016 8:59:48 00:15.558 B2 L2 D R2 F2 U B2 D L2 D U R D F' R' F' L U L B U L
20153 09-jun-2016 8:59:01 00:19.046 U' B2 D' U2 R2 B2 L2 B2 L2 U2 R' D F U' F L D' F L2 D' U'
20152 09-jun-2016 8:58:10 00:25.536 L2 D' B2 R2 U B2 D' R2 D2 L2 U2 L' D2 R B2 F' R2 D L' U' B U2
20151 09-jun-2016 8:57:29 00:18.768 R2 D2 L2 U F2 U F2 L2 F2 D2 F2 R D L' B F2 D2 U L B' D'

Nice.

@mark49152, @muchacho yes I'm glad with memo pace - that is my goal right now. Too much thinking during execution.

 

[JanW]

Really nice fast memo! I suppose you always use same word or image for every letter pair?

My bld solves took a turn for the worse and I started seeing more complete messes. Found the culprit, I was performing the U perm (both U perms) wrong... Fixed that and now I got a couple of successful solves. Haven't timed them yet. Will do timed solves once I get back home.

 

[h2f]

Thanks @JanW, yes the same words/images. I'm in the middle of reviewing them and changing for better words.

 

[mafergut]

Wow. Respect to you guys that are down under 4:00 for megaminx. I just did my first mega solve in a long time and it took over 9:00...

Any tips on methods/algs to learn?

Mine just shipped today, along with the 4x4. Cubicle ships pretty fast so hopefully I should have it by end of next week

As David, @muchacho said, just a bit of practice was enough for us both to get below 4:00 minutes and close to 3:00. Of course then Chris @Selkie came and destroyed our times in two weeks but even for mere mortals sub 4:00 should be feasible with just those same steps. I never learned any specific LL algs just did what you more or less explain, with maybe a slightly different order or method, like using a Niklas variant for CP. Only recommendation is to follow a specific order. I start with white cross and F2L, then red face (two aditional edges and 3 S2L pairs), then blue (one additional edge and 2 S2L pairs) and so on until last face (light blue) and then LL (grey).

I have stopped practicing, though, because big cubes got in the middle and I have limited time and also because my unmodded Shengshou was so locky (but otherwise so smooth and nice to turn) and the ridged stickerless dayan I bougth was defective and screws and center caps kept shooting in the air like crazy when solving. Right now I'm waiting for those promising QiYi Megas that will hopefully come on sale soon to retake the event.

Also, don't hesitate in sharing here your first impressions of those two new and promising Yuxin cubes. I'm definitely getting the 6x6 but if the 4x4 is better than the G4 (quite a challenge)... well, you know the rest

 

[earth2dan]

Thanks for the mega tips everyone. I guess I'll just stick to this method and work on refining it through practice. Following a specific order of operations is something that helped immensely when I started solving 5x5 and bigger cubes, so it makes sense that I should implement some rules like that for mega as well.

@mafergut I've had a few center caps and screws blast out on my new stickerless ridged dayan as well, and I think I know what the cause is (and a possible solution). I think when the faces are turned counter clockwise the friction is gradually turning the screws as well, effectively loosening them from the core to the point of release. I suspect that if you only ever did clockwise turns they wouldn't pop out... Though, that's no solution . I think the solution is to lube the core very well. A healthy dose of lube should reduce the friction that is causing those screws to turn. I'm also considering a very tiny strip of plumbing tape to help keep those screws in tight.

I'll definitely post my thoughts on the new Yuxin 6x6 and 4x4 when they get here. I'll do an unboxing if I can resist opening it until late evening when I have time to record. I make no promises

 

[mafergut]

Thanks for the mega tips everyone. I guess I'll just stick to this method and work on refining it through practice. Following a specific order of operations is something that helped immensely when I started solving 5x5 and bigger cubes, so it makes sense that I should implement some rules like that for mega as well.

@mafergut I've had a few center caps and screws blast out on my new stickerless ridged dayan as well, and I think I know what the cause is (and a possible solution). I think when the faces are turned counter clockwise the friction is gradually turning the screws as well, effectively loosening them from the core to the point of release. I suspect that if you only ever did clockwise turns they wouldn't pop out... Though, that's no solution . I think the solution is to lube the core very well. A healthy dose of lube should reduce the friction that is causing those screws to turn. I'm also considering a very tiny strip of plumbing tape to help keep those screws in tight.

I'll definitely post my thoughts on the new Yuxin 6x6 and 4x4 when they get here. I'll do an unboxing if I can resist opening it until late evening when I have time to record. I make no promises

Thanks for the tip. Somebody mentioned also the option to use some product to rethread the core. It must be somewhere in this thread, I don't remember the name. But maybe just lubing the core could be a solution. Anyway, if by the time I want to take on Mega again there are good QiYi products available I will not even bother with the Dayan.

And regarding the unboxing, a 1st impressions will do or even you can fake the unboxing again, I don't mind if you already opened the boxes. I have a "first impressions" video pending on a lot of my new cubes, since Aofu GT. I might do it one of these days

EDIT: Found it, it was threadlock I think but this is some kind of adhesive so I assume that you would end up with non-adjustable tensions if you glue the screws to the core. Also delicate if you don't get the tensions right at 1st try.

EDIT2: @h2f, Grzegorz, impressive 3BLD solve. If you can get the flow of execution a bit faster you are ready for a PB around 45 seconds in no time.

 

[earth2dan]

EDIT: Found it, it was threadlock I think but this is some kind of adhesive so I assume that you would end up with non-adjustable tensions if you glue the screws to the core. Also delicate if you don't get the tensions right at 1st try.

Ah yes. I've used a similar product called Loctite in other projects. Not something I would want to use in a cube though, because it is semi-permanent and could ruin the core threading if you tried to adjust/remove the screws. However, if you've already stripped the core that could work as a solution. This is why I thought maybe a tiny strip of plumbing tape would work. It'll tighten things up, but you could still adjust and remove the screws without damaging anything.

I'm gonna try lubing it first to see if that helps. If that solves the problem I won't worry about it .

 

[muchacho]

OH PBs

Single: 41.756 (was 42.805 from 22-may-15)
Ao5: 49.046 (was 56.849 from 30-may-15)
Ao12: 58.620 (was 58.994 from 30-may-15)

I've also learned how to execute some CMLLs with OH. For just a few of the cases I guess I might learn a new alg.

 

[h2f]

@muchacho, congrats. What cube do you use for OH?

EDIT2: @h2f, Grzegorz, impressive 3BLD solve. If you can get the flow of execution a bit faster you are ready for a PB around 45 seconds in no time.

That's the problem. I try to figure out how to make it faster but I'm not sure what to do.

 

[muchacho]

The same one as for 2H, a stickerless Weilong, I still have the feeling that a slightly smaller cube would be better, but no big deal.

I got the Weilong GTS a few days ago and for OH it felt really nice, but I have to buy some stickers for it, times where like 10-15 seconds worst with it due to recognition problems.

 

[h2f]

The same one as for 2H, a stickerless Weilong, I still have the feeling that a slightly smaller cube would be better, but no big deal.

I got the Weilong GTS a few days ago and for OH it felt really nice, but I have to buy some stickers for it, times where like 10-15 seconds worst with it due to recognition problems.

I found my old Weilong quite good to OH.

 

[phreaker]

The same one as for 2H, a stickerless Weilong, I still have the feeling that a slightly smaller cube would be better, but no big deal.

I got the Weilong GTS a few days ago and for OH it felt really nice, but I have to buy some stickers for it, times where like 10-15 seconds worst with it due to recognition problems.

Do you use a different color scheme?

I'm playing with a GTS, OH myself. It is the most forgiving cube I've run into.