Cubicle Labs Premium Cubes

[Dash Lambda]

My guess is that's because you have less alignment issues. My thought was that while you could get away with looser tensions with magnetized edges, you might be able to go even looser if you wanted if there was a better way to hold center pieces in.

I imagine that the force required to resist popping to any significant degree would slow the cube down way too much to be worthwhile.

 

[One Wheel]

I imagine that the force required to resist popping to any significant degree would slow the cube down way too much to be worthwhile.

You may be right, but if the magnetic pull was directly in toward the center it shouldn't affect the speed other than the added mass of the magnets.

 

[Dash Lambda]

You may be right, but if the magnetic pull was directly in toward the center it shouldn't affect the speed other than the added mass of the magnets.

Inward force requires an outward mechanical force to resist it, and in a cube that means friction. The more force there is, the slower the cube gets.

 

[One Wheel]

Inward force requires an outward mechanical force to resist it, and in a cube that means friction. The more force there is, the slower the cube gets.

Hmm. Yeah. I guess you're right.

 

[Dom]

DNM-37 is here! Thank you, Chris.

 

[Dash Lambda]

I'm ordering some DMN-37 with my YuXin 7x7 when I get in in a week or two, can't wait to try it~

 

[Dash Lambda]

I'm curious, will there be a Cubicle Premium Gans Air UM?
The Cubicle Labs cubes would obviously be Cubicle Premium as well because you guys make those, but even though it was a collaboration, the Air UM is a production cube, and as such isn't inherently Cubicle Premium...
So, will it get the 'Premium' treatment?

 

[biscuit]

both magnets in one of the edges in my Valk M came loose. Is there any specific super glue that works best? Any I should avoid?

 

[4Chan]

both magnets in one of the edges in my Valk M came loose. Is there any specific super glue that works best? Any I should avoid?

Oh no! We can repair it for you, but as for super glue, I have no idea.
If you absolutely must use super glue, go for a non-gel one, and be sure to add a lot of it.

I'm curious, will there be a Cubicle Premium Gans Air UM?
The Cubicle Labs cubes would obviously be Cubicle Premium as well because you guys make those, but even though it was a collaboration, the Air UM is a production cube, and as such isn't inherently Cubicle Premium...
So, will it get the 'Premium' treatment?

Hmm, I'm not sure actually, but I suspect maybe!
I'll talk to the bosses tomorrow. (There's currently a winter storm, it's pretty heavy)

 

[biscuit]

Oh no! We can repair it for you, but as for super glue, I have no idea.
If you absolutely must use super glue, go for a non-gel one, and be sure to add a lot of it.



Hmm, I'm not sure actually, but I suspect maybe!
I'll talk to the bosses tomorrow. (There's currently a winter storm, it's pretty heavy)

I don't think it's worth sending it in and all that just to glue two magnets. If Super glue isn't the way to go, what should be used? Also, I can see where it was glued. Will the residue have any noticeable affect once it's glued again?

 

[4Chan]

Residue is fine, and I think the best option would actually be super glue

 

[Tyler Comfy Hat]

both magnets in one of the edges in my Valk M came loose. Is there any specific super glue that works best? Any I should avoid?

Guy who just made his own magnetic Valk here. Probably a little late to give this advice, but I used Gorilla "Impact-Tough" super glue, and my magnets have stuck to the pieces quickly and are attached perfectly fine. I'm from the UK, but I'm pretty sure you can find it in America, since I recall an American YouTuber mentioning it.

--

Also, thanks Cubicle for all the research you've done on getting magnectic cubes to work well. Even though I didn't buy one from you (too pricey, sorry!), I still owe you thanks for proving it possible!

 

[biscuit]

Guy who just made his own magnetic Valk here. Probably a little late to give this advice, but I used Gorilla "Impact-Tough" super glue, and my magnets have stuck to the pieces quickly and are attached perfectly fine. I'm from the UK, but I'm pretty sure you can find it in America, since I recall an American YouTuber mentioning it.

--

Also, thanks Cubicle for all the research you've done on getting magnectic cubes to work well. Even though I didn't buy one from you (too pricey, sorry!), I still owe you thanks for proving it possible!

Just used regular Super glue and it seems to be working fine.

Now the magnets in one of the corners have come off. I find it weird that both in the edge came out at the same time, and now all three in the corner. The magnets in the edge came loose when someone dropped it, but it doesn't make any sense why the corners came loose. It was just sitting on a table.

 

[4Chan]

Oh hey, so I wanted to let everyone know, I've been experimenting with lubricants.

For the past month, I've been trying to find a replacement for Lubicle Silk. It turns out Silk is a 3-part formula, and one of the reactants requires secret back channels across international waters and is shrouded in deep mystery. (I'm not kiddding, I'm actually serious)

We no longer have our plug, and I simply can't figure out what this stuff is.
Without an HPLC, IC, NMR, or ICP-MS, I've had to rely on the good ol' chemical tests, and I'm beyond baffled.
It's not soluble in hexane, heptane, white spirit, acetone, methanol, ethyl acetate, or tetrahydrofuran.
It doesn't change in strong acidification, OR strong basification OR oxidation.

If you don't speak chemistry, tl;dr, I have no idea whatsoever this NO IDEA WHAT IS IN SILK LOL

So I've been working for the past month to figure out how to make a replacement. We have the other two reactants, so I've been tinkering.

Recently, I suspended micron-sized lab-grade teflon in silicone oil, and that's been great!
But then I was like... what if I mixed that.. with the other two reactants that create Silk?

Then it worked and I've been testing it!

Coming soon!
LUBICLE SILK+FLUONIUM
TEFLONG ENHANCED SILK VERSION 2.0

A colloidal suspension of teflon, it fills in the microscopic grooves of the cube with micron sized units of teflon. The low coefficient of friction preserves your cube, while giving it a fast feeling!

By applying known, tested concepts from engineering into speedsolving, we can make better cubing for everyone!

 

[Dash Lambda]

Oh hey, so I wanted to let everyone know, I've been experimenting with lubricants.

For the past month, I've been trying to find a replacement for Lubicle Silk. It turns out Silk is a 3-part formula, and one of the reactants requires secret back channels across international waters and is shrouded in deep mystery. (I'm not kiddding, I'm actually serious)

We no longer have our plug, and I simply can't figure out what this stuff is.
Without an HPLC, IC, NMR, or ICP-MS, I've had to rely on the good ol' chemical tests, and I'm beyond baffled.
It's not soluble in hexane, heptane, white spirit, acetone, methanol, ethyl acetate, or tetrahydrofuran.
It doesn't change in strong acidification, OR strong basification OR oxidation.

If you don't speak chemistry, tl;dr, I have no idea whatsoever this NO IDEA WHAT IS IN SILK LOL

So I've been working for the past month to figure out how to make a replacement. We have the other two reactants, so I've been tinkering.

Recently, I suspended micron-sized lab-grade teflon in silicone oil, and that's been great!
But then I was like... what if I mixed that.. with the other two reactants that create Silk?

Then it worked and I've been testing it!

Coming soon!
LUBICLE SILK+FLUONIUM
TEFLONG ENHANCED SILK VERSION 2.0

A colloidal suspension of teflon, it fills in the microscopic grooves of the cube with micron sized units of teflon. The low coefficient of friction preserves your cube, while giving it a fast feeling!

By applying known, tested concepts from engineering into speedsolving, we can make better cubing for everyone!

Ah, so that's the sourcing issue with Silk... I was kind'a confused when I saw it marked discontinued, since it was so popular.
I must say I'm curious how that interesting business relationship would develop without even knowing the chemical XP

The Teflon suspension sounds really interesting.
With how DNM-37 turned out, I'll be grabbing this the moment it shows up.

 

[4Chan]

Ah, so that's the sourcing issue with Silk... I was kind'a confused when I saw it marked discontinued, since it was so popular.
I must say I'm curious how that interesting business relationship would develop without even knowing the chemical XP

The Teflon suspension sounds really interesting.
With how DNM-37 turned out, I'll be grabbing this the moment it shows up.

Hahaha, we tried it out based on rumours, and after trying it, we were sold. We had to get as much as we could, and after a while, we decided to share it with everyone else.

The shortage back in the Fall was because we couldn't get another unit, and after that unit was depleted, we couldn't get anymore.

Now that I think about it...
after writing out everything, it's much more clear...

If it's not soluble in powerful organic solvents, it means it's not carbon based... And if it's not soluble in water, even after all those intense reactions, it must be silicone based...

As an organic chemist, it's easy to think that everything in the world is carbon based, so I get stuck in situations like this haha

Hmm, it's so obvious now. Time to check silicone compounds. I just need to figure out approx chain length, end capping, branching ratio, and approx molecular weight, and I might be able to resurrect Silk. Much easier said than done!

 

[Sion]

I like more lubes. Hate magnetic cubes. Keep up with more chemistry stuffs!

 

[defhacks]

It's not soluble in hexane, heptane, white spirit, acetone, methanol, ethyl acetate, or tetrahydrofuran.
It doesn't change in strong acidification, OR strong basification OR oxidation.

If you don't speak chemistry, tl;dr, I have no idea whatsoever this NO IDEA WHAT IS IN SILK LOL

I'm reminded of this scientific/comedic gem:

http://www.peepresearch.org/solubility.html

Also, thanks for the videos, they're fascinating, and your enthusiasm is infectious!

 

[One Wheel]

I just had a crazy idea. Might be just bad, or the next big thing, or in between: would it be possible to formulate a lubricant with extremely low viscosity and shear, but incorporate a ferro fluid so that the viscosity increases when between two magnets. This would increase the "stickiness" as if you were using stronger magnets without increasing the "clickyness" or "snappyness" that feels uncontrollable and/or hard to push through.

 

[4Chan]

I just had a crazy idea. Might be just bad, or the next big thing, or in between: would it be possible to formulate a lubricant with extremely low viscosity and shear, but incorporate a ferro fluid so that the viscosity increases when between two magnets. This would increase the "stickiness" as if you were using stronger magnets without increasing the "clickyness" or "snappyness" that feels uncontrollable and/or hard to push through.

I've actually prepared ferrofluid in college, so I know about this!

Here are a few issues:
1. Some ferrofluids are extremely caustic, this is because of tetramethyl ammonium, and they will burn your entire nasal tract down to your throat if you sniff it. I made the huge mistake of sniffing it once...
2. The rockwell hardness of the iron particles is much greater than the plastic, and it'll wear away at the plastic. This might help to break it in though, especially at such a small particle size, hmmm... maybe good!
3. Over time, ferrofluid dies, and dries up into metal particles and gunk.

It's an interesting concept, lubes that slow down or speed up in the presence of magnetic force, interesting thought!