Beginner guidance

[n5k]

Hi there

My name is Harald, and I am a cubaholic!

I've been cubing for a couple of weeks, and my PB is now 0:59.85.
I am (for the time beeing) using the beginner method described in the folder that came with the cube, and a regular Rubik's Cube that I got from ThinkGeek.com but I just placed my first order at C4U for a couple of DIY's. My Original Rubiks is quite smooth after lubing, but it kindof "locks up" if the layers isn't perfectly aligned and stuff.

Anyhow...
I just have some various questions I'd like to get answered by you guys

1. Do you know of a webshop (that ships internationally) that sells cubing apparel? I know about the Peppermill (BRILLIANT!) and the Alarmclock, but are there any other goodies that I need to get? T-shirts maybe? (I like to have t-shirts covering my hobbies, hehe)

2. When I watch vids featuring good cubers, they/you all seem to have some algoritms you do that messes up a solved cube, and then solves it again. You know what I mean? I am looking for some algs. like that, so that I can practice my fingertricks and stuff. If you don't get my poor explanation, here's an example: If I have a solved cube, and do L' U' L U six times or whatever, I end up with a solved cube again. I need some more of those algs - maybe longer, involving some other moves and stuff. I find it useful to do this without looking when watching TV and stuff, to practice fingertricks

Damn, I had a lot more questions also, but since I cannot express myself in smaller sentences they all disappeared while I was blabbering on my first two. I guess I'll have to shoot in the other ones as they come back to me.

 

[bundat]

You want algs you can do repeatedly without looking, like when watching TV, which returns the cube back to its original state after a few repetitions, to practice finger tricks?

PLLs are exactly what you're looking for.
It's useful practice too.

 

[Ellis]

I've been cubing for a couple of weeks, and my PB is now 0:59.85.

I knew how to do the cube for 8 years before a got any times under a minute

I'm sure if you repeat some of the algorithms that you already use the right number of times, you'll end up with the cube solved. Try it. And those would be the most helpful ones to practice and work out finger tricks for.

Edit: I didn't really see what bundat said, I guess its pretty much the same.

 

[Kian]

You want algs you can do repeatedly without looking, like when watching TV, which returns the cube back to its original state after a few repetitions, to practice finger tricks?

PLLs are exactly what you're looking for.
It's useful practice too.

i must do hundreds of t-perms everyday while watching other things. it's an addiction.

 

[MichaelErskine]

Hi Harald,
The UK-based online puzzle shop http://puzl.co.uk/ had a nice Rubik's T-shirt that I got for Xmas but it seems to have sold out.

With respect to the scrambling algorithms to set up for a particular practice, I find that quite a lot of the OLL and PLL algorithms have analogues so, say to set up for a T-shaped OLL that is solved with F(RUR'U')F' one can perform the F(URU'R')F' L-shaped OLL. There are many of these in the full set of LL cases and when I'm trying to learn a case I make a note of the set up moves, a lot of which I have found by experimentation: try an algorithm on a solved cube - what case does it produce?

 

[modaman]

stupid question but whats a t perm or any perm

 

[Ellis]

stupid question but whats a t perm or any perm

A t-perm is an algorithm that permutes last layer corners and edges while preserving their orientation. It, along with with other "perms" are a common last step to the solution of the final layer.

 

[julesv]

A type of algorithm that permutes peices on the last layer. The letter perms are part of a group of cases, which could happen on last layer. I think it is part of the Fridrich method (I'm not expert)

 

[n5k]

Thanks for all your posts!

I came up with a couple more questions:
- I am currently waiting for my first order from c4y - It'll probably arrive tomorrow or something. I got a white type A DIY, and also got a set of skidproof stickers to test, and a set of washers/screws/springs.
Now I read on a site that listed some advantages of a DIY, and it said "you can choose sticker orientation (blue/white vs. yellow/white). I do of course understand what the difference is, but...what's the difference,
I mean, is it just a matter of opinion and taste, or do "messing it up" actually give you an "advantage".

- I saw on c4y that they sell new cores. Orange c4y core, wich - according to the website "is not easyli broken" or something. Is it really a problem with cores breaking? And is this something I'd wanna include in my next order?

 

[abr71310]

Type A DIYs are amazing -- I just got my new PB Average of 5 with it last night because it turns so well..

And people notice, too; I gave it to a friend of mine (who has basically known me since the start of my "addiction"), and he said it turns so much faster than anything else!!

As for your secondary questions:

-- Blue / White is the Japanese colour scheme that comes with (all?) JSKs, Joys and Edison(?) cubes, where blue is opposite white and white is actually BESIDE yellow rather than across from it (look at the "opposite" sides of yoru current cube -- they should be white / yellow if you're not in a south/east asian country).

Cores are only things you should worry about once you've actually BUILT and hybridized many DIY-kits, since they require a sense of "what's right" for your cubing style (at least IMO -- I don't buy cores or parts separately yet... just DIY-kits ).