what to do with new diy cube

[chue.hsien]

wads the firs thing i should do with a diy cube? i juz got it today from cube4you.com. took 6days to deliver =D
does anyone have a link to how to asemble? i dunno where the big and small washers go..

 

[TimMc]

I'm a "newbie" to assembling DIYs too but if you're absolutely stuck here's how I assemble my DIYs as follows:

Preparing the pieces
- Lay all the pieces out in groups so that you know where everything is.
- Put those semi-square pieces of plastic into their corresponding Corner Pieces so that they're whole (hope that makes sense)

Constructing the core
- Take a screw and put a big washer on it
- Then put a spring on the screw
- And then put a small washer on the screw
- Put that prepared screw into a Center Piece and screw it into the core (leaving enough tension for it to easily rotate)
*Repeat this section 6 times

Initial Assembly
- Take the core with the 6 Middle Pieces attached
- Insert an Edge Piece between two Middle Pieces
- Insert a Corner Piece between to Edge Pieces
*Repeat this section as you see fit
- At the last layer and the very last column try to insert the Corner Pieces first and then the last Edge Piece

Stickers
- Note: You don't really want the Center Caps on the Center Pieces yet
- Put stickers on the Caps and Pieces as you see fit

Silicone (Optional)
- Disassemble the cube by doing a half U rotation and poping out an edge piece first
- Prepare a surface to spray on with a papertowl
- Place the Corner and Edge pieces onto the papertowl in groups and orient them so that the every Black/White part of the cube can be seen (you don't want to spray the stickers really)
- Spray the pieces with silicone such that the surface of each is sprayed (for Corners you'd have 3 surfaces being sprayed and for Edges you'd have 3)
- Leave to dry for about 30 minutes
- Wipe with some tissues or a paper towl
- Assemble it the cube again

Adjust the Tension
- Tighten the screws as you see fit (personally: tight enough so that pieces don't pop easily and movement is smooth)

Centre Caps
- Either put them in with or without some form of glue
- If you're satisfied that you don't want to adjust the tension any further then glue it properly with superglue
- If you'd like to adjust the tension in the next 10 minutes then don't use glue
- If you'd like to adjust the tension in the future apply a *small amount* of super glue to the inside edges of the Centre Pieces and then place the Cap in securely

Tim.

TIP: If you have two *springs* connected: try inserting a small screw driver, or anything that fits in there, to separate them (I find this method easier than prying them apart with your fingers).

 

[AvGalen]

Nicely done TimMc

One small addendum: for Centre Caps I wouldn't use glue. I would use a piece of paper instead, it makes re-adjusting the tension much easier. Actually the Centre Caps that you get from "type A" DIY don't come off so you don't need paper or glue.

 

[aznfury]

There are instructions on the cube4you forum.

 

[badmephisto]

There are instructions on the cube4you forum.

actually i wasn't able to find them there. Thanks for the description TimMC

 

[chue.hsien]

do i need to use sandpaper to sand down the parts of the diy? or juz silicone lube is enough

 

[CorwinShiu]

I use sandpaper. I really depends on yourself. Sanding is not as important as lubricant, and you can hardly feel the difference when you have a loose cube. Sanding is very tedious, but it's a one time thing. Go for it, if you feel your cube can't cut corners well.

 

[badmephisto]

I sanded my cube and it ruined the cube and i had to get a new one. If you do decide to go ahead and sand it, post your results, im curious

 

[Pedro]

why would you assemble it then after disassemble to lube?

but nice tutorial (whoever made it)

 

[TimMc]

why would you assemble it then after disassemble to lube?

but nice tutorial (whoever made it)

I like to:
- Assemble the cube
- Add stickers
- Disassemble the cube
- Add silicone spray
- Assemble the cube

I prefer to add stickers while it's assembled and before I've added lube so that the "stickiness" of the stickers isn't affected.

 

[Theromy]

Mine has just arrived, but one small washer is two thick so I can't get it onto my skrew, I tried to file the centre down but it's very hard. Is that one small washer important? Will I be able to use the cube well without that washer?

 

[h3ndrik]

is should be assembled as seen in this picture.
exept you should have another set if bigger washers which should take place between the screw and the spring.
you could drill that hole in the washer bigger using a drill press (?), while it is fixed with a fastening clamp. on your own risk of course

 

[Theromy]

I just left that piece out, it's just that the hole in the centre wasn't big enough for the screw to fit through. The cube is so different to my old one, it's either real loose and pops alot, or real stiff, then gets locked up and pops.