Custom Built Fully Functional Magnetic 3x3x3!

[pentrixter]

I really doubt the speedcubing capabilities of that cube.

But I suppose most people want it because it's a novelty item.

 

[xXriderxx7]

It is not a speed cube by any means. Haha. You cannot finger trick at all really, and must use your entire hand to grip the face you are turning.

Im waiting for my membership at twistypuzzles to go through, and once it does Ill post the ebay link on there too.

 

[pjk]

2006: http://www.instructables.com/id/Magnetic-Acrylic-Rubik_s-Cube/

Yeah, I've seen that link before.

You can end the auction like 5 hours until the end if it isn't up to the min price you'd sell it for.

You're one of those unethical bastards? Plus it's stupid cause the bids often rise significantly in the very last minute(s). The correct way if you really don't trust the market is to enter a reserve price.

This is a bit off topic, but I completely disagree. What makes it unethical at all? Bids do rise often in the last minutes, you're correct. I'm unsure what the latest you can end an auction is (it used to be 12 hours before the end), but I think it was dropped down to 2 hours or so a couple years ago. I can't find anything on it right now, but I can search later.

And you're correct, a reserve price may be a better option in this case, although that often drives away bidders for whatever reason.

 

[pentrixter]

Perhaps not unethical, but its a pretty asshOle thing to do.

 

[bwatkins]

I think we should all lay off him a bit. He has a nice product and is going through the selling process for the first time, it think some of us a being a little harsh here. I don't think it unethical, he's just protecting the value and individualism of the cube.

 

[shoot1510]

I was about to build a magnetic 3x3x1(floppy cube) before but I was too lazy to do it.:confused:

 

[xXriderxx7]

I think we should all lay off him a bit. He has a nice product and is going through the selling process for the first time, it think some of us a being a little harsh here. I don't think it unethical, he's just protecting the value and individualism of the cube.

Exactly.
My post (or its methods) were not meant to be fraudulent in any way, and I am sorry if it came across that way. As bwatkins said, I just want to protect the value of the cube.

 

[AvGalen]

One of these 3x3x3 magnetic cubes was shown to us at Paris 2009. Laetitia wrote a manual for solving it (there are possible moves that make it different from a normal 3x3x3) and there was talk about it becoming mass produced. I never heard anything about it again though

 

[spdcbr]

Lubricate it and stuff! Oh yeah, I saw something like this a few months ago on make magazine.

 

[xXriderxx7]

I dont know about lubing it, it would help a little, but the its not the friction from the cubes that makes it slower, its the strength of the magnets, so I dont know if it would help.

 

[JTW2007]

What moves are possible only on a magnetic 3x3?

 

[Stefan]

You can end the auction like 5 hours until the end if it isn't up to the min price you'd sell it for.

You're one of those unethical bastards?

What makes it unethical at all?

Really? I have to explain that? It's malicious greedy deception, that's why.

The reserve price feature is there for exactly that purpose. If you're not using it, you're telling your potential buyers that you don't have a reserved price. So you're lying and deceiving if you actually do have a concealed reserve price by intending to end the auction early if you just don't like the bids enough.

You may end auctions early if you have a valid reason, like the item gets lost or broken during the auction or you made a mistake setting up the auction. Beeing greedy is not a valid reason.

 

[pjk]

You can end the auction like 5 hours until the end if it isn't up to the min price you'd sell it for.

You're one of those unethical bastards?

What makes it unethical at all?

The reserve price feature is there for exactly that purpose. If you're not using it, you're telling your potential buyers that you don't have a reserved price. So you're lying and deceiving if you actually do have a concealed reserve price by intending to end the auction early if you just don't like the bids enough.

You're correct, it is there for that purpose exactly. However, if you don't use it, that doesn't mean you don't have a price reserved. Since when is this lying? You aren't obligated to use a reserve price. Yes, it may be deceiving, but what is wrong with that. It isn't harming the bidders in any way. The auction can end for any reason, and it will not affect the bidders because they don't own the item, they are simply showing interest in the item by placing a value on it.

Now, my reasoning behind avoiding the public reserve price is this: When I used to buy and sell on eBay a lot, I found that items with reserves didn't get nearly the exposure as items without reserves*. When you put this into large scale, it could have an enormous affect on whether your items sell and for how much. If may sound simple, but it could have a huge affect on your earnings, especially if you did it for a living. Yes, bids may shoot up toward the end, but based off my experience at the time, it was best to end the item early with a hidden reserve.

(We should probably take this to PM because it may overtake this thread).

*I think this was caused by eBay showing that there was a reserve on an auction without actually going into the auction, therefore people tended not to click on the item. During this time, you would see people using their limited title characters stating that the item had "no reserve", and it was brilliance on their part because it actually attracted more viewers.

 

[pentrixter]

Yes, it may be deceiving, but what is wrong with that.

lol, are you listening to yourself?

 

[Stefan]

if you don't use it, that doesn't mean you don't have a price reserved.

It does. At least among honest people.

Yes, it may be deceiving, but what is wrong with that.

WTF?!

It isn't harming the bidders in any way.

Wrong, it very much can. Though of course that's not even necessary to make it unethical.

they are simply showing interest in the item by placing a value on it.

Wrong, they're saying "I'll buy it if I win it". Unless of course they're unethical bastards who retract their bids or just don't pay, similar to the unethical bastards who retract their auctions.

When I used to buy and sell on eBay a lot, I found that items with reserves didn't get nearly the exposure as items without reserves*.

Yeah, you're greedy, I got that. Doesn't make it right.

based off my experience at the time, it was best to end the item early with a hidden reserve.

You mean you actually did this?

 

[Ton]

Hello all! This is my first post here, and figured Id start with a good one

I built a fully functional solvable magnetic 3x3x3 cube, using 27 acrylic cubes and over 100 neodymium magnets. It took me about 4 days to construct it, and I am ecstatic with the results.

And I have decided to sell it. I am very proud of it, and would gladly sell it to someone truly interested in cubes.

It is the exact same size as a traditional 3x3x3, and is able to be solved just like normal, albeit with a little firmer grip to compensate for the strength of the magnets.

Ive talked with others, and $200 seems like a good place to start, considering the amount of time and the cost of materials. If $200 is a little steep, im willing to hear some other offers.

As per the advice I gleaned from the members of this form, I have added an ebay listing for the cube. Starting bid is $0.01!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270430085729#ht_500wt_1182


If you want more pictures, just let me know.

The description is in error , Erno Rubik never did use any idea with magnets, it was Larry Nichols who invented the magnet cube (2x2)
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Gk85AAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4

 

[Stefan]

I just want to protect the value of the cube.

Oh, I misunderstood then. You were just protecting the poor cube. You're like a good samaritan. Not doing that for yourself at all.

 

[Stefan]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270430085729#ht_500wt_1182

The description is in error , Erno Rubik never did use any idea with magnets

Wroooong. First of all the description only states "When Erno Rubik first began designing the original Rubik's cube, he thought magnets would be the best building material". The description does *not* say Rubik "used" the idea with magnets. So you're wrong about the description being wrong. Furthermore, you're also wrong about Rubik and magnets. Let me quote Erno Rubik from chapter 1 of the Rubik's Cubic Compendium book where he talked about how he came up with the mechanism:

Many alternative solutions presented themselves. The use of magnets seemed to be the most obvious one. I made the inside face of each piece concave, in such a way that they would fit round a steel ball in the center. Then I fitted magnets into the concave face of each piece."

Of course you could still be right, maybe Rubik was lying.

 

[xXriderxx7]

I just want to protect the value of the cube.

Oh, I misunderstood then. You were just protecting the poor cube. You're like a good samaritan. Not doing that for yourself at all.

What is your problem?
I clearly stated I have never really sold anything on the internet after you corrected me the first time, I had no idea what a reserve even was. I apologized, and made the changes you requested. You wont let up, have hijacked my thread with this discussion of ebay ethics, and I really dont have any interest in this anymore. Ill let the auction end, and thatll be it. I WAS protecting the value, just as you most likely would if you put the time, effort, and money into building something. Sorry for wanting to make a profit, or isnt that the point of selling something?

Thanks for accusing me, calling me greedy, and for acting so mature.

Goodbye.

PS: Thank you to all those who defended me.

 

[bwatkins]

Mr. Pochmann, I do appreciate you moderating this forum, however it seems to me that you are being very rude to the users. I have looked at other threads at which you have written on and i have found that many of your responses have a very smart *** tone to them. It seems this particular aspect of yours only steers the conversation into an argumentative state. I respect who you are what you've done for the cubing community, however it feels like you are just looking for a fight and insist on putting your opinions on a pedestal at times. In the case of this thread is it about eBay or a FULLY FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC 3X3X3? Your first response referred to xX as an "unethical bastard" when clearly he was (with your terminology) at most an "uninformed / inexperienced bastard." I would say you are being harsh. You criticize him for "protecting the value of the cube," saying this is wrong, being sarcastic calling him a "good Samaritan," perhaps maybe HE IS PROTECTING THE VALUE OF THE CUBE. If i built something with my own two hands i would like to see it go at a reasonable price, because there is some since of ACCOMPLISHMENT associated with it. If xX is guilty of anything it is being and uninformed eBay user. He is guilty of trying to sell his cube to a reasonable person at a reasonable price. He is guilty of trying to learn the eBay or selling system/process while an auction is present. I do not believe all this criticism is necessary. I am appalled by the rudeness contained in this thread. After all we are all supposed to be friends, we all share a very unique hobby together, and we all in some way appreciate what xX has done here, perhaps we, you Mr. Pochmann, should focus on the brighter side of this thread.