Is there something wrong with my Panshi?

[Timtro]

I got a DIY Panshi from LightTake. I hate the thing, and before I write it off, I wanted to know if what I'm experiencing is normal, or if I've screwed something up.

The cube is lightly lubed with 50k wt Ofna in both core and cubettes.

Without turning it, the cube feels loose and mushy---like a block of stones held together by bubblegum. When I'm turning it it feels clicky but smooth enough. However, the layers easily become distorted, and this causes small lockups. There's no sort of robustness or sturdyness to it. When I quickly repeat R U R' U', I can get a good pace, but during F2L where I have less structure to my algs, the cube is just absolutely joyless. (See video below.)

It feels like the sort of thing that is fixed by proper tensioning, but I have tried having it sloppy lose, and I've tried having it tightened right down, and everything between. The only important difference I notice through it all, is that if it's too tight, there's not enough pressure on the roots of the corner pieces and they become loose and wobbly.

I think the cube behaves this way for two reasons. First, the cube is made of very smooth rounded pieces and more than any other cube I've seen, is held together by tension. The high tension and round cubettes make the cube feel clicky and locky. Secondly, there is no plastic grommet for the centre pieces to rest flush against the core, which seems to worsen the lack of structural stability in the cube.

Does this describe anyone else's experiences? Did I do something wrong, or get a bad one off the line?

 

[Username]

Video?

 

[jayefbe]

You described exactly how I feel about the PanShi. No tensioning, lubing, or breaking in changed any of that for me.

 

[MWilson]

That sounds like my experience with the PanShi as well. It's a fine cube in general, but I just don't like the feel of it at all.

 

[Timtro]

Video?

I'm uploading a video now. I will attach it to the original post. Thanks.

 

[BaMiao]

I actually kinda like my panshi, though not enough to make it my main. It took a lot of tensioning, and some breaking in until it started to feel usable. I also superglued the corner stalks together, but I'm not sure if that helped at all. You could try that and see for yourself.

But yes, it did suck at first, and I still get crazy pops every now and then. At its best, it isn't terribly good, so you can either keep playing or forget about it.

 

[Timtro]

I actually kinda like my panshi, though not enough to make it my main. It took a lot of tensioning, and some breaking in until it started to feel usable. I also superglued the corner stalks together, but I'm not sure if that helped at all. You could try that and see for yourself.

But yes, it did suck at first, and I still get crazy pops every now and then. At its best, it isn't terribly good, so you can either keep playing or forget about it.

Well, chalk it up to different strokes for different folks. I'm glad you're enjoying yours.

I guess the real question is: to begin with, was your PanShi like I describe mine? I suppose the fact that I don't like it is really peripheral to the question of whether or not there is something wrong with mine.

 

[stoic]

I'm glad you made this thread. I've had a Panshi for three days now and just can't get on with it. No matter how I tension it I can't get much improvement. I was hoping that it would get better with some breaking in but it's so far away from a Zhanchi (even one unlubed straight from the box) it's very disappointing. I was actually starting to wonder if it was even a real Dayan or if I'd been ripped off (I bought it on eBay via Hong Kong).

 

[cannon4747]

The panshi was not a success and that is apparent to everyone. Mr Bao is going to adjust the mold and create a new cube which will be the panshi 2 as you can see here.

As far as this cube goes, it seems that different people have different views about it. Myself, Its good right after I clean out and lube it. but after a day or two of sitting around, it goes bad again. I set a couple records (now broken) when I got it but thats about it. The clickiness and catching you described happened for everyone. Something to reduce it that a lot of people have done is to remove the torpedoes, which i suggest you do as well before one breaks for you like it did for me.

 

[BaMiao]

Well, chalk it up to different strokes for different folks. I'm glad you're enjoying yours.

I guess the real question is: to begin with, was your PanShi like I describe mine? I suppose the fact that I don't like it is really peripheral to the question of whether or not there is something wrong with mine.

Yes, at first it was pretty much exactly like you described it. Probably some mix of tensioning, breaking in, and just getting used to the clicky feel has brought it to the state where I actually enjoy solving with it. It also forces you to turn more accurately, so I think that's a part of it, too.

 

[Timtro]

Yes, at first it was pretty much exactly like you described it. Probably some mix of tensioning, breaking in, and just getting used to the clicky feel has brought it to the state where I actually enjoy solving with it. It also forces you to turn more accurately, so I think that's a part of it, too.

That's a good point. Even if I don't really enjoy it much (for now at least), it's probably good for training for accuracy. Thanks.

 

[LarryLunchmeat]

I agree with others who mentioned tensioning and lubing. If either one of these is done improperly, it can make a good cube feel bad. Also if the cube has a different feel than what you are used to, it might be difficult to use at first. My main is a Zhanchi and my first week with the Panshi was a little mixed.

In my experience, I find the Panshi kind of evolves with some use and breaking in similar to how most other Dayan cubes tend to. A brand new Zhanchi seems to be quite scratchy and reminds of a Lingyun for its first 100 or so solves until it wears down in the contact points and becomes smoother.
I've had around 500 solves with my Panshi and it is much better than when I first got it although it's not quite at the Zhanchi level IMO and probably never will be. But I still think it's right up there with the Guhong and Lingyun and I'm curious to see what Panshi V2 will be like.

 

[CarlBrannen]

That's an interesting idea, what happens if you put a grommet under the center pieces so they're no longer in the air. How would that make the cube feel? My guess is that it would be too loose.

 

[Timtro]

That's an interesting idea, what happens if you put a grommet under the center pieces so they're no longer in the air. How would that make the cube feel? My guess is that it would be too loose.

It may not make as big of a difference as I thought. I just got a 42mm ZhanChi and it has no grommets, but it feels quite stable.