Fresh Cuber

[Rabid]

This site is Chinese. I’ve never solved a cube, (not once!) but have been cubing for two weeks during my bus commute. I’ve perused the Lars Petrus site and have been working diligently to solve the first 2 layers. I can crack them out in a couple minutes now..and I’m starting to visualize better. I intend to solve the last row myself (eventually) then move on to Petrus’ final hints on speed.

I lubricated my cube with petroleum based oil instead of silicon. It reeks to high heaven, even after scrubbing it in various and sundry detergents. The stickers are peeling a bit and faded to strange psychedelic colors..but are still clearly individual. The worst part is the oil makes my hands smell like an engine, and I can barely wash it off. I would settle if the lubrication was successful, but it just seems to make a strange springy grind sound now.

And yes, I’ll be purchasing a new cube (25th anniversary?) soon..and will use the proper lubricant. I’m amazed by the mere existence of such a deep cube sub-cult, and look forward to beating your times in the future.

 

[badmephisto]

wow we are a sub-cult? awesome

 

[cubetimer]

Welcome to the cult... er... I mean club!

I first learned on Lars' site several years ago myself. I've been toying with the Fridrich method off and on since then, but I'm still faster with Petrus.

 

[Dene]

This site is Chinese.

No way!!??

 

[Lofty]

If you are ordering a cube most people will agree a type a DIY from a site like Cube4You is a great cube.
Welcome to the site and good luck solving the cube on your own! I learned to solve it from a friend myself...

 

[Rabid]

If you are ordering a cube most people will agree a type a DIY from a site like Cube4You is a great cube.
Welcome to the site and good luck solving the cube on your own! I learned to solve it from a friend myself...

I think my approach is pretty standard for cubists. At first I worked out how to solve any one side (incorrectly). The first CLICK is realizing there is a right way to do a side. The next level is tough without screwing up the top. The Lars site felt like a bit of cheating, but I was getting burnt anyway. The partial solve turn to axis method made sense. Now they click into place pretty fast and it's starting to make some heuristic sense. That last piece or 2 are claustrophobic with his method, but I’m starting to gets some clarity and speed.

The bottom is a heavy wrench. I know I have to jack the solved levels to get it, but it's a lot of tiresome trial and error. I'm itching to get it over with and crunch some algorithms.

 

[cpt.Justice]

Shouldnt this be in the beginners section?

 

[rubiksfriend]

@Rabid-Is this English class? Your posts seem like they should belong there. Good luck on Petrus.

 

[blah]

Judging from his/her first line "This site is Chinese", and the occasional weird grammar and random use of big words, I think he/she typed everything out in Chinese and translated it using some sort of translator program?

Oh, and I like the word sub-cult

 

[Raffael]

25th anniversary cube is a good choice.
I'm still using mine after 1.5 years as my main speedcube.

it most certainly can be a very good buddy for a long time.
he still can get a diy when he's a bit more introduced to our sub-cult.
(great expression by the way. I can just about imagine my next conversation on a bus, if someone makes a coment about me cubing:
"hey, man, this isn't a toy, nor is this a hobby. we are a sub-cult. Sort of like a religion, only better, 'cause we don't commit homicide."
i would be wearing a shirt with sth. like this on it:

 

[Rabid]

From a novice viewpoint, sub 1 minute solves seem impossibly fast. I’m heartened to see people pushing 30 seconds with only a few months of cubing.
It doesn’t take long to outgrow a standard cube. I’m already getting sore wrists and frequent jams, and can’t wait to crack into a fresh box (your hardware forums is awesome). The DIY cubes are secret handshakes; only initiates will even notice the difference. I sincerely don’t know how long I’ll be an interloper into your craft, but I intend to gain a level of stupefying mastery over non-cubers.
But that isn’t saying much..

 

[blgentry]

Speed Cubing is a strange pass time/game/puzzle/obsession. On the one hand, it's admirable, and a show of intellect to figure out the solution to the cube by yourself. Sadly, I lacked the patience during both of my cubing periods (first in the early 80s, and more recently for about the last 6 months), and wanted to just be able to solve it reliably.

Which brings us to the other hand: Learning a method and applying that method quickly and efficiently. Many outside of the community just don't get it and think it must be boring once you know the solution. Everyone reading this knows differently. Applying your chosen method, with speed, precision, and accuracy, becomes a huge personal challenge. You want to push constantly, getting faster and smoother all the time.

It's a very rare individual that can combine these things: Having solved the cube themselves, developed their method, and can apply their method to achieve admirable speeds. I think we can count these people on one, or maybe two hands.

So there are different challenges with the cube and different mental rewards from each. IMHO it's not "cheating" to learn a method that can yield incredibly fast times. Just as it's not cheating to learn race driving techniques from racers, and how to throw a powerful punch from a boxer or martial artist.

Finally, sub 1 minute seemed very far off when I started too. I think it took me 6 or 8 weeks to get there, but I'd have to check my records. If you enjoy cubing and you want to get faster, you'll crack one minute before you know it.

Brian.

 

[blah]

From a novice viewpoint, sub 1 minute solves seem impossibly fast. I’m heartened to see people pushing 30 seconds with only a few months of cubing.
It doesn’t take long to outgrow a standard cube. I’m already getting sore wrists and frequent jams, and can’t wait to crack into a fresh box (your hardware forums is awesome). The DIY cubes are secret handshakes; only initiates will even notice the difference. I sincerely don’t know how long I’ll be an interloper into your craft, but I intend to gain a level of stupefying mastery over non-cubers.
But that isn’t saying much..

I am SOOO sure this dude is using a translator.

 

[Mike Hughey]

From a novice viewpoint, sub 1 minute solves seem impossibly fast. I’m heartened to see people pushing 30 seconds with only a few months of cubing.
It doesn’t take long to outgrow a standard cube. I’m already getting sore wrists and frequent jams, and can’t wait to crack into a fresh box (your hardware forums is awesome). The DIY cubes are secret handshakes; only initiates will even notice the difference. I sincerely don’t know how long I’ll be an interloper into your craft, but I intend to gain a level of stupefying mastery over non-cubers.
But that isn’t saying much..

I am SOOO sure this dude is using a translator.

If so, it seems like a surprisingly good translator. I would think it's more likely he's using a translation dictionary, to get some of those cool words.

If this is a software translator, I want to know where to find it - it gives really cool (as well as surprisingly good) results!

 

[ooveehoo]

This site is Chinese.

No way!!??

This site is chinese?:confused:

 

[rjohnson_8ball]

If so, it seems like a surprisingly good translator. I would think it's more likely he's using a translation dictionary, to get some of those cool words.

If this is a software translator, I want to know where to find it - it gives really cool (as well as surprisingly good) results!

I was thinking the same thing... Gee, maybe I could translate my words to Chinese then use that translator to get some cool English. I don't think I ever heard the phrases "stupefying mastery" or "interloper into your craft" before. Sounds Zen-ish.

 

[yurivish]

It would be really funny if it turns out just to be some eccentric guy, and not a translator after all...

 

[rjohnson_8ball]

It would be really funny if it turns out just to be some eccentric guy, and not a translator after all...

I should learn to be eccentric like that.

translated:

I meditate humbly to be an interloper into the stupefying mastery of eccentricity.

 

[Rabid]

My DIY will be here ASAP (puzzleproz).
I had my eye on a white base..but started having reservations. In a few years it’ll look like a dingy yellowed Millennium Falcon. Classic black it is (type A center).

I'm feeling pretty good about my Petrus F2L...but can't find clean algs for the LL. This nut is tough to crack. The nomenclature and notation are muddled and discourage fresh meat.

 

[blah]

I dunno what translator this guy's using, but I think my Chinese is good enough to know that it's not a literal word-for-word translator, because I really have no idea how "millennium falcon" or "discourage fresh meat" translate directly to any Chinese phrase that makes sense.

I'm making a suggestion, @Rabid: Can you post in Chinese?

I know this is an English forum, but if no one understands the question(s) and the guy who started the thread doesn't understand anyone, then there really isn't any point. Why not post in Chinese since there are quite a few guys here who understand? (For instance, hdskull and Swordsman Kirby.)