Lubing a DIY before breaking in??

[noobcuber]

I bought a white DIY and I had a store bought cube that I played with for months and then lubed, it now spins like a dream.

I heard that you didn't have to break in DIY's, do you? should I lube after or before breaking in or does it not matter?

 

[TimMc]

Both.

Tim.

 

[DAE_JA_VOO]

I lubed my DIY on the same day i put it together and it turns like an absolute dream

 

[pcwiz]

I heard that you didn't have to break in DIY's, do you? should I lube after or before breaking in or does it not matter?

You don't have to break in or lubricate a DIY cube, because it is already very fast, but doing both would make the DIY faster.

So think about your question. Breaking in is when the layers of the cube rub together against each other, with a lot of friction. What does a lubricant do? It reduces friction between two pieces. So if you break in after you lubricate, it's not going to be too helpful. So the answer is, break in before you lubricate. It will be much easier to break in.

 

[Crzyazn]

On the contrary...

I recently assembled a cube4you white old type A. I found that breaking it in with stiff springs and crunchy sides would be a pain, so i simply decided to lube it with jigaloo.

Right now it's common knowledge that jigaloo does a little plastic melting while increasing speed. It probably isn't healthy but my type A simply works amazingly and will only get better as my springs wear in.

 

[*LukeMayn*]

IMO don't lube until she is ready for you.... She being your cube. I do about 70+ solves a day and wear in the sides one by one. Now all I have to do is two more sides and she will be great with lube on her fingers...

 

[Johannes91]

You don't have to break in or lubricate a DIY cube, because it is already very fast, but doing both would make the DIY faster.

I'll have to disagree with this. At least the DIY cubes I have assembled didn't move too well before lubing. And "breaking in" seems completely unnecessary. I've lubed some cubes almost immediately and some others only after using them for a while, and didn't notice any difference.

 

[pcwiz]

Are you saying DIY cubes are very bad compared to store bought cubes when they are just assembled? I bought a store bought cube form Toys R Us, and it would barely move. It's hard enough to even turn it with your entire hand. SO much friction. So you're saying a DIY turns more horribly then a cube from Toys R Us, when it's brand new? I wouldn't think so...

About breaking in..... have you seen some DIYs that have been broken in with Pestvic's way on YouTube? They seem faster than when you just lubricate them.

 

[JU1CYFRU1T]

You don't have to break in or lubricate a DIY cube, because it is already very fast, but doing both would make the DIY faster.

I'll have to disagree with this. At least the DIY cubes I have assembled didn't move too well before lubing. And "breaking in" seems completely unnecessary. I've lubed some cubes almost immediately and some others only after using them for a while, and didn't notice any difference.

Are you saying DIY cubes are very bad compared to store bought cubes when they are just assembled? I bought a store bought cube form Toys R Us, and it would barely move. It's hard enough to even turn it with your entire hand. SO much friction. So you're saying a DIY turns more horribly then a cube from Toys R Us, when it's brand new? I wouldn't think so...

About breaking in..... have you seen some DIYs that have been broken in with Pestvic's way on YouTube? They seem faster than when you just lubricate them.

I would have assumed that he means an 'unlubed DIY' is very bad compared to a lubed DIY.

I got my first DIY about 1 month after I started cubing... and it was AMAZING immediately after assembling it. Once I lubed it, there wasn't even a comparison between my DIY and my 'store bought'.

Last month, I bought a bunch of cubes from cube4you, and the DIYs felt TERRIBLE (compared to my current cube)... but after lubrication, they are all pretty close to the same.

So, I wouldn't call a DIY terrible compared to a store cube... but I would call a non-lubed DIY terrible compared to a properly lubed cube.

I'll have to watch PestVic's break in videos... this is the third time in two weeks someone has mentioned those videos (to me).

 

[coopersacatfilms]

I have a blue DIY and I haven't had to lube it yet and I have got one of my best averages of 10 without lubing

 

[Lucas Garron]

I normally spray all moving (in frictional contact) plastic surfaces, and the springs and washers, and then assemble. It's working well (it always takes a while before I do an additional straw spray).

However, I have assembled a white type A without lubing any of it, and it was my best cube for a while. I suspect that it has to do with the white plastic, wthough. (I lubed the next white cube I assembled, and it was even better).

Also: My first NR 3x3x3 average was set on a cube that I had assembled the night before: lube all surfaces, assemble, put on tiles, do a few solves.

I don't think I'd actually be much slower on a decently assembled, unlubed DIY.
But essentially, I recommend lubing.

 

[jonny guitar]

I always use the cube for a few days before adding any lube. I believe that any minor rough spots in the cube are helped by dry contact and added the lube afterwards makes for a faster cube.

 

[SpeedCubeReview]

I just got a DIY Zhanchi cube. Any new thoughts on this subject. Should I break it in without lube first or does that not matter?