[Help Thread] Lubrication Thread

guysensei1 said:
What's the difference between Lubicle and the assorted silicone lubes in the Cubicle?
Click to expand...

I haven't used Lubicle lube but I know that they are mixes of different weights of lubes and the assorted is just lube. I have the assorted lube and it works great. I usually use weight 4 on the core and weight 2 or 3 on the pieces.
 
Is lubicle standard legal to have in luggage (not carry on luggage obviously) to/back from the US to China?
How good is lubicle standard in the core? (I'm used to traxxas 50k, I don't really use anything thinner)
Is differential oil cheaper in china than the US? If so, what's it called in chinese? (I don't really trust google translate)
 
Yuxuibbs said:
Is lubicle standard legal to have in luggage (not carry on luggage obviously) to/back from the US to China?
How good is lubicle standard in the core? (I'm used to traxxas 50k, I don't really use anything thinner)
Is differential oil cheaper in china than the US? If so, what's it called in chinese? (I don't really trust google translate)
Click to expand...

Yes, in a quart size ziplock bag.
 
I will try washing it with soap water but are you sure stickers wont come off? Stock MoYu stickers..

Lchu613 said:
Wow. Are you fully serious?
You lubed a cube with coconut oil. I'm sorry, but I've never heard anybody do that before, and for good reason. Coconut oil, a good lube does not make.

Wash the entire cube. Stickers coming off is fully a myth. I've washed many a cube and the stickers are still on just fine.
Use some soap to scrub off the oil too. And a towel.
Click to expand...
 
Ok, I'm exasperated. I've attempted to lubricate cubes, but they all have this sticky feel.
What I mean is, if I apply a small force and turn, it goes: turn, stuck, turn, stuck, turn , stuck.
My expectation of a smooth cube is to have minimal sticking when turning with a small force.
I've tried more lube, less lube, nothing seems to work.
What am I doing wrong?
I'm using medium viscosity Calvin lube.
 
guysensei1 said:
Ok, I'm exasperated. I've attempted to lubricate cubes, but they all have this sticky feel.
What I mean is, if I apply a small force and turn, it goes: turn, stuck, turn, stuck, turn , stuck.
My expectation of a smooth cube is to have minimal sticking when turning with a small force.
I've tried more lube, less lube, nothing seems to work.
What am I doing wrong?
I'm using medium viscosity Calvin lube.
Click to expand...

Too much on the pieces. Lube the core based on CBC's tutorial, then just use minimal amounts on the pieces.
 
guysensei1 said:
Ok, I'm exasperated. I've attempted to lubricate cubes, but they all have this sticky feel.
What I mean is, if I apply a small force and turn, it goes: turn, stuck, turn, stuck, turn , stuck.
My expectation of a smooth cube is to have minimal sticking when turning with a small force.
I've tried more lube, less lube, nothing seems to work.
What am I doing wrong?
I'm using medium viscosity Calvin lube.
Click to expand...

What cube do you try to lubricate ? I find my weilongs are the only ones I just can't get good results with. The general tip when lubricating is not to put too much. Also I find the higher the viscosity the less gummy the cube is. I feel that since the pieces are so close to each other, if the lube is too liquid it'll rather do the effect of a glue than a lube, while a higher viscosity, if put in small enough amount will rather leave a tiny layer on top of the surfaces which make them more even and less rough to slide better. But lube takes practice & experiments to get good results. And if you've been doing too many tests on a cube you might want to clean it for good with soap to have a good start. I personally ordered a bottle of traxxas 50k a week ago, and since then I have no more lubrication issues.
 
guysensei1 said:
Ok, I'm exasperated. I've attempted to lubricate cubes, but they all have this sticky feel.
What I mean is, if I apply a small force and turn, it goes: turn, stuck, turn, stuck, turn , stuck.
My expectation of a smooth cube is to have minimal sticking when turning with a small force.
I've tried more lube, less lube, nothing seems to work.
What am I doing wrong?
I'm using medium viscosity Calvin lube.
Click to expand...

I think your problem is a combination of two or three things. Make sure the core is lubricated properly. Secondly, use very little lube on the pieces. Try one to two drops, do 100 solves, then try another drop if you don't like the feel. This leads me to my third thing that is combined with the last. Your breaking in. The lube will be very thick (even if you put a little on sometimes) on the pieces until you properly work it in, it has time to settle, evaporate slightly, etc. So just keep solving, the feel will go away eventually. Be Patient.
 
a week ago, i assembled and lubricated my first real speedcube (zhanchi). i used ofna diff oil, 50k for core and 30k for pieces. i it with a toothpick in about the same quantities as the video (which i take is well known) linked below. its seems as though now, after a week of a lot of cubing, that my zhanchi has become slightly sticky. a few days ago, i could flick U2, but that is no longer the case. i presume that this means i over-applied, and that i am experiencing the 'gummy' state that is often referred to in this forum. if this is the case, how do i go about un-gummying my cube?

(also, i understand that this perceived stickiness could just be the result of the novelty of my nice cube wearing off...)

here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4paID_54lQ
 
Yeah, i bought a Lubix Zhanchi and everytime I don't use it for over 2 days, it feels gummy again and needs to have some breaking in. 5-10 solves later it's as smooth as ever.
 
guysensei1 said:
1) How many k is the viscosity of water?
Click to expand...

according to wikipedia, water is 20 cst at 20°C

guysensei1 said:
2) What is the science behind 'gummy' cubes? Why does excess lube increase friction?
Click to expand...

Liquid particles still attracts each other, unlike gas particles (Think of water droplet, when it meets another water droplet, they will form a bigger droplet). Hence, more lube used (more liquid particles) more attraction will occur, more force required to break the attractions.

I don't think that makes much sense, nor it is the right answer though :/
If this really doesn't any make sense at all, read Kunparekh18's post
 
Last edited:
ebuc said:
a week ago, i assembled and lubricated my first real speedcube (zhanchi). i used ofna diff oil, 50k for core and 30k for pieces. i it with a toothpick in about the same quantities as the video (which i take is well known) linked below. its seems as though now, after a week of a lot of cubing, that my zhanchi has become slightly sticky. a few days ago, i could flick U2, but that is no longer the case. i presume that this means i over-applied, and that i am experiencing the 'gummy' state that is often referred to in this forum. if this is the case, how do i go about un-gummying my cube?

(also, i understand that this perceived stickiness could just be the result of the novelty of my nice cube wearing off...)

here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4paID_54lQ
Click to expand...

You can just take a dry cloth and clean off only one layer of lube. Put it back together, break it in again so the lube is even. Make sure you don't leave any cloth behind on the pieces.
 
yoinneroid said:
according to wikipedia, water is 20 cst at 20°C



Liquid particles still attracts each other, unlike gas particles (Think of water droplet, when it meets another water droplet, they will form a bigger droplet). Hence, more lube used (more liquid particles) more attraction will occur, more force required to break the attractions.

I don't think that makes much sense, nor it is the right answer though :/
If this really doesn't any make sense at all, read Kunparekh18's post
Click to expand...

This is probably why from my experience, higher viscosity is less gummy, because it's is that thick that when you turn a face, the particles of lube on one side don't have time to attract the ones of the other side, but if the lube is too liquid I feel it becomes gummy since attaction happens much faster ( or say u'd need to turn much faster not to feel it ). Also, you need to be extra careful with higher viscosity since a drop too much can be dramatic.

@ebuc: What I usually do when I put a drop too much, I remove an edge and its adjacent corners, wipe the lube off of them, do the same on the opposite side, do a few sexy moves on every side of the cube, and do the same again until it feels better. In 5mn your cube should be good to go like this.
 
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