Making my cube faster

[fleeting_penguin]

Are there any quick things I can do to make my cube turn easier and faster, that won't require me buying specialized things (lubricant, etc)? I have what appears to be a standard one; it came with a solution booklet and gives the Rubik's logo and website on the center white cubie. However, watching youtube videos of people turning with middle layers easily and doing finger tricks makes me think something is wrong or defective. Help please?

 

[MYKE]

its because they have lubed there cube. you cant escape that one.

 

[fleeting_penguin]

Are there any other lubes I could find around my house that would help?

 

[mahajarama]

If you do not wish to purchase a silicone based lubricant, you can use Petroleum Jelly (i.e. Vaseline).

Pros: It's Easy to find (most households carry some form of petroleum jelly). It will make your cube rotate both 'smoother' and 'faster'.

Cons: Not as efficient as a Silicone based lubricant. "Gooey" as opposed to its "liquidy" counterpart.

 

[CorwinShiu]

Besides lubrication, sanding is also very good. I don't know how many cubers actually do this tedious task, but I do. You just take apart the cube, and sand the parts that make contact with the other pieces.

It appears to me that you have a store-bought cube. Because it has rivets instead of screws and springs, you can stuff playing cards between the layers, which will stretch the rivets. Leave it overnight.

 

[hdskull]

do not use vaseline, it's not good for ur cube.

a lot of playing helps the most. u cal also stretch the centers a bit.

and cleaning the dust would also make ur cube go faster.

OR just find a speedcuber near u and borrow their silicone

 

[badmephisto]

I used vegetable oil on my first cube, and it worked for a couple of days, but it leaves your cube very gummy, it somehow affects the plastic. You might need to buy a new cube a month after using it. Get silicon.

 

[Me]

If its a rubiks brand do as follows:
1: "accidentally" drop the cube in sand
2: solve it 10 - 20 times ( the more you solve it the looser)
3: Clean throughly (all the pieces at once in soap and water, then clean each individually, dry clean the center mechanism)
4: Lubricate
5: Reassemble
6: Enjoy your looser cube!

 

[ExoCorsair]

I let mine sit out in the car during a sunny day and it turned better when I got back...

 

[badmephisto]

If its a rubiks brand do as follows:
1: "accidentally" drop the cube in sand
2: solve it 10 - 20 times ( the more you solve it the looser)
3: Clean throughly (all the pieces at once in soap and water, then clean each individually, dry clean the center mechanism)
4: Lubricate
5: Reassemble
6: Enjoy your looser cube!

i actually recommend against putting sand into the cube. In my experience, it made the cube looser, yes, but maybe a little too loose, and it started to get stuck very often for some reason. I'd like to hear from others that tried it though, maybe i just did it wrong or was unlucky? Anyway, totally didn't work for me, I had to get a new cube.

 

[skyuzo]

i actually recommend against putting sand into the cube. In my experience, it made the cube looser, yes, but maybe a little too loose, and it started to get stuck very often for some reason. I'd like to hear from others that tried it though, maybe i just did it wrong or was unlucky? Anyway, totally didn't work for me, I had to get a new cube.

Yeah, I tried putting sand into old cube and it too loose and locked up a lot

 

[ShadenSmith]

I've never tried sand, but just the thought of it doesn't sound great to me. I usually use a fine-grain sandpaper on the pieces to polish them and some silicone spray.

 

[andrewvo1324]

I always wanted to drop my cube in sand but no sand anywhere.

 

[darkzelkova]

I always wanted to drop my cube in sand but no sand anywhere.

I have the same problem lol

 

[Tomarse]

If its a rubiks brand do as follows:
1: "accidentally" drop the cube in sand
2: solve it 10 - 20 times ( the more you solve it the looser)
3: Clean throughly (all the pieces at once in soap and water, then clean each individually, dry clean the center mechanism)
4: Lubricate
5: Reassemble
6: Enjoy your looser cube!

i actually recommend against putting sand into the cube. In my experience, it made the cube looser, yes, but maybe a little too loose, and it started to get stuck very often for some reason. I'd like to hear from others that tried it though, maybe i just did it wrong or was unlucky? Anyway, totally didn't work for me, I had to get a new cube.

would this not cause damage to the internal mechanism? i would of thought it would eat away at the core of the cube

 

[darkzelkova]

Well what I do to loosen up my cube is this. First, I take it apart, soak it a bit (in water), and put it back together. After this, I play with it until it is dry completely. Then, I take it apart, and sand every face with very fine sandpaper. Then I put it back together, play with it a bit, take it apart, then clean it. After this, I put it back together again and play with it some more. Then I take it apart again, and twist each center thing for a while (I don't know why I do this). Then, I put it back together, and lube it by simply spraying through the cracks. After this, I work in the lube until is is really good, then I take apart the cube and lube it again, this time by spraying it and letting it dry. After that, I put it back together again, and play with it a lot and work in the lube. Then it moves very nicely

 

[Chris]

I clean throughly (all the pieces at once in soap and water, then clean each individually, dry clean the center mechanism),lubricate,reassemble just like Thrawst said, except the sand part. I also round the inner part of the corner pieces with a sharp blade. In my opinion the most important thing (for a Diy cube) is to insert the screws straight into the core.

 

[bubblebuddy73]

I have a 25th anniversary cube that is as loose as my DIY's. It took about 2hr to make it extremely loose. Heres what you do.
1. Take some really fine grain sand and pop a pice out of your cube and poor some sand in.
2. Work the sand around really well- or solve it about 6 times.
3. Clean the cube out by taking the pieces out and putting them in a strainer and run hot water and soap on them. (DO NOT PUT THE CORE IN THE WATER WITH THEM)
4. Take all the pieces out and have them start drying.
5. While they are starting to dry, take a hairdryer and blow all the sand away from the core. (Be sure to get the spot between the center peice and the core, where you can see the spring)
6. Speed up the drying process by blowdrying all the pieces.
7. Make sure there is no more water on any pieces.
WARNING: THIS NEXT STEP CAN BE MESSY!
8. Take some steel wool and sand the ridges off the cubies with that. (When you are done with this step all the pieces including the core should be very smooth)
9. Re-assemble your cube.
10. Re-lube your cube.
11. Enjoy your new lose cube!

--------------------------------------
3x3 single: 18.69
3x3 average: 26.05

 

[Harris Chan]

Grr, is there a way that makes sure the screws are really straightly inserted? It's so hard to keep it straight, especially for rubiks DIY (the older versions with different screws)

And how fine (what "grade") is the sandpaper?

 

[darkzelkova]

Ehh on the back of my sandpaper, it says "Fine." It doesn't give a number.