Older cubers discussions

Mark, is that a mini Ghost cube on top of the Sudokubes pile, or just a 1x1x1 dummy?
Some cool things there, including the sadly never-used curvy copter.
 
...when my daughter attempts the solve.
Cool dummy, anyway, and explains why it's escaped scrambling.

On the Spotty Youth Thread, they're discussing computer programming, of all things. Haven't they got Pikachu's to capture, or something? What next, quantum chromodynamics??
 
I found what seems to be a good practice method for me to get ready for a comp (we'll see when I go). Basically to help psych myself up and feel the nerves I would tell myself each new set of 5 is my comp round. My biggest goal is just a sub 20 single and next would be PB average. Each new 5 solves I would feel nervous and often not do as well again on that first solve. The trick for me was not looking at "rolling averages", it was 1-5, next 6-10, then 11-15, so on. Once I got a sub 20 I felt more relaxed until the next set of 5. :) I managed to get a sub 20 in every set, and all but one beat my official average.

@Chree, was it you that's going to be at the Portland Comp next weekend? Anyone else? Kind of seems like two people said they are and I've forgotten who.
 
Shaky Hands said:
Enjoyed this, thanks. Have you played with the Yuxin 4x4 much since then? Any further thoughts?
Click to expand...
I had not much time yet. I just did like 5-6 solves with the Cangfeng and another 5-6 with the Yuxin. In both cases got worse times that I usually get with the CB G4 but it's too few solves and too early to draw any conclusions. What I can say, but @earth2dan already warned me about that, is that the Yuxin blue seems to need some breaking in and setting up, unlike the G4 which with just breaking in is very nice. The blue will need lubing and tension adjustment, right now it's slow, requires some effort to turn and keeps catching a bit on middle layers (but not much). I don't really think it will end up replacing the G4 as my main but, ... you never know. Anyway, unless you want it just because, I wouldn't recommend to buy it as a replacement of a G4. If it ends up being better it will likely be only marginally.
 
Shaky Hands said:
@mafergut, thanks. I do have a Yuxin 4x4 on order, but it's on the way from China so may be some time. My G4 seems to be getting worse over time.
Click to expand...
Worse in what sense? Mine does not have a whole lot of solves but I'm sure several hundreds already and I have not lubed it or anything. Catching is gone almost 100% and it's super-stable, maybe a tiny bit slow but that's because it's not lubed and I'm sure I could fix it with a couple drops of Maru or Cubicle Silk (I'm thinking about buying a bottle of that). I have not done it because I'm afraid of spoiling it somehow and also because I prefer it a bit too slow than a bit too fast to avoid pops due to my inaccurate turning.
 
Shaky Hands said:
I'm finding the inner layers catch more than they used too. It may just be that my TPS has improved on 3x3 and I'm not adjusting properly to the corner-cutting angles of the bigger cube.
Click to expand...
What I find is that I lock up more as I'm becoming faster at 4x4 if I turn too fast and start being inaccurate. I even had a big pop some days ago because I just pushed too much with a layer misalignment and I popped 2 corners, 2 edges and 3 internal edges (those little pieces in between centers and inner edges). But catching, at least that same catching the cube had out of the box where the layers, even being perfectly aligned would not move in one direction unless forced to, those have almost completely gone, so what you say is strange.
 
Jason Green said:
@Chree, was it you that's going to be at the Portland Comp next weekend? Anyone else? Kind of seems like two people said they are and I've forgotten who.
Click to expand...

I'm an Organizer for that competition, and it'll also be my first time functioning as a candidate delegate :)

@CLL Smooth will also probably be there. I think there are a few other adults headed, but the majority of them will likely be younger than us... but what else is new?
 
mafergut said:
What I find is that I lock up more as I'm becoming faster at 4x4 if I turn too fast and start being inaccurate. I even had a big pop some days ago because I just pushed too much with a layer misalignment and I popped 2 corners, 2 edges and 3 internal edges (those little pieces in between centers and inner edges). But catching, at least that same catching the cube had out of the box where the layers, even being perfectly aligned would not move in one direction unless forced to, those have almost completely gone, so what you say is strange.
Click to expand...

Yuxin 4x4 just arrived. Popped an internal piece on the first solve. Will need re-tensioning!
 
Shaky Hands said:
Yuxin 4x4 just arrived. Popped an internal piece on the first solve. Will need re-tensioning!
Click to expand...
Sorry that I liked your post. I don't want to mean that I like that you popped a piece. I just found it funny that you really popped it on 1st solve because I'm almost popping it all the time as well. I have done the scrambles for round 40a of the Race to sub X at 4x4 and I have had at least 3 solves where I had the U layer disengage from the rest of the cube because I did a U turn with a slight misalignment and all the U layer wanted to just pop off but I was lucky that I stopped before any pieces went away and, by undoing the turn and pressing down I managed to reassemble the cube. This is the exact same thing that happens to me at times with their 6x6. One of them took almost 30 seconds to fix, the others just 10-15. As a result the average was like 1:41.xx and I'm starting to really hate the puzzle. It is already very slow but it looks like it needs to be even tighter so... round 40b will definitely be done on my G4.
 
No need to be sorry. I was laughing about it myself! :)

I also had a partial pop also that like you I was able to correct. Fixing the internal pop I had on the Yuxin 4x4 is a lot easier than it is on the Moyu 4x4 that I used to use. I think fixing Moyu 6x6 pops is easier than fixing Moyu 4x4 pops...!

I got a 2nd G4 in the same order so I could do some comparisons and see if I can suss out if there's anything technical wrong with my G4. Only $9 so worth it for a check anyway.
 
I've just been lurking lately, but I need to chime on on the Yuxin 4x4 :)

At first I didn't have much love for this puzzle either. It was slow, a little catchy, and had to be tightened a lot to fix the popping issue. However after taking it apart, lubing it, and adjusting the tensions; This puzzle has dethroned my G4 and my AoSu. I can say with relative confidence, this is my main 4x4. It's not as fast as the G4, but it's so smooth and controllable. The G4 is great if you take the time to break it in, the Yuxin is great if you take the time to break it in AND set it up.

Edit: This puzzle has one other quality that I highly value. It's quiet. Compared to the hard plastic clickyness of the G4 the Yuxin is soft, smooth, and quiet. This is a big deal for me, and when I have two puzzles that are comparable in performance, it is often the deciding factor.
 
Round 40b done with the CB G4, no pops at all but more of my normal times... worse than what I'd want of course.

@earth2dan: Glad to hear from you after some days ;) I also have to take a couple days off the forum now and then. Family exists! :) Thank you for the added feedback on the Yuxin blue. I will try to persevere in breaking it in... or should I just disassemble it and lube it first? It really needs tightening but I'm afraid it will get even slower. Also I have never lubed a 4x4 (or any other big cube for that matter). Any advice? Should I lube the core similarly to a 3x3? Should I use silicone oil or just Maru? What weight? Sorry, too many questions :p
 
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