Shaky Hands
Premium Member
Welcome @openseas !
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mafergut
Legend
@earth2dan you mean the FeiTeng 57mm? Should I order one? 
Regarding the WuQue I think you will end up loving it, I did and I was fond of my G4, as you will probably remember. Then I got a magnetic WuQue and now I'm in love with it
Welcome @openseas.
Regarding the WuQue I think you will end up loving it, I did and I was fond of my G4, as you will probably remember. Then I got a magnetic WuQue and now I'm in love with it Welcome @openseas.
Jason Green
Veteran
Glad you came over finally! It's really been a great place to help my cubing motivation the last couple years!
newtonbase
Premium Member
Good to see you here Jae.
Jason Green
Veteran
It really did feel great and took me by surprise!Great comp results @Jason Green! An official 13.x looks pretty damn good on the ol' cubing resume
One Wheel
Legend
Got my first new puzzles in a while today:
Yuxin megaminx: terrible out of the box, with some lube it's actually pretty nice. It almost seems like they went out of their way to design a megaminx that you can't put magnets in. It's kind of ridiculous in that respect.
Qiyi Qiheng megaminx: turns really smoothly and easily at first, but every bit as catchy as my Dayan in a solve. I think this one should be relatively easy to magnetize using a center-edge scheme, very difficult with corner-edge.
Both megaminxes have a tan side that's a little too close to white. I wonder if it would be possible to dye it black . . . The yuxin would also be very possible to sticker.
Qiyi Wuji: pretty dry. Corners won't fit 4x2 magnets, but I think 4x1 will be fine. 4x2 will work for the rest of the pieces. This is the one I bought with no intention of keeping, I'm just intending to magnetize it and sell it. I'm happy with my Yufu M.
Qiyi warrior: this was a freebie. It might make a nice puzzle with some strong magnets in it. Should be a piece of cake to magnetize. I might try the 6x1 n48 that gaussboys have on sale.
CB G6 (used): this one is going to be a ton easier to magnetize than my Aoshi, and I think it's going to be a legitimately good puzzle when I'm done. No problem fitting 4mm magnets here.
SS Gigaminx: really disappointed with the sticker quality. One sticker already came off. Turns fine, feels like a solid puzzle. After pulling off one side to see if, just for kicks, it could be magnetized (edges piece of cake, corners probably not. Put it back together before I thought to see if you could do a sort of center-edge scheme, but I don't think it's worth it.) I think you could actually use this puzzle with all the screws removed, it's that stable. My first solve was 45:xx.
I think I managed to lose my big sail M this last weekend at my brother's wedding, so I'm going to take a break from feet for a little while til I replace it. I might just have to place a cubicle order soon.
Yuxin megaminx: terrible out of the box, with some lube it's actually pretty nice. It almost seems like they went out of their way to design a megaminx that you can't put magnets in. It's kind of ridiculous in that respect.
Qiyi Qiheng megaminx: turns really smoothly and easily at first, but every bit as catchy as my Dayan in a solve. I think this one should be relatively easy to magnetize using a center-edge scheme, very difficult with corner-edge.
Both megaminxes have a tan side that's a little too close to white. I wonder if it would be possible to dye it black . . . The yuxin would also be very possible to sticker.
Qiyi Wuji: pretty dry. Corners won't fit 4x2 magnets, but I think 4x1 will be fine. 4x2 will work for the rest of the pieces. This is the one I bought with no intention of keeping, I'm just intending to magnetize it and sell it. I'm happy with my Yufu M.
Qiyi warrior: this was a freebie. It might make a nice puzzle with some strong magnets in it. Should be a piece of cake to magnetize. I might try the 6x1 n48 that gaussboys have on sale.
CB G6 (used): this one is going to be a ton easier to magnetize than my Aoshi, and I think it's going to be a legitimately good puzzle when I'm done. No problem fitting 4mm magnets here.
SS Gigaminx: really disappointed with the sticker quality. One sticker already came off. Turns fine, feels like a solid puzzle. After pulling off one side to see if, just for kicks, it could be magnetized (edges piece of cake, corners probably not. Put it back together before I thought to see if you could do a sort of center-edge scheme, but I don't think it's worth it.) I think you could actually use this puzzle with all the screws removed, it's that stable. My first solve was 45:xx.
I think I managed to lose my big sail M this last weekend at my brother's wedding, so I'm going to take a break from feet for a little while til I replace it. I might just have to place a cubicle order soon.
pglewis
Veteran
Just a couple weeks out from my next comp; I've been in a busy period with work plus I had eclipse trip planning interrupting things (I experienced about 2:30 of totality with clear skies around the sun, it was a more profoundly moving experience than I even anticipated).
I haven't made a blind attempt in weeks but will start again this week including a lot of cafe practice for distractions. I just started getting into the swing of timed 3x3 solves again last night and tonight: a lot of 26s, quite possibly about a second faster than before the hiatus lol. I'm not logging solves in cstimer, just timing to get a feel for where I'm at, but Ao50 should definitely be below :30 next time I sit down and log that many, Ao12 is certainly beatable if I hit a good spell, and I'm ridiculously overdue for an outlier in the 16-17 range (I've still only had two :19s as my only sub 20 solves). I've landed some low 20s with 3LLL and sub par PLLs if everything else goes smoothly so I'm afraid to put the timer away for exercises... you just know that first one after shutting the timer off...
Anyway, my official average isn't even sub 40, so low pressure to just duck that at comp and anything else is gravy. It would be nice to see at least one mid 20 or better to feel like I /can/ actually employ some lookahead under comp conditions. A single blind success under 10 mins is 100% win for me.
I haven't made a blind attempt in weeks but will start again this week including a lot of cafe practice for distractions. I just started getting into the swing of timed 3x3 solves again last night and tonight: a lot of 26s, quite possibly about a second faster than before the hiatus lol. I'm not logging solves in cstimer, just timing to get a feel for where I'm at, but Ao50 should definitely be below :30 next time I sit down and log that many, Ao12 is certainly beatable if I hit a good spell, and I'm ridiculously overdue for an outlier in the 16-17 range (I've still only had two :19s as my only sub 20 solves). I've landed some low 20s with 3LLL and sub par PLLs if everything else goes smoothly so I'm afraid to put the timer away for exercises... you just know that first one after shutting the timer off...
Anyway, my official average isn't even sub 40, so low pressure to just duck that at comp and anything else is gravy. It would be nice to see at least one mid 20 or better to feel like I /can/ actually employ some lookahead under comp conditions. A single blind success under 10 mins is 100% win for me.
JohnnyReggae
Veteran
I'd agree with your assessment of the stickerless WuQue out the box. I found it to be slow and sluggish with the inner layers catching quite a lot. Even with magnets in I still struggled with it. I've done a hundred or so solves on it and it is getting better the more I use it. I initially loosened the tensions but have since tightened them to cater for the breaking in. The one thing I don't like with the WuQue is the popping. Both the stickerless and black have popping issues, and if I tighten up the tensions to stop the popping I can't turn the cube nicely. So for now I'm sticking with the Yuxin Blue as my main and then a bunch of solves here and there on the WuQue to try break it in some more.
I've ordered the CB mini 4x4 and can't wait for it to arrive, probably another month or so at least
mafergut
Legend
Practising a lot lately with stackmat since I managed to connect it to csTimer. If I ever go to a comp I will be better prepared now. Finished my 3rd skewb Ao1000 this vacation and dropped another half a second from 8.77 to 8.23. Also improved all PBs except for single. Ao100 now sub-8 (7.78) and nice Ao5 of 5.77 = 5.74, 5.65, (7.92), 5.90, (5.00).
I think that's bordering on the limits of my ability. I might be able to shave off some more tenths and get to global sub-8 seconds but that's about it. If I wanted to improve more I should learn some advanced / NS, which I won't so... maybe it's time for pyraminx improvement?
By the way I just ordered a 4-layer pyraminx (Shengshou, not Lanlan) and a Redi cube, just because. The CB mini 4x4 FeiTeng was so cheap that I had to add one to the order as well. The Bauhinia will have to wait... maybe for Christmas?
I think that's bordering on the limits of my ability. I might be able to shave off some more tenths and get to global sub-8 seconds but that's about it. If I wanted to improve more I should learn some advanced / NS, which I won't so... maybe it's time for pyraminx improvement?
By the way I just ordered a 4-layer pyraminx (Shengshou, not Lanlan) and a Redi cube, just because. The CB mini 4x4 FeiTeng was so cheap that I had to add one to the order as well. The Bauhinia will have to wait... maybe for Christmas?
earth2dan
Veteran
I think we're pretty much on the same page with 4x4. The Yuxin Blue has been my main since it released, but it definitely took some work to set it up right. I did a dozen or so solves with the WuQue and CB mini last night and I'm enjoying the CB mini so much more. The WuQue catches so badly I'm sure I'll have to loosen it, I hope that goes away as it breaks in. That wait is torture isn't it? I stopped ordering from overseas because I found myself saying the same thing every time after month(s) of waiting "I wish I had paid a little more to get my puzzles sooner". Now I pay that little extra to order from a Canadian shop that delivers my orders within days, and it's great.I'd agree with your assessment of the stickerless WuQue out the box. I found it to be slow and sluggish with the inner layers catching quite a lot. Even with magnets in I still struggled with it. I've done a hundred or so solves on it and it is getting better the more I use it. I initially loosened the tensions but have since tightened them to cater for the breaking in. The one thing I don't like with the WuQue is the popping. Both the stickerless and black have popping issues, and if I tighten up the tensions to stop the popping I can't turn the cube nicely. So for now I'm sticking with the Yuxin Blue as my main and then a bunch of solves here and there on the WuQue to try break it in some more.
I've ordered the CB mini 4x4 and can't wait for it to arrive, probably another month or so at least
Nice! From the sounds of things, I doubt it will replace your WuQue M as your main. Though I know you liked your G4, so I'm sure you'll like the mini as they feel very similar. That 57mm profile is magic, at least for me. I really hope it catches on and we get more 57mm 4x4's from the other big brands.
I did a bunch of solves on my new stackmat timer last night. I'm really glad I got this thing because I have definitely been cheating with my phone timer. I need to start placing the cube on the table so I have to pick it up once I start the timer. And it has exposed a very bad habit of stopping my timer before completing AUF, which I need to correct :/
One Wheel
Legend
My 2 cents on the CB mini 4x4: great out of the box, with some catchiness that feels like it will go away with break-in. I didn't do a lot of solves on it, maybe 50-100 I think, but the catchiness got worse, not better. I do like the size, although the more I use my 60mm yuxin blue the more I wonder if it would be worth trying a 62mm for the sake of PLL parity.
mafergut
Legend
Yeah, same here. To the point of being maybe 0.5s slower or more with stackmat. So, I'm probably 1s slower than I thought I was at 3x3
JohnnyReggae
Veteran
There is a local store in South Africa based in Cape Town actually, however they don't update their stock often and they are reasonably expensive. I have used them a lot before, but these days I take the hit on waiting (sometimes begrudgingly) as it means I can get 2 cubes for the price of 1 locally. But I agree it is awesome to order a cube or two and have them arrive the next day. They have given me a 15% discount voucher as a birthday gift, so I may just take them up on that
mafergut
Legend
I just finished my first solve of the Bermuda Venus. I bought that one because I wanted something easy but a bit challenging and the Mercury one seemed not much harder than a normal fisher cube. It was more difficult than I thought it would be and I was so desperate at some point that I checked a tutorial to see where I was going wrong. After passing that hurdle I managed to finish the solve on my own. Interesting solve indeed but now my head hurts 
The puzzle turns very well and I think it's worth the money. Considering buying another one of the more difficult ones, maybe Earth or Mars. The only downside is that as it shapeshifts I cannot put it in the box unless solved or at least returned to cubic shape. Well, that happens with other puzzles like mirror or Pyramorphix but those don't take me that long to solve that I'd need to leave it mid-solve for the next day
The puzzle turns very well and I think it's worth the money. Considering buying another one of the more difficult ones, maybe Earth or Mars. The only downside is that as it shapeshifts I cannot put it in the box unless solved or at least returned to cubic shape. Well, that happens with other puzzles like mirror or Pyramorphix but those don't take me that long to solve that I'd need to leave it mid-solve for the next day
pipkiksass
Veteran
Welcome Jae - I love making magnetic cubes and playing with numbers, too! You're in excellent company here. 20 is quite some achievement, I've only managed a Valk 3, WuQue, and about to try a GAN 356 Air MMmmmm tonight. Definitely gets easier with practice!
Funny - I was pretty much an instant convert to the WuQue. Even after swapping out the springs, my Yuxin Blue was quite unstable. I find the WuQue more stable, and I actually have LESS pops with it than I did with my Yuxin. Could it be a batch thing? I heard there were dodgy batches of WuQues...
I only ever have pops when executing OLL parity... badly!
OK, this links with my earlier comment about making my GAN 356 Air MM tonight. I normally order from either UK Puzzle Store, or TheCubicle for obscure stuff, lube, and stickers. I started paying more for UK Puzzle Store because it's 2 days delivery, sometimes I waited a few weeks for Cubicle stuff.
Anyway, I'd been considering buying a GAN Air Master for a few weeks, just to play with magnets, and SpeedCubeShop had a sale on it, so I took the plunge on Friday night (25th August, about 11pm UK time). Well my cube arrived today. From California. That's 4 1/2 days. Including a weekend. If I'd placed the order with a UK store I'd probably have got it today too, because Monday was a public holiday in this county. Crazy! Thoroughly recommend SpeedCubeShop. Postage was quite expensive, but totally worth it. Used JPerm's discount code, and... yeah, crazy!
So off I go to magnetise my Gan, which will give me a DIY Valk M and GAN 356, and an off-the-shelf GTS2M. Hopefully I'll be in a position to make an educated choice between the top 3x3s. Fun.
pglewis
Veteran
Sat down and logged 50 solves in cstimer today busting everything but my single in the process, including a rather surprising sub :23 Ao5 early on during my peak lookahead. Ao50 is definitely under :30 despite falling off the cliff in the second half of the session. Definitely 1.5-2 seconds faster than before ~ 3 week hiatus, edging closer to being mid 20s instead of around 30. Color me excited!
JohnnyReggae
Veteran
The WuQue is definitely more stable than the Blue, but it has a lot of little internal catches which slow me down quite a bit.
For me pops usually only happen when doing OLL/PLL parities
The Blue has yet to pop on me. I've dislodged a small internal which didn't come out it just got stuck where it shouldn't be. Turning the layers slowly back pushed the internal straight back into place.I find at the moment I swap between the big 3 cubes quite often these days. The last couple days has been with the Valk and GTS2 more. They are all fun to solve in their own way
mafergut
Legend
Defective batches of the WuQue should be cleared by now, unless you bought it from a small store that moves small amounts of cubes and still had early stock for sale. The 1st WuQue I bought was seemingly from one of those early batches and it was slow and popped once in a while but still very stable and it became my main.
Then I ordered a new one and it was awful out of the box but a quarter turn of loosening and some weight 3 here and there made it much better and definitely better than my 1st one.
Then I bought the magnetic one from Juki Mods and it was just fantastic out of the box. In particular, the inner slices are much lighter to turn than in any of my 2 previous ones. I don't really know how they set up the cube to achieve that but it doesn't feel looser than the non-magnetic ones so maybe it's the lube they put in the internals that helps reduce overall friction in the ball core.
My main problem with the Blue was that in double layer flicks I had misalignment between the layers and that was awful when performing PLL parity. It happened only in some faces, though.
In any case, the WuQue is not a super-fast cube. For example, the Kungfu Cangfeng is much faster but it is compensated with great stability. Top speedcubers seem to be using the WuQue almost unanimously, with the exception of Kevin Hays, who is sponsored by Yuxin and uses a Blue... but with Thunderclap springs and probably other modifications too (magnets, etc.).
Then I ordered a new one and it was awful out of the box but a quarter turn of loosening and some weight 3 here and there made it much better and definitely better than my 1st one.
Then I bought the magnetic one from Juki Mods and it was just fantastic out of the box. In particular, the inner slices are much lighter to turn than in any of my 2 previous ones. I don't really know how they set up the cube to achieve that but it doesn't feel looser than the non-magnetic ones so maybe it's the lube they put in the internals that helps reduce overall friction in the ball core.
My main problem with the Blue was that in double layer flicks I had misalignment between the layers and that was awful when performing PLL parity. It happened only in some faces, though.
In any case, the WuQue is not a super-fast cube. For example, the Kungfu Cangfeng is much faster but it is compensated with great stability. Top speedcubers seem to be using the WuQue almost unanimously, with the exception of Kevin Hays, who is sponsored by Yuxin and uses a Blue... but with Thunderclap springs and probably other modifications too (magnets, etc.).
NewbieCuber
Regular
SOOOOOO CLOSE!
On my journey to sub 1 minute 3x3 solves I've been hitting the occasional 0:54 and 0:52 (which was my personal best 2 months ago) but then things train wreck and I get a 1:22 or more. I did get a new PB of 51.46 though.
I'm still spending way too much time on the cross and F2L. I keep working on memorizing PLL cases and my last layer is getting faster and faster but I think I can pick up 20 seconds or more just by getting better at the cross and F2L.
The journey continues.
On my journey to sub 1 minute 3x3 solves I've been hitting the occasional 0:54 and 0:52 (which was my personal best 2 months ago) but then things train wreck and I get a 1:22 or more. I did get a new PB of 51.46 though.
I'm still spending way too much time on the cross and F2L. I keep working on memorizing PLL cases and my last layer is getting faster and faster but I think I can pick up 20 seconds or more just by getting better at the cross and F2L.
The journey continues.
Shaky Hands
Premium Member
@NewbieCuber - it's OK, improvement will come with time. Yes, F2L is the area where you will make the most improvement over time, but this is something you can practice repeatedly as part of the solving you do before reaching the last layer cases.
Good luck with your progression. You can definitely shave off 20 seconds or more off your average with improved F2L. My own F2L isn't pretty but it is fairly automatic by now - i.e.: I know how to solve each case, even if it's not necessarily fine-tuned to an optimal state.
Good luck with your progression. You can definitely shave off 20 seconds or more off your average with improved F2L. My own F2L isn't pretty but it is fairly automatic by now - i.e.: I know how to solve each case, even if it's not necessarily fine-tuned to an optimal state.
