GuoJia
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Guojia is a Chinese DIY 3x3 speedcube brand. Founded around 2004, it was the first non-Rubik DIY brand on the market, and have since produced numerous speedcube models featuring innovative design improvements. Some significant designs are placing tracks on the cubies to reduce turning friction, reduced inner radius of the mechanism to increase tolerance, and symmetrical contacting surfaces on the edge pieces (most 3x3 cubes have edge pieces with a hollow side).
Originally know as Type A, their products were renamed Alpha in 2009. There are two main series of Alpha speedcubes:
- Mainstream Alpha: usually the guinea pigs for new designs. Some of the significant features include tracks to reduce friction, and lightweight cubicles.
- Sealed Alpha: usually referred as "NEW" Alpha, "Alpha (roman numeral)-f", or "Alpha (roman numeral)-SV". These speedcubes aims at even friction between cubies and full contacting surface area on the pieces.
The Haiyan's Cube (Alpha Haiyan) and other Guojia speedcubes (mini 4.6 cm&5.2 cm, Alpha Common) are not part of these two subgroup. They are individual models in addition to the main series.
Contents
Alpha
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Also called 'Alpha I', or the 'Old Type-A'.
This is the very first Chinese DIYkit on the market other than the Rubik's DIY. This cube is quite heavy compared to the Rubik's and other Chinese DIYs.
At first it is called the "Rubik's Clone DIY", and then when the Type C shows up it is called "Thick R-clone", along with Type C being called the "Thin R-clone". Later on 大烟头 (creater of Dayan DIY and Crazy 4x4 series) proposed the naming system of calling them by the order in which they are presented to the market, represented with the Chinese celestial stem characters (甲,乙,丙,丁, etc) and each with the prefix 國 (guo, or "Country"), meaning 國產, or domestic product. Later, the manufactorer regestered 國甲 (guojia) as their trademark.
The turning feels "smooth and sturdy", and could be an excellent speedcube.
Some distunguishing features are:
- Dull yellow core
- Screws with fine threads and small screwhead.
- Large and small washers
- Center caps similar to the old FLAT Rubik's DIY
There have been several differnt molds for this cube, and while they are essencially identical, some of the colors are discountinued and could be sold for a very high price.
Where to Buy
Lightake.com Black: [2]
Best Seller
Alpha II
Where to buy
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Alpha III
Where To Buy
Lightake.com Black: [5]
Lightake.com White: [6]
Alpha V
Where to buy
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Haiyans Cube - Haiyan
Where to buy:
Alpha III-f (or III-SV)
Where to buy: |
Alpha Common
Essentially the regular-sized version of the Mini Alpha. No further information for this cube has been found.
Alpha mini
Where to buy:
Alpha CC
Where to buy:
- Lightake.com White: [17]
See also
- 3x3x3 Cube (puzzle type)
- 2x2x2 Cubes
- Mini Cubes
- Bigcubes
- Other Puzzles
- Puzzle Shops
External links
- http://cubehaiyan.com
- Speedsolving.com: Comparison of Chinese DIYs
- Speedsolving.com: Type A will change name to Haiyan's cube
- Speedsolving.com: Haiyan zhuang’s cube store
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