Heya!

OK, so I just got some blank puck puzzles from puckpuzzles.com. Why? Well, a while I ago I saw Tony Fisher's puckcube, and thought it looked pretty cool--I wanted one. I also knew I couldn't afford it. I also wondered why the top and bottom layers didn't turn independently. I decided to to address all three issues at once.

Cheers!

**EDIT** see it action here. Thanks for that, Noah!

Very nice mod. How do you turn it vertically?

Looks nice! Any chance of making a video? I would love to see it move!

Judging from the second picture, it looks like the vertical move is only possible when turning the middle layer 45 degrees.

So, the "ground state", (where most turns are possible),
is not the cube state, but one with the middle layer twisted 45 degrees.

This makes this puzzle belonging in a 3x2x1 puzzle-group, with a 2x2 mid-layer (dont know the official terminology).

Is this correct, the.drizzle?


PS: This inspires me for an interesting possible -first- mod (for me)!
I was thinking to use a 3X3x3 core to make a simplified cage puzzle.
If I include this concept, it would even easier to build. (custom-made parts)
(I'll start another topic later on)

Or, the more clever alternative is to solve it like a puck.

Is this based from a 3-Layer?

thats a hella nice puzzle

Thank you for the kind words! However, I don't understand the confusion...

Like I say, it is the same as one of these, only the top and bottom layers can rotate independently. Now, I suppose that could be done via chopping up a 3 layer puck, but that seems like a *lot* of extra effort!

Instead, just look at the layer thickness and ask yourself what may be a simpler approach than a heavily worked 3 layer puck...

As for a video, I'd be happy to make one. However, I cannot post it, so I'll make it if somebody is willing to put it up somewhere on my behalf. PM me if interested.

Cheers!

How exactly do you make this anyway?

A three layer puck is used(I am guessing). I think you bandage some parts, add on here and there(not sure where), and then like Ryton said it turns 45 degrees and so it functions kind of like a square-1. Just my guess.

Adam

What?!? I just said a few lines ago that I *didn't* use a three layer puck! How about this for a hint:



Cheers!

Sorry I didn't pay attention. I think it is a sqaure-2 now that I can see the inside. Cool mod though, I want to make one. Just my guess.

Adam

Or it could be a square 1 with thaose pieces cut in half lol

I feel slightly vindicated. In Tony Fisher's Puckube auction thread I described it as "an inside-out Square-2".

That was just a good guess!

I still think it's made from a puck as the very core.

This is the GREATEST puzzle I have EVER seen on here PERIOD!!!!

TOO AWESOME!!!!

I CROWN YOU THE NEW KING OF MODS!!!!!!!!

TRULY A MASTERPIECE!

Since the.drizzle hasn't posted it yet....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOEjJYs1Pe0

@Noah:

Actually I did that already, but I put it in as and edit to the topmost item. Thanks again! But I noticed in the video that you stated that:

"The puzzle was originally designed by master puzzle builder Tony Fisher."

Not true! Similar, yes. However, there is a VERY distinct difference between the two in that the functionality of this one is different, in that this version allows independent top and bottom layer rotations, while Tony's version does not!

But thanks again HEAPS for doing that for me

@S.Rubiks

Flattery like that will get you everywhere! The puzzle is now yours

@Swordsman Kirby

Yup, I thought the picture would explain that, but it is a puck, with the top and bottom layers of a square - 1 PLUS the mechanism attached above and below the puck. Nothing complicated at all, really. Except for getting everything lined up straight that is...

From another (related) thread;


As with *anything* I make, permission is automatically "granted" to use as you please! Don't even bother asking

As for how this is made, check out the above picture with the thing dis-assembled. The middle layer is a puck puzzle that has been cut out and filled to be square instead of round--that's it. The top / bottom layers were made by first lowering height of the top and bottom layer of a square-1 puzzle to 12mm, allowing the end puzzle to have the correct dimensions.

After that, all 8 (x2) pieces were bonded together to make 2 solid square upper and lower bits, which were then sawed in half and capped, filled, and filed to make the 4 rectangular top / bottom bits.

Next, the center bit of the square-1 was cut up to have the middle portion removed, giving 4 "tracks" for the 4 rectangles. Again, the disassembly picure above should make it fairly clear what I'm talking about. Note that one rectangular bit has to be precisely bonded to a "track" to keep the center hub of the puzzle from wandering.

Finally, the hard part--attaching the track-bits to the puck....

This is *a lot* harder than it sounds, owing to the fact that the central hub of the puck is not ABS, like the rest of the parts, and cannot be simply bonded. Instead, the cover plates on the puck hub need to be drilled and countersunk to allow two of the covers to be attached via existing 4 screws--make them so they are on top of the caps, instead of underneath it. You will need to place some washers over the existing contersinks, though, as leaving the void will cause the caps to be distorted when you tighten the screws otherwise. I really should have taken some pictures for this step...

This still leaves two caps un-attached. Basically, you need to drill / countersink / screw them to the other side as well, but placement is far from arbitrary, as you don't have much real-estate to work with. I used 4 CSK POXI 4x3/8 zinc plated screws to accomplish this. Be sure to check the track on the puck hub after you drill the pilot holes, as there can be some deformation of that surface if you don't line your holes up just so. If you do mar the surface, be sure to straighten it out very accurately, otherwise the middle layer won't turn worth sh*t.

Now, you have a square puck with an ABS surface on the hub to bond your square-1 tracks to. So, bond them on, and you're done! Of course, you need to be sure that you get it right the first time, because you only get one shot! Once the cement sets, the puzzle cannot be disassembled without cutting at least one track element off! And why mention this? Well, if you don't get the tracks aligned perfectly, the top / bottom layers won't turn worth sh*t either! And this means that they have to match up with each other--not just getting the top / bottom layer aligned separately.

Oh yeah, you'd probably want to paint everyting prior to assembly, so as to avoid having paint get into the cracks.

Cheers!

Thank you that is a very nice tutorial.

Nice puzzle. I had noticed the similarities between the Puck and Square 1 but never got round to tying them up. I predict several puzzles using a combination of the two in coming months.

Drizzle. That is a compliment worth printing out and framing!!

Tony Fisher said "Nice puzzle"

Nice work, the.drizzle. Looks tough to get right, but you did a nice job of it.

I like it. Great work!

Adam

I'm glad you all like it, now get in there and bid on it!



PS: Along with finishing off a lot of dodecahedrons I am finishing up this week, I will be making another one of these puzzles with a minor variation. I'll be sure to take some pictures so as to clean up the instructions then.

Hey half of a square-2 equals a dquare-1, not a 1/4!

It is an inverse square two, not half a square 2. The square of two is four, the inverse of four is 1/4.

Alternatively the inverse of two is 1/2 and the square of 1/2 is 1/4. Nice how that works isn't it?

One could say that the inverse of a number is its negative, and they'd be right as that is its additive inverse, but the creator is looking at it as a multiplicative inverse.

as in trig, the inverse of sine/cosine/tangent is 1/(sine/cosine/tangent)
or sine/cosine/tangent to the negative first.
someone please correct my maths...lol.