So - I'm new to speedcubing! I'm from Canada, I'm 25, and I've been doing it for about 3 months using the Fridrich method, and 3 look LL (instead of 2 look, haven't been bothered to learn all the OLL's yet) I'm not doing to badly - my fastest time is 33.28 seconds, and my fastest average is around 45 seconds (I haven't really been keeping track, but 44.xx sounds about right)

Anyway, I don't have a problem with speedcubing so much - I actually have a few very nice cubes as well.

My issue is this: I have a DIY cube (my main speedcube with cubesmith tiles *grin*), an asian cube (white/blue instead of the usual white/yellow) and a 25th anne cube. (I have several other cubes as well including 2 4x4x4 rubik's, a 5x5x5 rubik's and a Eastsheen 5x5x5 (all tiled from cubesmith)

Anyway - My issue - I want to replace the rivets with screws as the 25th Anne cube actually is becoming a decent speedcube, but I need to loosen it just a little bit. I have *NO* way of doing this that I'm aware of (I've tried pliers, no beans)

Also my OTHER question: does anyone know where I could purchase a 6x6x6 olympic cube or a 7x7x7 cube? I've contacted/e-mailed the guy that makes those olympic cubes, but I just got a very generic reply - I *WANT* one sooooo bad lol

Thanks for reading!!!

1) sub 45 average in 3 months? Wow. I'd like to congraduate you. It took me 8-9 months to get there. I'm just over 12 months right now and I'm only at 35 average.

2) I don't think it's possibly to replace the rivets. Sorry. But I'm using a 25th aniversary cube too, and I've found light sanding on the inner surfaces helps a bunch. And lubricating it too.

3) Olympicubes are still only prototypes and they have not been produced yet. Trust me, everyone here wants them bad. We've been almost taunted for over a year now by the 6x6 and recently in the last two months by the 7x7. Patience I guess is all we have right now.

Thanks!!

I've been working pretty diligently on the F2L - I know most people seem to have huge problems with those. I used to play with the cube years and years ago when I was a child, so I'm farmiliar with them and could solve it back when I was 18 using an upside-down layer method, but my times were like 5+ minutes. I started 3 months ago actually re-learning everything (Call it starting from scratch) for speedcubing, so the 3 months is a touch pro-rated

As for the rivets - you just gave me an idea - what if I sanded the sides of the rivets to get grip, and THEN used pliers? I'll keep working on it - it's just getting that initial movement - once they start turning, I can get them out, but it's the whole "getting them out" that's the issue.

Yeah, I've been drooling over the olympic cubes for months now as well - I'm not too crazy about the 7x7x7 - though it looks SWEET, It'll just be a larger 5x5x5 (imo) but who else can say they actually HAVE one lol

Thanks for the nice post

that's what Fridrich does for ya
26 second average after 8 months for me....

@enigma: This can be a tad expensive, but you can always just buy a few cubes and hopefully one will be right for you. Luckily for me, the first one I got was perfect for me, I bought a DIY thinking it could be better, but I hate it ah well good luck, see you at sub 30

Funny enough, I DID get a DIY and that's my main speedcube - it's awesome, but I just feel the potential of this other one, only if it were a little looser though *which is why I'm trying to do that there*

I have 2 other DIY's in the mail (B/W) so we'll see how those go. They all have the arched centers though - I don't think I've ever used one without an arched center, but I've heard good/bad things about both. We'll see how they go

If it needs loosening, try this.
Get 6 popcicle (ice lolly for us Brits popcicle sounds cooler) sticks or a some thick card, take apart your cube, pull a center up and wedge the stick/card into the gap and leave over night. That should help loosen it up.

Ask for pictures if you don't understand.

Yeah, the spring compression technique - tried that - not a bad idea but it wasn't very consistant the last time I tried. I'll have to give it another go, and try that but I'd REALLY like to have it adjustable

Yea, I'm just too lazy to go from layer by layer to Fridrich. Hahaha.

Still, 35 second average with a LBL method with a 3/4 look last layer isn't bad at all.

Wow, Fridrich 3LLL learned in three months since starting...

If you pull the rivets out it will more than likely destroy the kernel inside. If you want adjustable tension, Rubik's DIY, or a studio cube will work for you.

Yeah, I have 1 DIY, 1 possible studio *had adjustable centers* and the 25th annv. edition - I love my DIY, so I figure I'll just have to check out another one LOL

And about the Fridrich 3LLL - Yeah, I know the 21 algs for PLL, 7 Algs to OLL from upper cross, and then 2 algs to make the cross on top. (like this: Cross on bottom, "pillars" or bottom corners+middle edges, make a cross on top, orient that cross to solid, and then PLL)

I'm focusing right now a LOT on the f2l moreso than learning the OLL (I have a version that seems to work for the time being)
Once I get a very solid f2l (preferrably under 10-15 seconds) THEN I'll learn OLL properly

Ah! my method of LL too.
Good gap between OE PE PC OC and 2LLL

Who said that 2LLL isn't faster?
I am in the middle of learning OLL....

Hi enigmahack ,

If you do get a grip on the rivets, I think you need to not pull on them, but unscrew them. Look at the rivets that come with the DIY...

There's no need to loosen the 25th Anniv. cube. It will loosen on its own better than sanding will loosen it, unless you really really know what you're doing. While you wait, let that tightness teach you precision.

Cheers,

David J

Not exactly - I'm doing Fridrich F2L + Cross or whatever, then making a cross on the top, then doing the Fridrich OLL (7 cases after the cross is made on the top) and then PLL, also the Fridrich method. I'm adding 1 step to it basically, though I never said that a 2L LL wouldn't be faster - I actually mentioned to the contrary. I KNOW it's faster, but for right now, I'm focusing on the F2L algs and trying to get an intuitive F2L to get the cube under 30 seconds, and THEN I'm going to learn all of the OLL Algs. For the time being, I have enough to work on I think, and I AM learning a few of the OLL algs as I go through, some of the more common cases I come across.

Thanks! I knew that I had to unscrew them, though they are rivets they are still threaded. It's getting that grip that I'm working on lol

At any rate, I've ordered 2 DIY cubes that are supposed to be MUCH better than the DIY's from Rubik's.com so we'll see how that goes