All,

Here Oskar challenged me to design and prototype the Multi Gear Cube kit with which one can build all 20 puzzles I had described.

The design is done and its now with Shapeways being prototyped. I've also done one better. This kit can be used to make the 35 puzzles described here:



Here is the Base 3x3x3:



And here is what the gears look like:



I've also made a Base Super 3x3x3 which can be used to make the 35 Super versions for a total of 70 different puzzles which can be built with this kit.



For testing purposes I'm just having the Normal Cube and The Gears printed now.

Enjoy,
Carl

Awesome to see this done!

I assume you're going to dye the snap-in (or are they to be glued) pieces? Can they be removed once attached? If they can be removed, with a Supercube kit you could make both ordinary style and supercube coloring schemes (and it would be truly an all-in-one kit )

I'm slightly confused with the amount of gears required, but you surely know it better than me.
edit: 4 types of gearing for 3 axes, so it makes sense.

My plan was to dye the tiles and then glue them in place.

I haven't got one to test yet but I suspect that would depend on the amount and type of glue used. But yes I suspect you could pry them off again if you wanted to.

True. There are enough gears in this kit that you actually have enough to assemble two puzzles. The choice of gears used in the first really limits the options available to the second but I was thinking that would be a good way to store the parts.

As I said I haven't yet printed the Super Cube. The one I show here I had planned to copying the color pattern seen on the Ultimate Cube. I'm still thinking about rather that is the best option. An idea that just came to me is I could use the flat area inside the center, yet outside the screw hole, and add 4 colored pegs. This would also give you center orientation information and the kit buyer would then have the option to assemble with or without the pegs. To me the Ultimate Cube's color pattern while it does give you a Super 3x3x3 can be confusing.

Carl

For you Carl:
These are the values for the lines #2-#15 for the Super Cube
22145025676538806272000
22145025676538806272000
22145025676538806272000
22145025676538806272000
244611809280
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
5536256419134701568000
230677350797279232000
These are the values for the lines #2-#15 for the 3x3x3
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
3822059520
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
43252003274489856000
1802166803103744000

Andreas

Thanks Andreas,

I've finally gotten around to updating the image in the first post.

Carl

Just got an email notice that says my Multi Gear Cube Kit is scheduled for delivery 29-June-2012. I feel like a kid two days before Christmas waiting on the weekend to get here. I really hope this one works...

Carl

Ha! I remember that feeling. Why is it as you get older, you have more patience, even though you have less time left to waste