I find some photo.
I do not know how to make this puzzle: Hand-Made or MassProducts

Looks as mass produced for me.

I normally would say that it is too clean to be a mod.
However, some of the mods coming out recently are mass-production worthy. I would say that now a days, it is hard to tell the difference between a mass produced puzzle and a hand mod, if the modder is skilled enough.

-Doug

This is clearly mass production though I must admit a couple of the parts look slightly less clear than others.

With those very clean pieces, I would say it's mass produced. I wonder, what company would mass produce this...

Those mold lines look to be from machine injection molding (hand molding lines are not generally so precise and no hand builder would make lines like that).

Dave

Mass produced. Sure

i find new info: this is MassProducts puzzle!
see video: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDU2MDI2NTMy.html

Gear puzzles always look so beautiful, I like this variation the most I think! Second to Tony's Gear Rhombic Dodecahedron.

I now believe it is a hand made transformation of a Gear Cube. That would explain why some parts look mass produced.

HKNowStore just listed it on their website for pre-order for $26. Must be mass produced!

Who is the inventor?

It seems to have been removed now. A search for Gear Dodecahedron only gives this.

It's back up at HKNowStore and Mefferts. There are two version - Gearminx I and II. $18 each. Mefferts newsletter says it was designed by Oskar.

very strange situation ...
1. original video published by [removed]
[link removed]

2. Uwe tells us in NewsLeter:


I conclude:
1) Oskar is now working with [removed]!
2) Uwe only glued stickers (bad busines)

Oskar, Uwe - I want explanations ...

Perhaps Uwe legitimised it like he did with my Fisher Cube.

I believe these are being mass produced by a KO company?

The gear mechanism is patented. [removed] has taken that mechanism and used it wholesale for this puzzle. Uwe has legitimized it as Tony says.

That is correct. The gear mechanism is an exact copy of Gear Cube. I claim only to be the designer of the Gear Cube mechanism, not of the shape mod. In a more perfect world, the mass-production of this shape-mod would have involved a business arrangement with Mefferts (to whom I have exclusively licensed the rights to the Gear Cube mechanism), and there would have been two names on the puzzle (including the still-anonymous designer of the shape-mod). Unfortunately, this is not such a perfect world.

As you may understand, I have double feelings about this puzzle. On the one hand, I feel flattered that my mechanical design is being appreciated and that it is used for some beautifully-looking shape-mods. On the other hand, I wish that {not-to-be-named party} could be more respectful to the inventor and producer of the puzzle that he used as a basis. To my modest opinion, applying for a Chinese design registration by {not-to-be-named party} without reference to the origin of the mechanical design and claiming to be a 100% original design, is not very respectful.

I wish to express my gratitude to Uwe for offering the legitimized version, and also to Calvin (HKnowStore) for making the legitimized version available to twisty-puzzle fans that wish to stay away from (semi-) knock offs.

Call me naive, but I do not see any need for copying designs in the current twisty-puzzle market. The world has many brilliant TP designers, like Leslie Le, Okamoto, Bao, Hidetoshi, Grigoriev, Dayan, Smith, Cowan, Cormier, Hoff, Pfennig, van der Zanden, Aleh, Eitan, Witeden, Polonsky, Cohen, Fisher, Smaz, Evbatyrov and many more. There are more great TP designs out there than ever before. As Calvin's Puzzle is showing, a producer can easily get a design license from TP designers anywhere in the world. Just ask!

Oskar

I'm naive and want to stay that way myself. But I totally agree. I'd certainly be flattered too if someone went to the trouble to copy one of my designs but as you say... there is no need. All someone has to do is ask... and I'll say yes. A little respect will go a long ways with most designers. Even though I see Poseidon didn't make the list and I see Fisher made it twice. LOL!!!

Carl

be a designer I never put my name on the piracy cube
although you say this is my design.


Never compromise on piracy

Thank you for contributing this aspect of the dilemma at hand.

What is the difference between the two? Is it just a sticker variation or would they solve differently, like the Gear Cube and the Gear Cube Extreme?

I believe a more apt comparison is between the Gear Cube Ultimate and the Gear Cube Extreme, but yes.

-Doug

Just to follow up on this:

This site respects Oskar's ownership of the gear cube design, even if presented in a shape mod. He has chosen to work with Meffert and Calvin to authorize their sale of this puzzle, even though a non-authorized version was presented first (as is often the case with KO products).

As such I have removed manufacturer names and links from this thread that would lead to the KO version.

Dave

I received one of these a few days ago. The turning is really good- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4GKO2MHwvg