Question: What's the best way to clean and lube a speed cube?
Question: What's the best way to clean and lube a speed cube?
Mine has worn in enough to start jamming up, but I've mitigated that by pressure washing it at our water park almost every day. That helps a lot, but I've been reluctant to actually lubricate it, not like I want oil on my hands every time I tinker with it..
Advice very welcome, as the puzzle you see above, I can solve it blind and single handed, but the thing keeps jamming up..
Update: I figured out where the main wear and tear is coming from. I used a cloth wipe to clean all the crevices of plastic dust. Then I noticed circular grooves worn into pretty much every piece internally.
Turns out, it was caused by plastic burrs from the clips on the covers of the center pieces. If I had realized that to begin with, I would have flattened those out and cleaned them up when I first had it disassembled.
Anyways, now it's already pretty well worn in, no reason to bother now. Still, if I knew in advance, I would have trimmed, smoothed out, and lubricated those manufactured plastic burrs before even using it much.
pressure washing it at our water park almost every day
Is there any corrosion on the screws and springs? If the metal parts aren't dried after exposure to water, they can rust, which decreases the turning quality.
As for lubricant, you want use one which is silicone-based. Petroleum-based oils can soften or weaken the plastic over time, and vegetable-based oils can go gummy and rancid.
My go-to is to disassemble the puzzle, wipe off any plastic dust and lubricant residue, and wash the plastic pieces in warm soapy water. Once the pieces are thoroughly rinsed and dried, I reassemble the puzzle, judiciously applying silicone oil to key contact surfaces.
Do you know the brand and model of your cube?
I haven't spotted any metal parts in this one at all, I think it's 100% plastic. And yes, I've rebuilt it, had to get the plastic debris out after Dremeling the dice holes in it.
Dunno the brand or model, I just picked it up at a flea market for $4, so no big loss to me, they got more around.
No idea, just having fun tinkering with it to be fair..
Ah, silicone grease has come to my mind, but I can't seem to find the grease I used to have. I think it was stolen years ago with an old toolbox of mine ☹️
I might have to see about getting some more one of these days or years or so...
Update: I figured out where the main wear and tear is coming from. I used a cloth wipe to clean all the crevices of plastic dust. Then I noticed circular grooves worn into pretty much every piece internally.
Turns out, it was caused by plastic burrs from the clips on the covers of the center pieces. If I had realized that to begin with, I would have flattened those out and cleaned them up when I first had it disassembled.
Anyways, now it's already pretty well worn in, no reason to bother now.
I'm gonna edit my original post to add this information.
Why are there holes in your cube
When solved, it's a proper die (as in singular of dice)
Lube your cube boys and girls
That's right, it goes in the square hole..