Hello,

I would like to present improved version of 48 cube from my series of
cubes with magnets and based on "metal" sphere. This cube is combination
of Little Chop and 2x2x2. 3D model of the cube was created by Oskar.
In this version I put small magnets on all inner sides and puzzle became
very and very stable. It turns very smooth. Enjoy!

Video: 48 cube ver. 2
Related: 48 cube (ver.1), SuperX, Dino Chop, Little Chop, Makarov's Cube
Buy at: Shapeways Shop

Best regards,
Vladimir Yaroslavskiy

What a beautiful puzzle! This is my favorite of your puzzles.

How did you ensure that you would always have opposite poles meeting even when it jumbles?

-Eitan

That works surprisingly well! Does it use any other mechanism apart from the magnets, like grooves? Or are the additional magnets enough to accomplish that?

Thank you!


No special rules. Small magnets effect only when they meet each other. When puzzle jumbles,
the small magnets are too far and and don't interact. The purpose of these puzzle is to lock
2x2 and Chop movements when parts are aligned. When puzzle jumbles (and in other cases)
big base magnetic cylinder (10 pieces of d6x1 mm magnets) in the center of each part not
only attracts the part to the "metal" sphere, but tops of these cylinders also attract
neighbor parts.

There are only magnets and "metal" sphere inside the puzzle. There are two types of magnets:
big base cylinders in the center of each part (actually cylinder is 10 pieces of d6x1 mm magnets)
and small d4x1 magnets on each inner side (there are 3 inner sides). Magnetic cylinder
attracts parts to the "metal" sphere (made from ping pong ball and paper-clips), small
magnets are to align parts. The implementation is pretty simple.

Whaaat! I thought you would just use a metal sphere for the metal sphere? Can you post a picture of the ping pong ball with paper clips?

I created video how to create "metal" sphere, see here.
Enjoy!

I can't really believe how well it turns. No alignment issues, no squishy behavior, it turn's like a twistypuzzle. Not bad.

That's very clever. When you said pong pong ball + paperclips, I imagined you bending the clips over the ball somehow. In the puzzle, is there a small gap between the magnet and the surface of the ball, to protect the ball from wearing away? Or is the actual magnet coated with something? Or do you rely on lube?

Magnets glide on the ball surface, no any additional elements. Also you may spray High Gear silicon on the surface, but it is not so necessary.

Ping pong ball is full of paper-clips as much as possible. I close small hole in the ball
by plasticine (or Epocsiline = Epoxide + plasticine from household shop).

so, its a 2x2+helicopter cube+didagonal cutting 2x2?

No, 48 cube is 2x2+ diagonal cutting 2x2 (Little Chop).
48 cube doesn't have helicopter feature.

Great job. How hard is it to solve?

I haven't tried to solve 48 cube, but I guess this is much challenge.

This one looks much better than the one I have, which is very "squishy" at times and I have to keep pushing pieces back into place.

It is too hard to foresee if additional magnets help and how.
Some puzzle works fine without additional magnets,
some - not perfect as expected, some - unexpectedly much better.

Dear Vladimir,

Congratulations! This is a really excellent puzzle. I have your "Makarov Cube" and "Little Chop" (via Evgenij's Shapeways shop) and they both work really well. Will you make "48 Cube ver. 2" available via Shapeways? (For the other cubes, I always lost the ebay auction.)

Best wishes,
Martin

I just asked Oskar to add 48 cube ver,.2 to Shapeways store.

And here is inner implementation

the ping pong ball core is an epic win, IMHO

I use ping pong ball because this ball has the same diameter, 40 mm, anywhere in the
world, and therefore anybody can create identical "metal" sphere. For the same reason
I use paper-clips which can be found in any office shop.

This `metal sphere` idea is really clever.
A very nice puzzle - how it looks and how it turns.
Congratulations!

Brilliant! But don't try to play table tennis with one by mistake

You're brilliant.

48 cube ver.2 is available on Shapeways.