From cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Tue Dec 15 12:13:33 1998 Return-Path: Received: from sun28.aic.nrl.navy.mil (sun28.aic.nrl.navy.mil [132.250.84.38]) by mc.lcs.mit.edu (8.9.1a/8.9.1-mod) with SMTP id MAA14336 for ; Tue, 15 Dec 1998 12:13:32 -0500 (EST) Precedence: bulk Errors-To: cube-lovers-errors@mc.lcs.mit.edu Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 11:35:13 -0500 (EST) From: Nicholas Bodley To: Derek Bosch Cc: Cube-Lovers@ai.mit.edu Subject: Re: re-assembling a 2x2x2? In-Reply-To: <3675637C.6231@sgi.com> Message-Id: I've pulled mine apart a *few* times. Imho, it's probably impossible to reassemble without some forcing. If it were made of cheap plastic, I very much doubt that it could be assembled. Study the structure, so you won't try to assemble it wrong; you probably wouldn't make such a mistake, though. Hope you didn't lose any pieces! (Be *sure* to match colors properly before assembling; of course, you know that, too.) My hopeful guess is that you'll succeed, but be rather amazed by the force it takes, and also that the plastic can take such stress. I have seen 2^3s on sale fairly recently, btw, so there has been a stock of them, possibly a new production run. I've been a mechanical tech. at times for several decades, so I'm reasonably sure of what I say. I've pulled apart many movable-part puzzles, and the 2^3 is surely the most intractable of all I've dealt with. Alexanders' Star and the 4^3 have some parts that are easy to break. I'd love to know how it's done at the factory. I hope it's not some subtle ultrasonic welding. (Maybe someone could ask Dr. Christoph Bandelow, Dr. Uwe Meffert, or (Dr.?*) David Singmaster.) *Sorry if I forget! Best regards, and good luck! |* Nicholas Bodley *|* Electronic Technician {*} Autodidact & Polymath |* Waltham, Mass. *|* ----------------------------------------------- |* nbodley@tiac.net *|* The personal computer industry will have become |* Amateur musician *|* mature when crashes become unacceptable. --------------------------------------------------------------------------