# Deadening the sound in a cube.



## McubeS (Jul 13, 2017)

Any of you have ideas of materials that can deaden the sound of a 3x3?

I tried insulating foam, but I messed up the process and ruined the cube.


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## newtonbase (Jul 13, 2017)

Some people put cotton wool in the pieces. Never tried it myself.


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## McubeS (Jul 13, 2017)

Hmm.

Maybe it would help to know what exactly makes the sound and work from there? I'm not sure how cotton could help.


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## genericcuber666 (Jul 13, 2017)

McubeS said:


> Hmm.
> 
> Maybe it would help to know what exactly makes the sound and work from there? I'm not sure how cotton could help.


Iirc it's the sound vibrating throughout the pieces the foam or wool will stop it from vibrating as much


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## I_<3_SCS (Jul 13, 2017)

Hello!!!!

Why not just add more lube?!!!!

Or put hot glue in the pieces as a filler?!!!!

Just a suggestion!

Thx


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## McubeS (Jul 14, 2017)

I_<3_SCS said:


> Hello!!!!
> 
> Why not just add more lube?!!!!
> 
> ...



Lubricants dry out, so it's no permanent solution. 

Hot glue does sound interesting, but I don't want to be the guinea pig for that. lol

Anyone got videos? I know Cyoubx had a foam mod, but I dunno.


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## I_<3_SCS (Jul 15, 2017)

McubeS said:


> Lubricants dry out, so it's no permanent solution.
> 
> Hot glue does sound interesting, but I don't want to be the guinea pig for that. lol
> 
> Anyone got videos? I know Cyoubx had a foam mod, but I dunno.



Oh hi!!!!!!!!!

I GOT THE HOT GLUE IDEA FROM MODDERS!!! I DON'T REMEMBER WHERE, BUT I READ THAT SOME MODDERS USED HOT GLUE AS A FILLER TO SAVE APOXIE!!!!

thx


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## GenTheThief (Jul 15, 2017)

I stuffed cotton balls into the pieces of my MBLD cubes. I wasn't incredibly careful when reassembling the cubies, so bits of cotton were sticking out of the pieces. Also, the cotton sort of forced the cubies apart. I asked a delegate and he said that the cotton probably made it illegal, so I was pretty careful when making sure that I pulled it all out. The pieces coming apart might allow more cotton to constantly come out.

The cotton didn't do much to the overall noise level, but they did absorb the higher frequencies, so the clacking is a noticeably lower pitch.


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## McubeS (Jul 25, 2017)

So, I've done some thinking and thought that the material usually used in mouse pads could work.

Ran to the dollar store, and grabed one. I cut it up so I can fill up the pieces, including the cavity of the core.

It works! The sound is significantly reduced.


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## SenorJuan (Jul 25, 2017)

I posted some of my experiments on another older thread on this subject.
Recap: The large flat surfaces vibrate like a drumskin. Bonding something lossy/absorptive to the inner surface will dampen down the vibration. It doesn't have to attach to the entire surface, the central region is OK. My first experiments used square pieces (about 7mm x 7mm) cut from an old bicycle inner tube (butyl rubber), and fixed with either rubber cement or contact adhesive (Evostick).
Other alternative rubbers that could work are neoprene ones; pure neoprene is heavy, and also is smelly, lighter derivatives like EPDM (I think that's the name...) are less stinky. Sticky-backed sheets of this stuff are available from eBay sellers. It _may_ also be used in some mouse mats, see the above post.

Another thing worth considering is what mechanical contact results in the noise being generated? Do two pieces hit each other in an obvious direct way, and if so, can the edges/curves be modified so the transition is less sudden. This tackles the cause of the problem, rather than the symptom.


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## McubeS (Jul 25, 2017)

SenorJuan said:


> I posted some of my experiments on another older thread on this subject.
> Recap: The large flat surfaces vibrate like a drumskin. Bonding something lossy/absorptive to the inner surface will dampen down the vibration. It doesn't have to attach to the entire surface, the central region is OK. My first experiments used square pieces (about 7mm x 7mm) cut from an old bicycle inner tube (butyl rubber), and fixed with either rubber cement or contact adhesive (Evostick).
> Other alternative rubbers that could work are neoprene ones; pure neoprene is heavy, and also is smelly, lighter derivatives like EPDM (I think that's the name...) are less stinky. Sticky-backed sheets of this stuff are available from eBay sellers. It _may_ also be used in some mouse mats, see the above post.
> 
> Another thing worth considering is what mechanical contact results in the noise being generated? Do two pieces hit each other in an obvious direct way, and if so, can the edges/curves be modified so the transition is less sudden. This tackles the cause of the problem, rather than the symptom.



Awesome.... Thanks for sharing!


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## 124Cuber (Aug 13, 2017)

Maybe fill each part with a lightweight resin


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