# How to properly tension a speedcube,reduce lock ups and pops, and more.



## supercubejunky (Mar 17, 2013)

Yeh. I know it’s a bold title but this is what I’ve found out. About a month ago I was having a lot of problems with my cubes popping locking up and some issues

with speed. I kept noticing that the majority of my pops were occurring on one side and it finally dawned on me why. Even though when I had tensioned my cube

I turned all the sides evenly, the tensions hadn’t came out even! So I wondered how I could get all my tensions down to an precise and accurate measurements.

After some thought I realized that there is already a tool out there just for the job called a gap gauge/feeler blade gauge. When I bought one I was wondering

how exactly it would work out but when I put it to the test it did exactly as I had thought. I was able to get my cubes faster, with less lock ups and pops, virtually

no pops at all now. So basically all of the problems I was having from my cube were due to improper tensioning. Along with the benefit of having less feedback 

from your cube I think this will also allow cubers to more effectively communicate their tensions. For example, instead of saying I set my tensions loose or tight 

or somewhere in between, I would say ”my main speedcube is a type c 1 and my tensions are set to 1.371 mm.” I modified my gap gauge so that it would fit 

around the core screw making it much more accurate and easier to tension. If anyone has any helpful hints or if I’m missing something, or if even you feel this is

all crap, please include why, I would appreciate your input. Also if enough people want me to make a video, please say so below.


EDIT: video link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fje6lrRCLFw hope this catches on if people find that it really helps. Please ask me any questions if you have any.
Poll

My idea is that i will buy the gap gauge, modify it myself, then send it out to someone to try it and then that person can send it to someone else and so on and so forth. So what i wondering is if people will be willing to try this idea and then ship it to a fellow cuber for just the cost of postage. (50 cents or so). I think if about 10 people are interested i will buy a gauge and make a list of people.


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## cyoubx (Mar 17, 2013)

That sounds so complicated


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## speedpicker (Mar 17, 2013)

Id love to see a video. Not clear whether you are measuring the distance from core to centre, the gap between pieces, or the distance from screw head to the surface of the centre. Personally I tension by getting the same number of screw threads showing outside of the core on all six screws (usually 3 or 4) then assemble the cube and tweak the tensions ensuring I turn each screw the same amount to keep it even. I suppose variation in springs could mean that even this isnt a great method, so if you have something new please present it really clearly so we can all benefit. Lets see a vid!


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## cxinlee (Mar 18, 2013)

I can't understand what you mean. Please make a video.


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## Veerexx (Mar 18, 2013)

cxinlee said:


> I can't understand what you mean. Please make a video.



I second this.


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## supercubejunky (Mar 18, 2013)

Well. I suppose it has been decided. I believe i will have time to make a video tommorow and will post a link to the video in the description. I hope a video can clear this up a bit and maybe show people exactly how to use the tool and exactly what i mean by showing how much it really helps. I appologize for the confusion.


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## uniacto (Mar 18, 2013)

I think he means he uses some sort of ruler to check the tensions are even on all sides. And the length between the base of the center and the core is in mm, so you can tell other people exactly what your tensions are in the mm.


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## Veerexx (Mar 18, 2013)

supercubejunky said:


> Well. I suppose it has been decided. I believe i will have time to make a video tommorow and will post a link to the video in the description. I hope a video can clear this up a bit and maybe show people exactly how to use the tool and exactly what i mean by showing how much it really helps. I appologize for the confusion.



Thanks, it would be greatly appreciated.


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## supercubejunky (Mar 19, 2013)

Hey everyone here is the video i promised, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fje6lrRCLFw . I am talking about measuring the distance between the core and the centers. I will put the video in the main guide as soon as i get time to figure out how to edit it. Also i apologize again if the video isnt totally clear but it should get the point across just fine. I wanted to keep it short because it took me 2 hours to upload a 3 minute video with my internet.


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## kunparekh18 (Mar 19, 2013)

Yep, your point is clear. Good job! 

Sent from my A75 using Tapatalk 2


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## JF1zl3 (Mar 19, 2013)

That's pretty awesome, maybe I'll get one of those.


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## ShadowCuber (Mar 19, 2013)

46 quarter turns on a dayan Zhanchi= A God of all cube with my special lubing technique and un touched modding


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## ottozing (Mar 19, 2013)

Interesting idea. I however find the best way to tension any cube is solely by feel.


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## Maniac (Mar 19, 2013)

How much approximately does a center move after one quarter turn?


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## ShadowCuber (Mar 19, 2013)

Maniac said:


> How much approximately does a center move after one quarter turn?



One quarter of a full turn. Haha but it is very small, but with my tensions leads to a very loose cube, with right amount speed and still cuts 45. If it it is too loose try 48-50 quarter turns which is still loose but looses speed while maintaining everything else on 46 quarter turns.


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## CarlBrannen (Mar 20, 2013)

I don't like this idea entirely because it means you have to strip your cube.

I use a "dial caliper" in "depth mode" to measure how deep the screw is from the surface of the center (without the cap on). I adjust all the sides to the same depth.

This way I only have to take off the center caps.

This is the Harbor Freight version currently on sale for $18.29. The depth measurement thingy is on the bottom right of the picture:
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-dial-caliper-66541.html

If I were going to do this by measuring the gap, I'd use a gap gauge. Here's the cheap kind at Harbor Freight for $2.99 (but you can get these at any auto parts store):
http://www.harborfreight.com/coin-type-spark-plug-gauge-with-gapper-37839.html

But I've already got several calipers so it's easier to use that.


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## Lchu613 (Mar 21, 2013)

Yeah, I'll just tension by feel given one of these things costs more than a cube, but I think it's a cool idea.
My only problem with it is that springs can differ in stiffness and still be able to stretch out the same amount.
(Although if that happens you may want to get new springs )


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## CarlBrannen (Mar 21, 2013)

Another thing I like to do is to quickly turn opposite sides. If the center always follows the right side, I figure it could be because the right side is tighter than the left side.

This only works if your cube is as smooth as butter which requires that you do the 48-point mod and other mods to it.


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## supercubejunky (Mar 21, 2013)

Well, i thought about having to strip your cube and how this might be a problem.... but realistically you should only have to tension your cube 1 a month or more, and when you check the depth there is quite a bit of room for error. If you cube feels like its loosing its edge you should get some new hardware because the screws should not back out of the core. Also I think there might be some confusion on the price of the tool. Its only 3 dollars, the tool mentioned above that cost $18 is not what i was referring too. Lastly i would like to mention that tensioning it by feel was exactly what i was talking about as that is probably the worst way to do it. This is because it may feel smooth but when you go to actually preform algs in a solve your tensions my be uneven which can cause sides to catch and even potentially lock up or pop. Btw thanks for everyone's input


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## Kattenvriendin (Mar 22, 2013)

Measuring the distance??

Uhmm right. Nope.

Doesn't work proper enough, because if you screw in one screw slanted it will negate the equality.

What I do is tension all the sides to corner cut forward and backwards an equal distance thus making sure all faces are tensioned the same, and then loosen all sides equally till I get to where I want. This way it doesn't matter if a screw is in slanted because you tensioned on the cube and its response.

Good tut right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlumT6dX6K0


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## supercubejunky (Mar 22, 2013)

Kattenvriendin said:


> Measuring the distance??
> 
> Uhmm right. Nope.
> 
> ...




hey cool i watched your tutorial........ u bascially said what i did exceptdont screw your screws in the core sideways, sorry i forgot to mention that, didnt see why anyone would tho. but basically if you use the tool i was mentioning it would eliminate all the time you take going back and forward tensioniong one side to see if its more loose than another and give you a more accurate tension on each center.


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## CarlBrannen (Mar 23, 2013)

Yeah, if you've got a screw in at an angle, you've got worse problems than uneven tensions. I had this happen once and now I'm very careful. To avoid it, I like to hold the screw steady and turn the spider onto it. Somehow it seems that it's easier for me to see that they're aligned this way.

Each time I get a new cube I mess around with the springs, either shortening them, replacing them, or adding spacers to lengthen them. Each time I do this I have to retension and I like to try various tensions to see which work best for me.

I ordered some of the new 3x3 "Fun" cubes and when I put together the first one I'll probably end up retensioning it a dozen times.


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## Lchu613 (Mar 23, 2013)

What I meant by feel is by cutting and speed. I didn't look up the original tool you were talking about, sorry about the price thing. I do think this is a cool idea, but I'll stick to how I already tension.


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## redbeat0222 (Mar 23, 2013)

I understand. This is perfecto! I have to try this. This is simply too brilliant!


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## supercubejunky (Apr 1, 2013)

Hi everyone, I was wanting to know if anyone has bought and tried this method yet. If so i would be very please to know what anyone thought and if anyone wants to try it please reply to the poll.


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