Arabesque pattern fidget cube

A fidget cube which faces all turn the same way, with an arabesque-inspired pattern
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updated October 14, 2023

Description

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Once assembled, all 6 faces and 8 vertices of the cube will rotate the same way (see picture). This counter-intuitive behaviour is made possible through a set of hidden gears behind the fixed vertices edges of the cube.

Printing is straightforward: use the best possible resolution and do not use supports. You will need:

  • 1 kernel
  • 6 faces
  • 8 vertices
  • 12 edges, edge gears and edge pins
  • 14 standard pins

Glue the edge pins on the edges, ensuring pins are perpendicular to the base. Do not glue the other parts. Once cured, insert the edge gears, the largest gear close to the base side and the smaller one close to the tip of the pin.

Insert pins inside the faces and vertices, then insert them at the right (quite straightforward) place. Then put some oil on the gears. This step is mandatory: there are 38 gears turning together and the cube is very likely to perform poorly if not oiled (I used silicon oil). Then place the edges with their gears.

Rotate slowly in the beginning to ensure the oil spreads on the gears.

The edge-support grid is helpful if you want to paint the cube.

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