Calvins Puzzle Gear Orbit City Black (1/4 Spacing Capsule)

Calvins Puzzle Gear Orbit City Black (1/4 Spacing Capsule)

Gear Orbit City Black (1/4 Spacing Capsule) is a variant of the Sam Gear Orbit Cube puzzle from Calvin's Puzzle, designed by Sam Jiang. At first glance it looks like a 3x3 cube, but each face has four small wheels. They don't rotate on their own; they move together with the layer. When you turn a face, the wheels on it rotate as well. This means you have to keep track not only of where the pieces are, but also of how the wheels are oriented.

How the Gear Orbit mechanism works

The wheels on the faces are part of a planetary gear system. The central gear is hidden in the middle of the face and stays still, while the wheels around it orbit with every layer turn. The manufacturer doesn't provide a ready-made solving method. You first need to figure out how the mechanism behaves on your own, and only then look for a solution. Even if you can solve a 3x3 from memory, you'll still have to work out a new approach here.

City version and 1/4 Spacing Capsule

The City version differs from the basic Gear Orbit in its looks and in the layout of its capsule-shaped pieces. The 1/4 Spacing Capsule label distinguishes it from the other City version, marked 1/2 Spacing Capsule. In this version, the top center cap is not fitted at the factory. You can put it on yourself or leave the mechanism exposed.

Turning and maintenance

This is not a speedcubing cube. There are lots of gears working inside, so turning is heavier than on a regular 3x3, and owners of the basic model describe the turning as a bit stiff. The mechanism can occasionally get misaligned. When that happens, you remove the center cap, loosen the cube, set the wheels back in place and tighten it again. You can adjust the tension the same way.

Who is it for?

For collectors and anyone who enjoys unusual puzzles and doesn't need a ready-made guide. For a child's first cube, it's better to choose something simpler.

Specifications

• Manufacturer: Calvin's Puzzle
• Designer: Sam Jiang
• Type: 3x3-based puzzle with a gear mechanism (Gear Orbit)
• Version: City, 1/4 Spacing Capsule
• Body color: black
• Size: approx. 65.5 mm (6.3 x 6.16 x 6.1 cm)
• Weight: approx. 150 g
• Material: ABS plastic, PVC stickers
• Top center cap: not fitted at the factory, you can put it on yourself
• Packaging: small clear box