Calvins Puzzle Sam Gear Orbit Bandaged-2 Cube

Calvins Puzzle Sam Gear Orbit Bandaged-2 Cube

Sam Gear Orbit Bandaged-2 Cube is a harder, bandaged version of the Gear Orbit Cube. The puzzle was designed by Sam Jiang and is produced by Calvin's Puzzle. It is based on a 3x3x3 cube, but each face has four small circles. With every move, the circles on a face turn together with it, in the same direction. In the Bandaged-2 version, the circle pieces on two opposite faces (top and bottom) are joined in pairs. As a result, some moves are blocked.

How the Gear Orbit mechanism works

The small circles are part of a planetary gear system. They rotate around a fixed central gear hidden inside the face. When you turn the R face 90 degrees clockwise, the four circles on that face also rotate 90 degrees relative to it. This means the puzzle combines three-dimensional turns (the cube layers) with flat rotations (the circles on the faces), and the circles get scrambled independently of the rest of the cube.

The face centre also has a practical function. Once you remove the cap, you can see the hidden gears. You can then loosen the cube, put a misaligned gear back in place and tighten it again. With this mechanism, that option comes in very handy.

What the Bandaged-2 version changes

In the regular Gear Orbit Cube, the circles on all faces are divided into four parts. In the Bandaged-2, the circle pieces on two faces are joined in pairs, so they work like classic bandaged pieces. In some positions they block movement, and you will often have to rework familiar sequences, because you can rarely perform an entire algorithm without hitting a block. The Bandaged-4 version has these joined circles on as many as four faces, so it has even more restrictions. In this series, the Bandaged-2 is the intermediate level between the standard version and the Bandaged-4.

Who is it for?

For collectors and anyone who enjoys unusual twisty puzzles and wants to figure out on their own how the puzzle works. This is not a speedcubing cube or a good first purchase. Without solid knowledge of the 3x3 and experience with bandaged or gear puzzles, it will be hard to solve. It also stands out visually: the rotating circles look great on a shelf.

Specifications

• Type: 3x3x3 with planetary gears, bandaged version (2 faces)
• Manufacturer: Calvin's Puzzle
• Designer: Sam Jiang
• Dimensions: approx. 6.1 x 6.16 x 6.3 cm
• Body colour: black
• Material: ABS plastic, stickers
• Magnets: none
• Tension adjustment: under the removable centre caps