Free stickers with your purchase
SPECIAL OFFER: For a limited time only, I am offering FREE STICKERS with your purchase from my shop. After ordering, simply send me an email and I will send you your stickers via regular mail. Please read more about this offer on twistypuzzles.com.Welcome to the Shapeways shop of Tom van der Zanden. I started desinging twisty puzzles in 2008. After a year of teaching myself of how to use design software and making a few puzzles using other services, I discovered Shapeways and started offering my puzzles there.
Since I am a student (at the time of opening my shop I was in high school still) I do not have much money to afford prototyping my own puzzles. However, the markup from the sales of my puzzles has allowed me to sustain making my own designs. I am very grateful to Shapeways and to the many collectors who purchased my puzzles for enabling me to make so many designs.
The items offered on this shop are "DIY kits". The include all the 3D printed plastic parts to build your own puzzle, but do not include the necessary screws or stickers. Shapeways can not currently provide these.
By default the 'white' material is seleted. If you want a puzzle with a black body you can either order the black material which is slightly more expensive, or order the white version and dye it yourself using Dylon #8 Ebony Black or one of RIT's fabric dyes.
If you do not want to build your own puzzle you can also contact me (tom@tomvanderzanden.nl) to purchase an assembled puzzle which will be slightly more expensive than the ones from Shapeways.
Please visit my website www.tomvanderzanden.nl for more information on my puzzles!
We found 28 products by TomZ
This is the Chimera, a puzzle suggested by twistypuzzles forum member pytlivyj_1 inspired on Tony Fisher's V-Dome. It is half of a 4x4 combined with half of a 6x6. In the solved state it seems like nothing can turn and it really just is a 2x2x2 cube, however as you do a few turns move moves become apparent.
This puzzle really turned out well and the turning is very good.
If you order this model, you will get a DIY kit of the plastic parts needed to make this puzzle. You will need to supply your own screws and springs for assembly. If you send me an email after ordering with your shipping address, I will send you a set of stickers for this puzzle for free.
You can also order an assembled copy of this puzzle from me directly, but this option is more expensive and it will take longer to get your puzzle.
Please contact me at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl if you are interested in a fully assembled and stickered puzzle or would like to claim your free set of stickers. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions you might have.
The 3x4x5 has been mass produced! Get one for just $32 (free shipping!) from Mefferts.com
Finally! A fully functional 3x4x5 puzzle is now available to everybody. After three design iterations, I finally have an affordable, stable, smooth-turning and solid design. This puzzle is very difficult to solve due to the constraints imposed and is a challenge for any puzzle solver.The video shows 3x4x5 V3, for sale is V4, which is only very slightly different and works even better than V3. This puzzle (V4) has been prototyped.
This puzzle comes as a DIY kit. You will only get the 3D printed parts. You will need to supply your own M3 washers, springs and screws (x6). You will also need one Cubesmith 4x4x4 tile set and two extra singles for the 3x5 sides. Please note that using regular stickers with this puzzle is not recommended, only tiles are suitable.
Alternatively, contact met at tom [AT] tomvanderzanden [DOT] nl to purchase a fully assembled and stickered puzzle.
This is the Multidodecahedron. A puzzle that has all the parts from the Megaminx, Pyraminx Crystal, Starminx, Master Pentultimate and Pentultimate and requires you to solve them simultaneously. This puzzle was initially suggested by Carl Hoff, who coined the name Multidodecahedron.
About ordering
To purchase a Multidodecahedron DIY kit, you should purchase this model and then must send me an email with your order number so I can give the necessary instructions to Shapeways. This kit comes with free stickers so please also include your mailing address so I can send them to you (note: I am currently not offering super stickers).This puzzle comes as a kit which you will need to assemble yourself. You will need to provide M3 screws and optional springs and or washers. You can also contact me directly to purchase a fully assembled and stickered copy of this puzzle.
The 4x5x6 Cuboid is the next step up from my 3x4x5. This puzzle was made at the request of Sigurd Wedel. Just like the 3x4x5 this one shapeshifts as 90 degree turns are possible on the 4x6 faces.
In the design I've used a mechanism slightly different from that of my 3x4x5 and slightly more like a V-Cube. The result is a puzzle that rotates very smoothly, even better than the 3x4x5. This puzzle is truly very complex, having more than 40 different mechanical parts.
Read more about this puzzle on twistypuzzles.com
Buyer information & Claim your free set of stickers
This puzzle comes as a DIY kit. You will need to assemble the puzzle yourself and also provide your own screws (6 M3 screws of 10-15mm, suitable springs and small washers recommended). A free set of printed stickers is included, please send me an email after buying to claim your free stickers (I ship them separately, they're not included in your order from Shapeways). You can also purchase a fully assembled and stickered puzzle from me on request. Please contact me directly for this service.
However, the remaining variant where only one axis is constrained to 180 degree turns has not been made yet. It was of course Andreas Nortmann's request to make one.
This puzzle represents a unique challenge in it's design: the half turn only cube can be made by bandaging a 7x7x7 and the one which is constrained on two axes can be made from a 5x5x5. This can also be seen as using different proportions for the cuts of each axis. However, the variant where only one axis is limited can not be made this way because the moment you make just the cuts of one axis disproportional two axes are instantly limited.
My solution is to work from the centerpieces, adding internal parts that block illegal turns. This mechanism could be used to construct many other puzzles, like a Helicopter Cube that does not jumble. If Adam Cowan were dead, he would turn in his grave so I will not be doing that.
Buyer information & Claim your free set of stickers
This puzzle comes as a DIY kit. You will need to assemble the puzzle yourself and also provide your own screws. A free set of printed stickers is included, please send me an email after buying to claim your free stickers (I ship them separately, they're not included in your order from Shapeways).
Click here to buy a BLACK Curvy Copter puzzle from Mefferts for just $18 with worldwide free shipping
Click here to buy a WHITE Curvy Copter puzzle from Mefferts for just $18 with worldwide free shipping
Click here to buy a TWIN set of WHITE and BLACK Curvy Copter puzzle from Mefferts for just $34 with worldwide free shipping
This is my variation on Adam G. Cowans excellent helicopter cube. In this version, the cuts are curved so that the orientation of the internal centerpieces can be seen, making the puzzle much more difficult.
The rotation of this puzzle is very smooth and stable. It is a great looking addition to your collection as well as a nice solving experience.
This puzzle is based on my Dino Skewb, but has an extra shell required to attach the corner pieces. It moves quite well and is entirely stable.
Buying this model will get you all the plastic parts required to build a Master FTO. You will need to provide your own screws and stickers to finish the puzzle. Alternatively, fully assembled and stickered puzzles are available from me for a small additional fee at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl.
The SuperX was first made by Adam Cowan in December 2006. However, the puzzle was very squishy and the pieces would get out of alignment often. He later tried to improve upon his design by using ball bearings and while this helped a little, the puzzle was also not stable. Later, Andrew Cormier designed a more stable variant with a mechanism that was more like a V-Cube. This puzzle also was squishy, and he later designed a version with magnets to help keep the pieces aligned. Various copies with/without magnets have later been hand built by various builders. Finally, I have designed a version that does not use magnets but uses a clicking mechanism, like that found on a V-Cube 6 to keep the pieces aligned. While the puzzle does not turn as well as Andrew's copy, it saves on the cost and effort of gluing in magnets (magnets don't really adhere well to superglue so they frequently fall out of the puzzle). All previous SuperX's have been built by layering a Dino Cube on to a 2x2x2. My version is the first to use a fundamentally different mechanism. It uses the same mechanism as my Dino 3x3x3, which means the pieces are not just supported from the corners but also from the (internal) edges.
The puzzle turns quite well and is completely stable, but obviously there is the clicking which is slightly more pronounced than on a VCube 6. The pieces have a tiny amount of wiggle room, but the clicking mechanism keeps them in place really well.
Buying information
Ordering this model will get you a DIY kit with all the plastic pieces necessary to build a SuperX, which you will need to assemble yourself. It does not come with the necessary stickers or screws as Shapeways cannot supply. You can purchase stickers from www.dr-sticker.com. The screws can be had from any hardware store, you need M3 screws, about 10-15mm long.
A warning beforehand: this is one of the most tricky to assemble puzzles I've designed. It will also need a good amount of lubrication and breaking in before it will turn as good as the one in my video. I have also increased the fillet radius to prevent locking up, this results in slightly larger gaps near the center than pictured.
If you do not feel like assembling your puzzle yourself, you can also order a fully finished copy from me for a price that is slightly higher than Shapeways', but you miss out on all the fun of assembling your own puzzle! For this service, contact me at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl.
IMPORTANT - READ BEFORE BUYING
Since Shapeways' can not remove all of the wax themselves, you will probably have to do some work to get your print to turn. You should boil some water and put it in a cup along with your cube. Leave it in there for a few moments, and stir to help speed up the wax removal. Then remove from the cup with a teaspoon, and (being careful not to get burns from the water) gently move one or more sides. You may need to put the cube back in to the water to melt more wax and continue this process untill all of the pieces are freed up. You may also need to use a small knife to help separate some pieces. Note that if the wax cools down, the puzzle may become more difficult to move.
Since the heat also softens the puzzle plastic, it is very delicate when warm. You should take extreme caution while removing the excess wax. Neither Shapeways or me can take responsibility if your puzzle breaks during this process. It might therefore be recommendable to order more than one copy of this puzzle.
It might make things a lot easier if you put soap in the water, that might help dissolve the wax. I haven't tested it myself but it sounds promising.
Andreas Nortmann wrote:I have just another stupid design request for you:
A hybrid of an OffsetSkewb and a HalfTurnsOnlyNxNxN.
The story behind it: You know there are 6 "traditional" (yet to be defined what that means here) possible axis systems and the hybrids thereof and there are some subgroups thereof, for example the cuboids where two axis allow only 180° turn to let the puzzle retain its shape. I have searched for other subgroups and have found:
* some trivial ones (with only 1 axis)
* several prisms
* the one mentioned aboveSo it's a hybrid of a 2x2x2 and an Offset Skewb. While such a puzzle could make 90 degree turns like some cuboids which can shapeshift, I have deliberately blocked those moves in the design, in order to accentuate the weird symmetry of the design and also, to make solving more difficult.
Mechanically, this puzzle is much simpler than a 2x2x2 + Skewb. I've made a few adjustments to make it turn better than the original prototype (which already turns quite good!).
This puzzle comes as DIY kit for which you need to supply your own stickers and screws (you need 7 M3 screws, about 10mm long). You can also purchase a fully assembled and stickered puzzle directly from me.
The result is a puzzle that turns very nicely, with a gentle click from the magnets. This is truly one of the best turning puzzles I ever made.
This puzzle will arrive as a DIY kit containing just the plastic parts. You will need to supply your own screws and magnets, but I will send you a set of stickers separately if you send me an email after ordering. You will need 100 of these magnets to finish this puzzle.
Please take extreme care when gluing in the magnets so you get the polarity right. It's not difficult, you can email me for a failsafe method to determine the right polarity. Also note that gluing magnets to plastic is not easy, superglue works okay but you might end up having to reglue some magnets that did not stick properly.
You can also order a fully assembled, stickered copy of this puzzle with the magnets already glued in directly from me. Please send me an email if you are interested in this option.
The 4x4x6 has been mass produced! Get one for just $38 (free shipping!) from Mefferts.com
The first 4x4x6 cuboid was made in 2004 by Tony Fisher, based on an idea of Geert Hellings to modify a 4x4x4 to have two extra layers. Joshua has made a very generous offer and paid me to design a 3D printable 4x4x6, and make it open source.Joshua's initial proposal was to make the design based on the Rubik's 4x4x4, but I suggested to use a completely new mechanism since it would most likely result in a much higher quality while not raising the cost very much.
This new mechanism works really well and the result puzzle is absolutely perfect. It turns smoothly and even cuts corners some. In the video it makes a quite loud squeaking noise but it has been getting better.
The SolidWorks file for this puzzle, as well as the STL files, are available from thingiverse under a Creative Commons license.
Note: this puzzle comes as a DIY kit when ordered directly from Shapeways, which you will need to assemble yourself. You will also need to supply your own M3 screws and springs, as well as stickers (Cubesmith 4x4x4 stickers can be used). You can order an assembled and stickered puzzle from me directly (tom@tomvanderzanden.nl), but the assembling fee will be slightly higher than with other puzzles since there is very little markup on this puzzle to begin with.
This puzzle will arrive as a DIY kit, containing just the plastic parts needed to build it. You will need to supply your own screws for assembling, but I will send you a set of stickers separately if you order. Please send me an email to claim your sticker set after ordering.
If you do not want to assemble this puzzle I can sell you a fully assembled, stickered copy directly. Please send me an email if you are interested in this option.
When jumbling the normal Curvy Copter you are quite constrained. Not only does the unbandaging of the Curvy Copter plus produce an even more interesting and beautiful face pattern, it also makes the jumbling feel less constrained. Solving this puzzle is extremely difficult, it can make amazing and confusing shapes. The Curvy Copter plus is the same size as a regular Curvy Copter puzzle.
Buying this will get you a DIY kit of the plastic pieces in either black or white. You will need to supply your own screws, springs, washers (M3) as well as stickers (www.dr-sticker.com). Alternatively, I can sell you an assembled copy directly for a small extra fee. To order an assembled puzzle or if you have any questions, please contact me at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl.
This is, to my knowledge, the first ever Dino Skewb. It looks exactly like a Lattice Cube (Master Dino), but it is quite different. A Lattice Cube turns like a Dino Cube with turning tips.
My Dino Skewb does not have those turning tips but, contrary to the Lattice Cube, it does have the deep cut of a Skewb. The turning on the Skewb cuts is great, the Dino cuts have a little click to them because I needed the pieces to overlap a little to prevent gaps from appearing. I choose aesthetics over functionality in this case. But it isn't bad at all. The puzzle can be a little squishy at times, but overall I'm very pleased with the result.
This item is for a DIY kit only - it only contains the plastic 3D printed pieces, you will need to supply your own M3 springs/screws to assemble this puzzle and also supply your own stickers (available from Dr. Sticker). Alternatively, you can order fully assembled and stickered puzzles from me at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl.
This puzzle has a mechanism that builds a Helicopter Cube on top of a spherical Skewb core. It rotates very smoothly and is perfectly stable.
Please note that buying this will only get you the plastic pieces for building a Helicopter Skewb. You will still need to supply your own stickers (regular www.cubesmith.com stickers are good), screws, springs and washers. Alternatively, you can buy fully assembled and stickered puzzles from me for an extra fee. Please contact me at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl for this service.
Want even more jumbling?
Pick up the Unbandaged Helicopter Skewb for just $10 more. Click here.
The 1x2x3 is one of the easiest twisty puzzles out there. With just 48 possible positions, anyone can solve this novelty puzzle and claim they solved a Rubik's Cube(-like) puzzle. This puzzle comes as a DIY kit. You'll need a M3 screw and washer to assemble it, and need to supply your own stickers (or get creative) to colour the faces. You can buy pre-made stickers from www.cubesmith.com, you just need a standard 3x3x3 set.
I'm very satisfied with how it came out. The turning is nice and fluid, the mechanism is very stable: even when I unscrewed 3/4 screws it would not come apart.
The puzzle is a bit unwieldy to hold due to its shape. The turning is good and without problem but playing with it will take some getting used to. The only flaw is that when halfway through one of the deep cut turns, certain pieces can wiggle a bit.
Ordering this will get you a DIY kit of pieces which you will need to assemble and sticker yourself. The puzzle is available in both white and black plastic but ordering the white parts and dying them yourself is a bit more economical. I can also offer you a fully assembled, dyed and stickered version of this puzzle for a small additional fee. Contact me directly for this service.
Due to popular demand, I have now made a larger Starminx. It's edge length is 30mm, up from 25mm. At 30mm it is just the right size, about the same size as a regular Megaminx. This one works very well right out of the box, requiring little breaking in. I have printed two so far and they both work very well.The larger size has allowed me to make the mechanism more sturdy. I've also connected the floating corner pieces to the internal corners, making the puzzle slightly more stable. Thanks to the larger size we will also see less sticker issues.
This item is for a DIY kit only. This kit contains all the plastic parts needed for one puzzle, to build your copy you will also need screws (M3) and stickers. Springs are optional.
You can also purchase a fully assembled puzzle for an additional fee, please contact me at tom@tomvanderzanden.nl for this service.
This item is for a DIY kit only. You will need to do the assembly yourself using your own screws and stickers. I will provide help on any issues you might encounter. I can also do the assembly and stickering for you for a small fee. Just email me at tom [AT] tomvanderzanden [DOT] nl.
This puzzle was suggested to me by Carl Hoff. Visit his shop for more puzzles.
Read more about the Compy Skewb on twistypuzzles.com: http://twistypuzzles.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18117
The quality of this puzzle is excellent. Rotation and stability are both very good. This puzzle comes as a DIY kit. You will need to assemble it, supplying your own stickers, screws, springs and washers (M3). You can purchase stickers from www.dr-sticker.com - just ask him, he already has my template. Buying this only gets you the plastic pieces. Alternatively, contact me directly (tom@tomvanderzanden.nl) to purchase a fully assembled and stickered puzzle.
My Mini Dodecahedra now are available for purchase from Shapeways, but due to technical limitations I can not offer them on my shop since they can only be ordered through Shapeways' back door. Please send me an email ( tom at tomvanderzanden dot nl ) to purchase these puzzles. After sending me an email, I will help you to order directly from Shapeways like normal, or you can purchase an assembled puzzle for an extra fee.
About these puzzles
The Mini Starminx was made after a challenge from Andrew Cormier to make an as small as possible Starminx. I pushed the limits of WS&F and managed to make a Starminx only 25mm on an edge. Given it's success, I've now made a Pentultimate and Pyraminx Crystal at this size too. Both puzzles turn very smoothly and are very stable. The Pentultimate has 164 parts, the Starminx 197. The Cyrstal, Pentultimate and Starminx are both 25mm an on edge, I strive to have a Megaminx and Master Pentultimate available at this size soon.
Mini Pentultimate (video)
DIY White $99/€85 (free shipping)
DIY Black $110/€95 (free shipping)
Assembled $210/€150+S&H
Mini Starminx (video)
DIY White $119/€100 (free shipping)
DIY Black $132/€110 (free shipping)
Assembled $230/€160+S&H
(Please note that for the DIY kits, the EUR prices include a 19% VAT to be paid by EU customers, whereas the USD prices do not. Also, I'm sorry about the high prices for assembled puzzles but I do not have much time so I need to set a high price to make sure I don't get more orders than I can handle.)
I am sorry, but DIY kits do not include screws or stickers since Shapeways cannot provide them. You can purchase stickers from www.dr-sticker.com and you should be able to get screws from your local hardware store. Depending on personal taste, you might want to use springs in your puzzle as well.
To order, please send me an email at tom at tomvanderzanden dot nl. The DIY kits are shipped to you directly by Shapeways (and you will make payment to Shapeways). The assembled puzzles are shipped to you by me (and you will make payment to me).
This puzzle only really has 3 turnable faces. This was achieved by removing the cuts surrounding one corner. An alternative would have been to remove the 5 cuts surrounding a center, which would have essentially resulted in a Pentultimate (with internal parts visible). I decided to stick some gold stickers on the open part since without them it just looked very dark. I think this is nicer. The puzzle is 40mm on an edge. It's quite large so the puzzle on the inside is also nice and large. The hole is about 60mm in diameter.
The rotational movement on this puzzle is very smooth. I have not used springs in this design as that would have required the inner puzzle to become smaller which would have been a shame. The feeling of this puzzle is therefor a little different from other puzzles which do use springs like my Multidodecahedron but it's still very good.
Buying this item will get you a DIY kit of the parts required to build this puzzle. You will need to provide 3 of your own M3 screws to assemble it. If you do not want to assemble your puzzle yourself, I can do so for an additional fee. Contact me (tom@tomvanderzanden.nl) for more details.
This is the Switch Box puzzle, a traditional Rubik's Cube with an added challenge: red switches bandage the puzzle. You have to carefully move them around during the solve so you can do the moves you need to do.
There are many different variations possible on the Switch Box. It is possible to choose how many edges should have a slider, and you have various corner types to pick from (there are corners with 0, 1, 2 or 3 slots for sliders to fit in to). This particular variant has 6 edges with sliders, 3 corners with 2 slots, 3 corners with 1 slot, 1 corner with 3 slots and 1 corner with no slots at all. I am offering various variants through my shop, but you can also email me to request a specific variant that is not offered.
You can also purchase the Switch Box with all corners open here. I think this variant is more fun than the original, since the original is very constrained and difficult.
This item will arrive as a DIY kit. Please not that this model contains all the parts in one file so they will all be processed the same way. If you want to get the sliders in a different color from the other parts you can click here to order them separately.
The DIY kit contains all the plastic parts required to build this puzzle, but not the stickers or the screws. If you email me after ordering I will send you a set of stickers for free. You can also purchase a fully assembled copy of this puzzle from me directly.
Want the switches in a different color?
It is possible to buy the switches separately so they can be dyed by Shapeways in a different color. Purchasing this model will give you all the parts and switches, but if you select black then also the switches will be black. Click here to purchase the switches and base parts separately.
Read more about the Switch Box here.
This model should be ordered together with these swithces.
These are 6 separate switches for the Switch Box puzzle. You should order this together with the rest of the parts. These parts are available separately so you can have them made in a different color.
Purchase this item in combination with one of the following models:
- The original Switch Box
- The Switch Box with all corners open
Read more about the Switch Box here.
This model should be ordered together with these swithces.
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