Sugar cubes are not cubes! Need ones which have square sides in UK

April 6, 2006 5:27 PM

Sugar cubes are NOT cubes!! I need a cuboid with at least 2 equal dimensions...

I am prototyping a board game that will require several hundred cube-like pieces. I had thought to use sugar cubes as a cheap way to test the principle so bought a 500g box at the supermarket (brand = Whitworths).

BUT they are NOT cubes... in fact each dimension is different (roughly 5mm x 6.5mm x 8mm)

So... can anyone recommend a brand of sugar cube available in the UK that is a genuine cube (or at least has a pair of square sides)?

Alternatively... can anyone suggest a cheap source of regular cubes (min 8mm sides)?

I have searched for tiles. beads etc. The best that I've found are these wooden cubes .

Thanks ;)

posted by Ampa to Food & Drink (20 answers total)

Check a local teacher supply store. Small cubes are often used as a visual aid in math classes.
posted by borkencode at 5:34 PM on April 6, 2006

Might boullion cubes serve your purpose?

They might be more expensive than sugar, though.
posted by ikkyu2 at 5:35 PM on April 6, 2006

I don't have a UK source for you, but googling "acrylic cubes" turned up these: 1 2.
posted by hydrophonic at 5:42 PM on April 6, 2006

Algeblocks
posted by phrontist at 5:46 PM on April 6, 2006

dice, dude
posted by hindmost at 5:50 PM on April 6, 2006

You can often buy bags of dice at board gaming stores.
posted by AndrewStephens at 5:52 PM on April 6, 2006

Sugar cubes in the US are indeed cubes. I have a C&H sugar cube in front of me, and it's 1 1/2 cm on a side. Maybe you could order some from the United States?
posted by interrobang at 5:55 PM on April 6, 2006

If you check around, you can buy small six-sided dice in LARGE quantities for cheap. Here's 36 for $6 but I'll bet you can do better. As a plus, you'll never want for dice again.

Also, some fine grain sandpaper will turn those sugar cubes into cubes.
posted by jellicle at 6:05 PM on April 6, 2006

Look at a teacher supply store. They often use little cubes for math problems and to teach dimensions.
posted by radioamy at 6:37 PM on April 6, 2006

oxo?
posted by gergtreble at 6:57 PM on April 6, 2006

search ebay for centimeter cubes
posted by Infernarl at 7:01 PM on April 6, 2006

My bouillon cubes are not cubes either.
posted by mbrubeck at 8:12 PM on April 6, 2006

Legos are cuboid. 100 for 7$.

Find them here.
posted by Maxwell_Smart at 10:19 PM on April 6, 2006

Sandpapering sugar cubes to make them true cubes... some serious obsessive behaviour you've got going on there, jellicle :)

OXO cubes? Cut'n'glue corrugated cardboard squares? Length of wood + a jigsaw?
posted by Leon at 3:56 AM on April 7, 2006

If Cuisenaire sold spare "one" blocks, they'd be perfect.
posted by scruss at 4:27 AM on April 7, 2006

Sure, some sugar cubes are not cubes, but you can find brands which are.
posted by wackybrit at 4:28 AM on April 7, 2006

From the original question: "So... can anyone recommend a brand of sugar cube available in the UK that is a genuine cube (or at least has a pair of square sides)?"

So wackybrit, those brands are..? ;-)

And to add some content - I'd personally go for those little wooden 1cm cubed blocks that have been mentioned previously - they're easy to draw symbols on if that's pertinent and dead cheap from kids stores, teaching supply stores or off eBay or similar.
posted by benzo8 at 5:00 AM on April 7, 2006

posted by nylon at 5:48 AM on April 7, 2006

BoardGameGeek has a great listing of prototyping/game parts dealers.
posted by mkultra at 8:22 AM on April 7, 2006

8 or 10 feet of 1/2" square molding should cost about £3; a handsaw to cut it into 192 to 240 1/2" wooden cubes about £6.
posted by mendel at 9:28 AM on April 7, 2006