Cleaning Vinyl

LeeLee
edited January 2012 in Analogue
One for al the guys who play vinyl or who have played the stuff in the past, whats your preferred method for cleaning vinyl, Im trying to avoid buying an RCM so if there are any good methods then let me know please

Any advice much appreciated

Lee

Comments

  • edited October 2011
    I fear rcm's are a cut above. I've tried other methods, but for cleaning grooves there is no substitutes.
    This is the affordable one i use...
    http://www.kabusa.com/ev1.htm
    It plugs into a domestic vacuum cleaner, and one spins the lp and cleans the surface by hand, thus costs are kept low. Results are revelatory on older records. I really can't speak highly enouh of it. I think it's about £100 + import duty + p&p.
    The fact it's so hands on gives some satisfaction to the process too!
  • hi guys,
    agree with the doc here, tried numerous sprays fluids and brushes, then got a friend to do a few on his moth machine and the difference was amazing, never saw that one you linked to , might just have to give myself a wee crimbo pressy.
  • The best way IMHO is via a RCM, but it needn't be expensive.  I made my own using an old revolver turntable with the mains wire disconnected (and no tonearm) so I had a platter which I could turn by hand.  I modified the nooks and crannies nozzle of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner by cutting a slot along it's length and added some carbon self adhesive brush pads either side.  I made my own cleaning fluid using 25% lab grade Isopropyl Alcohol and 74.5% de-ionised water then added 0.5% by volume Ilford Ilfotol wetting agent.  It works a treat and is as good as any RCM as it does the same thing.  Total cost (excluding vac) less than £40 and 1 litre of IPA is enough for a huge record collection as you only use 15 to 20ml per LP.  I scrub the fluid in with a mobil fidelity carbon brush pad (fixed to a DIY store mini hand sander) then vacuum the contaminated solution off which also dries the LP due to evaporation of the cleaning solution.  Works a treat.
  • With my limited engineering skills Ive built my own motorised record cleaner, uses a high torque 12rpm motor which you cant stop by hand when the record is turning. I use an old vacuum cleaner for the suction which sucks the fluid into a separate receiver, all in all its cost me about £25

    Very best

    Lee
  • image
    I always shatter the LP when I try to dry it by pressing it into that colander thingy.
  • That's because it's not for cleaning LP's [-X  what it's very obviously for is cleaning CD's  :)  as evidenced by the vented CD carrier (shown in black).
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