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Thread: Record flattening

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2016

    Location: Shenfield

    Posts: 573
    I'm Slav.

    Default Record flattening

    Pulled out 96's "Mercury Falling " and to my surprise is warped , not massively but enough to make me worried if played .
    I looked up possible options and Analogue Seduction offers record flattening service , anyone got any experience with ?

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Large pot of warm water. Place on top of record with pillow case between record and pot and leave to cool. Repeat increasing heat until satisfied with result.

    Alternative is to press record between two sheets of glass and load heavy weights on top, ideally books. This can take a long time to work, even weeks.

    Geoff

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2015

    Location: Woodmancote, West Sussex

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    I'm Ian.

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    I've used this method a couple of times with good results

    https://youtu.be/ljRaBiZLtGk
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  4. #4
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

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    I'm Russell.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    Large pot of warm water. Place on top of record with pillow case between record and pot and leave to cool. Repeat increasing heat until satisfied with result.

    Alternative is to press record between two sheets of glass and load heavy weights on top, ideally books. This can take a long time to work, even weeks.

    Geoff
    It only takes a little heat to flatten a record, two sheets of glass and a hair dryer will work well, use as little heat as possible, and stop the instant it flattens out. Trying to flatten a cold record will most likely cause cracks.

    The guy in the video in the next post warns of burning the record and flattening the grooves, you’d really be using way to much heat if that happens. A little common sense goes a long way here.

    Russell

  5. #5
    Audio Al is offline Pishanto Specialist & Super-Daftee
    Join Date: May 2012

    Location: Dagenham Essex

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    I'm Allen.

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    Anyone tried one of these ?


    1200px-Ruthemeyer_Miss-Elli_vr1.jpg



    [

  6. #6
    Join Date: May 2016

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    I'm Geoff.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    It only takes a little heat to flatten a record, two sheets of glass and a hair dryer will work well, use as little heat as possible, and stop the instant it flattens out. Trying to flatten a cold record will most likely cause cracks.

    The guy in the video in the next post warns of burning the record and flattening the grooves, you’d really be using way to much heat if that happens. A little common sense goes a long way here.

    Russell
    That is why the warm water in pot works so well. There is a reservoir of heat energy that dissipates slowly, and the pillow case allows for a slow build up of warmth rather than full on heat.
    Last edited by Sherwood; 30-04-2018 at 19:43. Reason: typo

  7. #7
    montesquieu Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    That is why the warm water in pot works so well. Their is a reservoir of heat energy that dissipates slowly, and the pillow case allows for a slow build up of warmth rather than full on heat.
    Great idea this. Going to try it out next weekend.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

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    I'm Martin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post

    Alternative is to press record between two sheets of glass and load heavy weights on top, ideally books. This can take a long time to work, even weeks.

    Geoff
    I tried that and it worked like a charm. I left it at least a week, might have been longer. A seriously warped record, warped from new, became completely flat and playable. Until a few months later when I went to play it again and it had reverted back to its original shape.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

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    I'm Russell.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    That is why the warm water in pot works so well. Their is a reservoir of heat energy that dissipates slowly, and the pillow case allows for a slow build up of warmth rather than full on heat.
    Yes I can see the logic in the warm water method. One important step is to remove all heat the instant it returns to flat. You could put something flat on top at that time, that is not hot, to be sure it remains flat as it cools. But even that may not be necessary?

    I’ve got one album right now that has developed a warp. My Jethro Tull, Auqulung. I’m not sure how that happened? It’s stored with the rest of my records, which are not warped. I suspect it has always been there, but over the years I’ve noticed that sometimes it seems very warped, and other times it’s only slightly warped. Why? Perhaps the jacket is screwy, and is applying force on the record depending on humidity? Or perhaps when it’s warm the record expands and makes it worse?

    Sometimes it’s just slight and the needle will track it fine, and other times the needle will get airborne as it passes over it for about two or three rotations before it settles in and tracks. I’ve made a habit of dropping the needle about 10 grooves from the beginning to spare the needle the wear and tear. It would be a good candidate to experiment on, and see if I can flatten it with warm water. The three I’ve made flat before have stayed flat as far as I know. But I used two sheets of glass and a hair dryer on those. I didn’t heat the glass, I heated the record, and laid the glass on top once it was warm enough to flatten out. That was years ago, like 25 years ago maybe? And I had seen an article about two sheets of glass with the record in between, placed in the oven at its lowest setting. That sounded risky to me, so I thought of the hair dryer method. But apparently others have had success with the oven method? As always, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.

    Russell

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2016

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    I'm paul.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Audio Al View Post
    Anyone tried one of these ?


    1200px-Ruthemeyer_Miss-Elli_vr1.jpg



    is that from bay city?
    Bakoon 13r Denon DP80 Stax UA-70 Shure Ultra 500 in a Martin Bastin body with jico stylus, project ds2 digital Rullit aero 8 field coils in tqwt speakers

    Office system, DIY CSS fullrange speakers with aurum cantus G2 ribbons yulong dac Sony STR6055 receiver Jvc QL-A51 direct drive turntable, Leema sub. JVC Z4S cart is in the house

    Garage system another Sony receiver, cassette deck


    System components are subject to change without warning and at the discretion of the owner.

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