Cleaning Vinyl

[Microbialt]

30 yeasr since I played a record. In those days, you bought a square piece of black 'felt' to wipe your records/vinyl before playing, or at least I did!! What are the modern methods? I've heard about Moth Record Cleaning machines but £500 does NOT come within my current budget! Cheers Tony

[Ali Tait]

Lots of threads on this, have a look at this-

http://maquinaphk.xpg.uol.com.br/models.html

Doesn't look like much, but it does as good a job as any other record cleaning machine. You do need to use your own vacuum cleaner with it though.

[Audio Al]

Look here
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=171835&highlight=Moth+Record+Cleaning+machine

:)

[Macca]

Ali's alternative is a good one but if that is out of budget too then your only real option is the wood glue/PVA method. It works but it is a time-consuming and you need a well-ventilated area for application and drying unless you want to get a thick head. Drying takes hours and hours but peeling the dried glue caste off is quite good fun.

Don't be tempted to wash them in the sink with fairy liquid or any of the other half-brained suggestions you might see around.

[Gordon Steadman]

Ali's alternative is a good one but if that is out of budget too then your only real option is the wood glue/PVA method. It works but it is a time-consuming and you need a well-ventilated area for application and drying unless you want to get a thick head. Drying takes hours and hours but peeling the dried glue caste off is quite good fun.

Don't be tempted to wash them in the sink with fairy liquid or any of the other half-brained suggestions you might see around.

If Fairy is half-brained then so is wood glue. They work just about as well as each other in my experience. I have tried both (on old vinyl of course) and whilst the washing up liquid might not be recommended, I can't see how it does any more harm that PVA provided it is rinsed off well with some distilled water and dried properly. Darn sight quicker that's for sure.

The only good way is with a machine designed for the purpose although the ISIS recommended Revirginator looks interesting but expensive.

[Audio Advent]

30 yeasr since I played a record. In those days, you bought a square piece of black 'felt' to wipe your records/vinyl before playing, or at least I did!! What are the modern methods? I've heard about Moth Record Cleaning machines but £500 does NOT come within my current budget! Cheers Tony

Moth Record cleaning machines, and Keith Monks machines etc etc were also around MORE than 30 years ago!

Pretty much the very same methods from back then are the ones in use today. As always, it depends on your budget or your ability to make a machine somehow yourself.

The only modern technique I can think of is one which slowly turns the record in an ultrasonic cleaning bath - a commercial machine aimed at audiophiles is a rip-off £3000 or something daft whilst some people on the internet have made their own for £200 odd and a bit of handy work.

[struth]

If Fairy is half-brained then so is wood glue. They work just about as well as each other in my experience. I have tried both (on old vinyl of course) and whilst the washing up liquid might not be recommended, I can't see how it does any more harm that PVA provided it is rinsed off well with some distilled water and dried properly. Darn sight quicker that's for sure.

The only good way is with a machine designed for the purpose although the ISIS recommended Revirginator looks interesting but expensive.

yes if you dont have a huge amount of vinyl then a 500 pound machine isnt nesessary. the revirginator isnt cheap but apparently does a great job and youll get a fair few out of a bottle done.. record cleaner fluid is not that much cheaper and you have to factor in the machine cists as well

[Macca]

If Fairy is half-brained then so is wood glue. They work just about as well as each other in my experience. I have tried both (on old vinyl of course) and whilst the washing up liquid might not be recommended, I can't see how it does any more harm that PVA provided it is rinsed off well with some distilled water and dried properly. Darn sight quicker that's for sure.

The only good way is with a machine designed for the purpose although the ISIS recommended Revirginator looks interesting but expensive.

Tap water has mineral deposits in it which you don't want nestling into your grooves, not sure about distilled. But the fairy liquid has salt in it so is a mild abrasive, wheras the glue method does no harm providing you dont skimp so that when you peel it away it comes off in one piece. It's a bit like the shed skin of the monster in Alien. I know since I've tried it on a number of albums. Also tried the Re-Virginator but it is no different to the glue as far as I can tell.

[Thebiglebowski]

For a few records buy a disco antistat

For quite a few records buy an Okki Nokki

For lots and lots of records buy a VPI or Loricraft

For a waste of time and effort use PVA/wood glue

I don't like the Moth or Nitty Gritty machines as they vacuum from underneath which means you have to turn the record over after cleaning which drips the cleaning fluid everywhere.

[struth]

mine dont drip :)

[Macca]

I've never found that to be an issue with my Moth but then again I'm a messy bugger anyway so I wouldn't notice a few drips here and there.

Tha advantage of the uinderslung vacuum wand is that it doesn't matter how thick or thin the record is it will still make full contact/suction.

[hifi_dave]

I've been using the same Moth RCM for thirty or so years and drips are not a problem at all. The occasional drip occurs which is quickly mopped up by a piece of kitchen paper. End of.

[Gordon Steadman]

For a few records buy a disco antistat

For quite a few records buy an Okki Nokki

For lots and lots of records buy a VPI or Loricraft

For a waste of time and effort use PVA/wood glue

I don't like the Moth or Nitty Gritty machines as they vacuum from underneath which means you have to turn the record over after cleaning which drips the cleaning fluid everywhere.

Can't agree about the Antistat. I used it a few times and then threw it in the bin where it belongs. All the LPs I did ended up with bad deposits and noise, even after rinsing in fresh solution after the initial dip.

Funnily enough, the couple I did in washing up liquid are still fine, shiny and clean and playing without noise.... well, apart from the music of course:eyebrows:. We use some green, bio stuff that Ronnie likes, maybe it's the secret ingredient, that and French water!!

[Microbialt]

Thanks guys ...plenty to go at there!!! Tony (Microbialt)

[Tom-Brown]

Have a look at this - http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?37112-Record-Restorer-Liquid-Review I'm really pleased with it and today I actually used the "sponge" provided as I only had a couple of lp's to clean....One a 1962 Aretha Franklin had loads of background static - gave it the once over and rinsed under the tap - plays great :) :)

[Floyddroid]

I'm with you on this one Chris.
For a few records buy a disco antistat

For quite a few records buy an Okki Nokki

For lots and lots of records buy a VPI or Loricraft

For a waste of time and effort use PVA/wood glue

I don't like the Moth or Nitty Gritty machines as they vacuum from underneath which means you have to turn the record over after cleaning which drips the cleaning fluid everywhere.

[Rush2112]

Well Tony it's a issue all vinyl lovers face if they want to minimise surface noise. For me the Moth RCM is the solution I settled on, I am sure second hand or kit form this can be achieved at below the £500. However, along the way a good antistatic gun such as Zerostat / Nagoka with a carbon fibre brush such as Goldring / Hunt is a very cost effective start, although probably not as easy to track down as they once were! Also there is some comment about dripping fluid from using vacuum machines. I have used my Morh for well over 20years and never had an issue, maybe this is about method and cleaning solution more than overall design.

[Barry]

If you are on a limited budget but are reasonably competant at DIY, you could always build your own: http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?29230-A-DIY-RCM. :)

Agree with what others have said concerning the Nitty Gritty machines - I have never had problems with 'drips'.

[NRG]

My Nitty Gritty 2.5FI wets, cleans and vacuums from underneath the record, there's no need to flip the record over in between so no drips at all...

[Audio Al]

Sounds like you are applying 2 much fluid and flooding the record

Just enough is good enough make sure its wet all over

I had a Okki Nokki but now have a moth , the moth is a better machine in my opinion ;)