View Full Version : The Krazy Karcher Rekord Kleaning Kaper
:mental:
Well this might strike some as a bit of sheer silliness :lol: , however in the spirit of Sir Walter Raleigh, Captain Scott, Livingstone, Cook et al I persevered anyhow:)
Today I was cleaning my French bifold windows with a Karcher window cleaning device for the 1st time, namely the KV2 (I know, all hifi nerds need a model number!) which was a present from the outlaws.
Anyhow as I used it to suck up the remains of the window cleaner from the surface of the glass a niggling thought kept pressing at the back of my mind, which sort of went like this
1. Hmm...., it sucks up the liquid quite well
2. Interesting...
3. The rubber lips seem quite flexible...
4. It's pretty quiet too.....
5. And it's cheap.
6. Almost like a Keith Monks* Recordcle.. OMIGHOD!!!!
7. Wonder if I can use it to clean records?
Any way , I just had to scratch this itch and this thread is the record of my findings. I have a Disco anti stat which I use but there are always marks on the vinyl after cleaning and letting them dry which is a bit annoying, so I wondered what would happen with the Karcher involved...:eyebrows:
* Ok, ok this bit isn't really true , sorry Keith... :oops:
brian2957
18-09-2016, 20:04
:popcorn: :D
Ha! My Mrs uses one for cleaning our shower glass. Lovely job it does, perhaps a microfiber cloth attachment of some sort might be the job also. Let me know how you get on....
Well after a huge amount of head :scratch: scratching and research in to possible materials I alighted some of the finest hardwood known to man which would form the base of the plinth. I obtained this from a little known supplier , from darkest shed corner - reluctantly I decided that I had no option but to cannibalise parts from the disco anti stat, all on the alter of hifi vinyl replay in pursuit of sound resolution.
This pic shows the rare hardwood and vital anti stat part to be used. -
18045
Obviously there is long way to go before my Karcher dream is realised but from such small beginnings do multi-national empires grow...:eek:
brian2957
18-09-2016, 20:44
You sir are a true audiophile :lol:
After several false starts I found a way to drill a precisely dimensioned hole for the spindle and bearing. It was tough as being the slightest mm out would ruin the whole project and with it my dreams. :(
brian2957
18-09-2016, 20:48
You sir are a true audiophile :lol:
With a new Makita drill :eek:
Always a worrying combination :uhho:
Success!!
The spindle fits!! :wow:
The manufacturing process was fraught with difficulty , but we managed it and can now enter the test and learn phase of it's development. :cool:
As this is the prototype I have not used the sintered bronze gun metal bearing I was considering, that will have to wait for the production model. These will of course have a full upgrade path, with appropriate pricing points for only the most discerning (and loaded) audiophiles.
18047
You sir are a true audiophile :lol:
Thang you kind sir! :)
brian2957
18-09-2016, 20:58
Thang you kind sir! :)
You're mostly welcome :D
Welcome to the forum BTW :)
Not wishing to lose momentum testing continues apace, after much consideration and vetting of applicants we alighted upon a suitable candidate for the initial test run of the product.
All set up and ready to go, there is a nervous tension in the air and the anticipation is unbearable. However all the contracts have been signed and it's too late to back out now.
As you can see it's the perfect test specimen, dusty but not too much.
Wetting the vinyl with proprietary cleaning "liquor" formulated from a secret recipe handed down the family for generations....
18052
Using the Karcher to vacum the vinyl.....
A few turns of the platter should do it.
its not getting into the grooves as its pooling in places and not at all in others... surface tension maybe,
Or simply too much fluid has been used, and it's overflowing?
Marco.
brian2957
19-09-2016, 09:22
Not wishing to lose momentum testing continues apace, after much consideration and vetting of applicants we alighted upon a suitable candidate for the initial test run of the product.
:lol: Love it :D
its not getting into the grooves as its pooling in places and not at all in others... surface tension maybe,
Ah , I put the cleaner on and tried to get it to spread with a micro fibre cloth. Of course this sucked a load of it up. On the second side used a brush and it spread a lot more evenly.
Ah , I put the cleaner on and tried to get it to spread with a micro fibre cloth. Of course this sucked a load of it up. On the second side used a brush and it spread a lot more evenly.
More, more please, this tension , surface or not, is unbearable. First time I've laughed all day, more please.
Can we suggest other matters at all please? For the next project could you sharpen the gramophone needle please?
this is just fun, thanks.
For the next project could you sharpen the gramophone needle please?
this is just fun, thanks.
Sir , I assure you, researching for the Rekord Kleaning Kaper is a serious business! I hope to release my results to the public forthwith, in addition to this the search for investors continues....
So how does Noel Edmunds sound after his clean and vac. Is he ruined?
Test completed
The liquid sucked up ok, although it needed several rotations to do it. More importantly there are no marks on the vinyl made by the rubber lips, so it seems unscathed which is a relief. There are no marks or blotches where the liquid has rested in the vinyl waiting to dry like when the anti stat is used. So I would call the Krazy Karcher Kleaning Kaper method a success and I will be applying for patents once I have conducted further trials on more "expendables" :cool:
Pros
Cheap (a KV2 coats about £48) even more so if you have one around the house anyway
Pretty quiet, as compared to say a Moth or Okki Noki
Cons
A bit fiddly but no more than using the anti stat anyway
Needs a more stable bearing, the MK 2 will have the precision bronze sintered bearing as mentioned earlier ;)
An unorthodox and ground breaking record cleaning method, possibly open to ridicule :eek:
Album Review
Seems to give good results , on playing, Noel Edmunds voice is as annoying as ever and you can visualise his face being hit when closing your eyes with real realism :punch: .
Incredibly the Timbre of Clement Freud's oration on that classic track "Fish Fingers and Custard" seems to be even more realistic and "in the room" with the listener than usual.
On further listening I gradually found myself getting sucked into the performances that were on display and I can tell you that I was blown away by the silence and inky blackness when Patrick Moore narrated "Mickie and the Mischievious Alarm Clock"
Eager to test out some female vocals I skipped Jasper Carrots classic offering "Gary the Greatest" and forged ahead to listen to Hannah Gordon and her performance on "Mr Peabody's Squeak" , a track which I have always felt summed up the album and is also a highly technical and challenging piece of work. From the first breathe I knew somehow that this time it would be different. Previously I have felt that her performance sounded a bit muted, almost lacking an intangible "something" :scratch:. It always had more to give.
This time it was completely different, the complex rhythm's and structure of the story came across in spades highlighting her orchestral range and capability. As she progressed the grip on the emotional aspect of the story brought tears to my eyes :wah:, something that happens only on the rarest of occasions.
The piece was written for a casual audience, however that belies it complexity and during the darker passages her voice becomes stark in it's loneliness and tone. A consummate performance!! I found myself so moved on it's completion that I had to giving a standing ovation in the best operatic tradition. :clap:
I think that sums it up, thanks you for your consideration. :)
brian2957
20-09-2016, 11:49
Excellent write up Andy . I may just have to buy one of these Karcher machine to '' clean the windows '' . SWMBO will be very impressed ( if I clean the windows that is )
Please tell me where I can buy this album of musical delectations . I may just have to add it to my collection ( based on your write up of course )
Oh...and thank you for taking the time to introduce us to this wonderful piece of engineering . I look forward to the MK 2 version with bated breath :)
Ive got a cheap version. From aldi or lidl. Cant remember now. Its very good at doing windows. Its probably too wide for records tbh. But if you blocked up one half it may be ok. If there is a part of the sucking slit thats not on the surface its inclined not to work well. Doesnt have the suction of a record cleaner either so might not suck up all the stuff, but might.
Anyway i enjoyed the thread thouroughly...:)
Excellent write up Andy .
Please tell me where I can buy this album of musical delectations . I may just have to add it to my collection ( based on your write up of course )
Oh...and thank you for taking the time to introduce us to this wonderful piece of engineering . I look forward to the MK 2 version with bated breath :)
Alas I fear it has long been deleted, :( I managed to get my rare copy in a flea market in Marrakesh.
Ive got a cheap version. From aldi or lidl. Cant remember now. Its very good at doing windows. Its probably too wide for records tbh. But if you blocked up one half it may be ok. If there is a part of the sucking slit thats not on the surface its inclined not to work well. Doesnt have the suction of a record cleaner either so might not suck up all the stuff, but might.
Anyway i enjoyed the thread thouroughly...:)
Thank you , one advantage of the KV2 over cheaper models is that it has 2 different sized nozzles that come with it, we got all angles covered! :D
Alas I fear it has long been deleted, :( I managed to get my rare copy in a flea market in Marrakesh.
I bet you bought it, walked away, turned around and the stall had vanished.
Taking things out of context to try and score points is a childish thing to do Robert.
Mark Grant
22-09-2016, 10:53
. I may just have to buy one of these Karcher machine to '' clean the windows '' . SWMBO will be very impressed ( if I clean the windows that is )
Karcher oultlet sells refurbs, usually catalogue returns and always good, half the price new usually.
https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=5623
or with the narrower nozzle for records :) and a microfibre head
https://www.karcheroutlet.co.uk/products/product.asp?id=5627
brian2957
22-09-2016, 11:34
Thanks Mark , good price too :)
Jeff Wood
23-09-2016, 08:12
hey guys, I thought about using a Karcher window vac ages ago, so I bought one, and yes it does work on records.
Only thing is my wife has basically stolen it from me, she loves it, as well as windows and the conservatory, it works brilliantly on the shower enclosure.
So if you buy one, keep it to yourself :)
hey guys, I thought about using a Karcher window vac ages ago, so I bought one, and yes it does work on records.
Only thing is my wife has basically stolen it from me, she loves it, as well as windows and the conservatory, it works brilliantly on the shower enclosure.
So if you buy one, keep it to yourself :)
I have not paid this man , he is not a plant!:D
Thanks guys interesting post.
I built an ultrasonic cleaner a few years ago, cleaned fine but drying was an issue.
Ive looked at the commercial kit but never come across the right mix of price to performance. Thought of various DIY dryers using noisy vacumn cleaners etc etc.
Just ordered a Karcher WV2- the narrow nozzle and microfibre may be just what I need.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.