View Full Version : Necessary Evil - Cleaning Records
Don't you just love wet cleaning records, might only have been 7 albums but it was 21 sides, 1 was engraved so didn't need cleaning, phew.
Mind you it does make a big difference, just takes time, choons in background help [emoji4]
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190318/a093e959a935fd47cdbe4e0d36914940.jpg
Audio Al
18-03-2019, 12:59
When you have over 1000 records it becomes a way of life :)
I enjoy doing it and have now added a ultrasonic bath cleaner from Spider :)
When you have over 1000 records it becomes a way of life :)
I enjoy doing it and have now added a ultrasonic bath cleaner from Spider :)Getting there myself with 800+ [emoji50]
Was thinking about buying an ultrasonic from Spyder, might do yet but I only need to clean as I buy now as all the rest are done.
Ultrasonic looks to clean a bit better than a vacuum one, but it's one of those will I won't I scenarios as I already have a cleaner [emoji848]
Ali Tait
18-03-2019, 13:05
Not too onerous if you have a vacuum RCM, makes life easier. I like the Clearaudio one that cleans both sides at the same time, but it ain’t cheap!
Not too onerous if you have a vacuum RCM, makes life easier. I like the Clearaudio one that cleans both sides at the same time, but it ain’t cheap!Using an Okki Nokki just now, just going over my new purchases this morning, but I still have a good few to do as I can't stop buying [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Not too onerous if you have a vacuum RCM, makes life easier. I like the Clearaudio one that cleans both sides at the same time, but it ain’t cheap!
would that be the double matrix at nearly 4 k? certainly looks the dogs danglies
https://www.hifisound.co.uk/images/products/zoom/1345283582-02205100.jpg
Ali Tait
18-03-2019, 13:11
LOL aye have been there. Guess it’s one good thing about have all my vinyl in storage, it’s stopped me spending a fortune on records..
Ultrasonic one around £250 will do me, £4k !
[emoji50]
Audio Al
18-03-2019, 13:11
I will only use the ultrasonic rcm on new to me records once , As I am not 100% sure that repeted use would not damage the record , so for me it's once in the ultra machine then onto the PRC3 rcm ;)
Ali Tait
18-03-2019, 13:12
would that be the double matrix at nearly 4 k? certainly looks the dogs danglies
https://www.hifisound.co.uk/images/products/zoom/1345283582-02205100.jpg
Aye its the danglies Grant, Dave Brooks has got one, had a shot of it a few times.
Aye its the danglies Grant, Dave Brooks has got one, had a shot of it a few times.
Sad I know but I'm chuckling away to myself reading that [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
Mike Reed
21-03-2019, 22:36
Cleaned my whole collection (1250 ish) over a three year span with my trusty 16.5. Mine's upstairs next to the office so I used to go onto the forums whilst cleaning and forget what I was doing, needing another dose of fluid.
For me, a big problem with (most?) ultrasonics is that they don't vacuum. This negates the whole idea of washing, drying and sleeving in a short space of time. Why clean a record and let the dust fall on it whilst it's air-drying? For me, unworkable and impractical.
Audio Al
21-03-2019, 23:29
Cleaned my whole collection (1250 ish) over a three year span with my trusty 16.5. Mine's upstairs next to the office so I used to go onto the forums whilst cleaning and forget what I was doing, needing another dose of fluid.
For me, a big problem with (most?) ultrasonics is that they don't vacuum. This negates the whole idea of washing, drying and sleeving in a short space of time. Why clean a record and let the dust fall on it whilst it's air-drying? For me, unworkable and impractical.
I US clean once then use my Loricraft prc3 for any further cleaning :)
Cleaned my whole collection (1250 ish) over a three year span with my trusty 16.5. Mine's upstairs next to the office so I used to go onto the forums whilst cleaning and forget what I was doing, needing another dose of fluid.
For me, a big problem with (most?) ultrasonics is that they don't vacuum. This negates the whole idea of washing, drying and sleeving in a short space of time. Why clean a record and let the dust fall on it whilst it's air-drying? For me, unworkable and impractical.
Many who might buy an ultrasonic may already own a vacuum unit? Seems to me vacuuming after an ultrasonic bath would be the cleanest solution? And, ready to put back in the sleeve or play.
I have not cleaned all my albums, I tend to clean them as I go to play them, if they are not already clean, I’ll do so before playing. So any records that I rarely play, or haven’t played in years, are still dirty.
Russell
scotty38
22-03-2019, 08:15
Why clean a record and let the dust fall on it whilst it's air-drying?
I'm in that same boat, I clean on the Project and rush to get the record into its new anti-static sleeve to prevent dust etc falling on it.
I then spend 20 odd minutes per side with it open to the elements on the turntable..... :lol:
killie99
22-03-2019, 08:36
For me, a big problem with (most?) ultrasonics is that they don't vacuum. This negates the whole idea of washing, drying and sleeving in a short space of time. Why clean a record and let the dust fall on it whilst it's air-drying? For me, unworkable and impractical.
When they come out the ultrasonic bath I put them in a rack vertically for around 10 minutes and they are bone dry. No dust settled on them. I sold my Okki after using the ultrasonic on 1 batch of LP's, much cleaner and sooooo much quieter when playing, not a pop or crackle to be heard.
DiveDeepDog
22-03-2019, 12:59
I cleaned all the records I took to WigWam show on a Velvet Vortex, made the decision this week they all need doing so I've started with A's, got to B this week, its gonna take a while:doh:
I've found the oven works to get them dry, Knosti rack with just the fan on. I'm cleaning 3 at a time for 20 mins due to drying time as much as anything. It'll probably reduce if we get a warm summer.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7869/32499582937_90bd564818_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RvSRJR)IMG_5203 (https://flic.kr/p/RvSRJR) by mark leatherland (https://www.flickr.com/photos/49381909@N08/), on Flickr
Audio Al
22-03-2019, 13:12
I cleaned all the records I took to WigWam show on a Velvet Vortex, made the decision this week they all need doing so I've started with A's, got to B this week, its gonna take a while:doh:
I've found the oven works to get them dry, Knosti rack with just the fan on. I'm cleaning 3 at a time for 20 mins due to drying time as much as anything. It'll probably reduce if we get a warm summer.
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7869/32499582937_90bd564818_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/RvSRJR)IMG_5203 (https://flic.kr/p/RvSRJR) by mark leatherland (https://www.flickr.com/photos/49381909@N08/), on Flickr
Do you baste them when in the oven so they come out nice and crispy :D
Can see the chippy menu next week...
Deep Fried LP
Tasty [emoji6][emoji23]
DiveDeepDog
22-03-2019, 16:32
Can see the chippy menu next week...
Deep Fried LP
Tasty [emoji6][emoji23]
I was just about to correct myself, its only the fan running, no extra heat, plenty of hot air about this place :p
I built an ultrasonic cleaner about 10 yrs ago, working with some guys on DIY audio.
It works reasonable well but can be expensive if not used regularly re keeping it full of CLEAN fluid.
I bought the Ultasonic unit on Ebay, the unit failed and was, after some hassle, replaced
https://i.imgur.com/diVt3Bg.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/jZZUu0l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/reckYFv.jpg
Drying the records was an issue.
A few months ago I bought a S/H project cleaner. My experience is that it beats the Ultasonic . Its quicker and the high vacumn is much better at extracting the grit from the tracks and drying is easy. Very happy with it so far.
I still have the option to use both, but so far I haven't had to, its easier to do a double run on the Project.
DiveDeepDog
22-03-2019, 17:59
I'd only used Knosti before the Ultrasonic, whenever I've been near the vac cleaners the noise has put me off, but always good to have alternatives. The dream machine is still a Loricroft
*Velvet Vortex has a drain tap so fluid can be filtered after each use. I guess the technology (all the baths are sourced in China) has moved along a bit.
WESTLOWER
22-03-2019, 18:02
Tom of this parish has already posted about the off the shelf ultrasonic options.
I personally went for the Audiodesk Systeme RCM
After faffing with other options including vacuum... this is a breeze and perfect!
Stick the record in the slot and press a button
Come back 5 minutes later ...
Clean dry record. No brainer..but does cost .
Got a recon unit and wasn’t half as expensive as you’d think.
I know they save a few quid but the DIY approach looks like a relative nightmare in comparison.
montesquieu
22-03-2019, 18:12
Tom of this parish has already done the off the shelf ultrasonic options.
I went for the Audiodesk Systeme RCM
After faffing with other options including vacuum... this is a breeze and perfect!
Stick the record in the slot and press a button
Come back 5 minutes later ...
Clean dry record. No brainer..but does cost .
Yes I went for a Degritter - still running the prototype but my (long delayed) production version will, I'm told, ship next week. Put record in the slot, hit the button, come back and play. In parellel I had the top of the line Loricraft which is whisper-quiet, I hung onto it expecting to use it in combination, but in the end I found having just the Degritter works fine on its own.
If you have lots of records it's a no-brainer. The AudioDesk is pretty good too (I had a loan of one for a bit).
For me the driver is ease of use = more frequent use. With the old Moth I used to have to go to the study (or garage) and wear ear defenders - hence the massive 'to clean' pile that never seemed to shrink- it was just too much hassle to do it too often, or to do too many at once.
The Loricraft changed that - I was able to do records in the living room as they needed cleaning - but you still need to tend the machine - put fluid on, apply brush, set the vacuum, rinse, repeat, turn over and do the same thing all over again. Of course it also cleaned better than the Moth.
By contrast to either scenario, one slot, one button cleaning is a total joy. And the Degritter looks more like a high-end toaster or coffee-maker than your classic large box RCM - scores very highly for domestic acceptability.
Mike Reed
22-03-2019, 20:05
I'm in that same boat, I clean on the Project and rush to get the record into its new anti-static sleeve to prevent dust etc falling on it.
Dunno what fluid you use, but even with an IPA mix the record needs a minute or two, depending on ambient temperature, to fully dry. Actually, you can see when a record is still damp by holding it up to natural light; it'll shine when dry (unless cream-crackered !) Put a newly VPIed record into a Nag. style sleeve too early once and found a greyish film on it some weeks later when I played it; mind you, it came off with another clean.
Mentions of cost of running US cleaners in previous posts. Is this because of the fluid? Can't you use cheap to manufacture IPA mix in these?
When I take a record off the moth it's dry. I only clean when I find a dirty one. Brian was here a few days ago and both records I used needed cleaned doh.. Both now done
Mike Reed
24-03-2019, 15:54
When I take a record off the moth it's dry.
Same here, but vacuuming alone cannot fully dry a record; only evaporation can achieve that, which is why I never sleeve directly after vacuuming.
scotty38
24-03-2019, 17:22
Dunno what fluid you use, but even with an IPA mix the record needs a minute or two, depending on ambient temperature, to fully dry. Actually, you can see when a record is still damp by holding it up to natural light; it'll shine when dry (unless cream-crackered !) Put a newly VPIed record into a Nag. style sleeve too early once and found a greyish film on it some weeks later when I played it; mind you, it came off with another clean.
Mentions of cost of running US cleaners in previous posts. Is this because of the fluid? Can't you use cheap to manufacture IPA mix in these?
I use Moth fluid as it happens but the point I was making was that I race to get it into its anti-static sleeve and then leave it out for twenty minutes on the turntable. It was supposed to be irony I think :)
As an aside I don't put them away wet.....
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