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Record Cleaning - DIY Methods and Results


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Loving a bargain, fixing stuff and DIY are strong personality traits of mine. So I've taken to searching out old records and bringing them back to life like a duck to water. There are many methods to use and choose, depending on the condition of the vinyl, so choosing what to do is part of the fun. Whether it takes a simply brushing with the trusty carbon fibre & velvet, wet washing or going "nuclear" with the wood glue.

 

After some good results, I'd thought I'd share the results of cleaning a "new" second hand record today. I originally planned to do a wet clean and then woodglue, but the wet clean gave such great results I'd thought I'd share, before continuing with the wood glue to see if there is further improvement.

 

The test bunny...... an original Australian pressing of Spirit's 1968 debut (not even listed on Discogs) , a bit of surface scratching, but worth a shot at restoring for $3  :)

 

14746087565_0554913fd0_c.jpg

 

 

So I set to it with my trusty DIY wet cleaning kit......

 

14765950903_5aa26c3583_c.jpg

 

 

Result was good, so I thought I would post sample audio files now, and then get on with the wood glue to see if I can lift the last of the pops (even though I'm almost happy to leave as is).

 

Before:

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - Before Wash MP3

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - Before Wash FLAC

 

After the wet washing:

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - After Wash MP3

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - Before Wash FLAC

 

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Good job enikoy!  A wet cleaning certainly improved

 

I use an Okki Nokki RCM with L'Art du Son cleaning fluid. Any second hand records I buy are usually graded excellent + but the odd one has stubborn clicks and pops that can't be removed by the Okki Nokki. 

 

Also have used Record Revirginizer with mixed results, sometimes there's only so much that can be done to remove the clicks & pops.

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Where in Perth did you find Spirit for $3??? I've been looking for a copy for ages...

DaDa's on Thursday. i thought it was a bit scratched up, seems it was fairly superficial though.

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DaDa's on Thursday. i thought it was a bit scratched up, seems it was fairly superficial though.

 

I always have a quick look at the second hand there, but seems he prices them so well that all the good stuff fly's out the door in a flash.  I asked Rob some months ago if he was getting the Robin Trower re-issues in at all and he promptly told me that he had the first six albums on the second hand shelf for about a day before the went.  Seems like I'm just a tad too late!.

 

Anyway back on topic, I got one of these ultrasonic cleaner kits from Altronics:

 

http://www.altronics.com.au/p/k6021-high-power-ultrasonic-cleaner-kit/

 

Which I was able to successfully use to clean one of my Wishbone Ash albums quite well, until I let the smoke out of one of the MOSFETs.  Bugger.  When Silicon Chip say use it sparingly on burst mode, they mean it!  I'm considering rehousing in an alloy case and mounting the MOSFETs on that for heat sinking.

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Part 2 of the DIY record cleaning experience. Woodglue! Normally I wouldn't have bothered continuing with this as I was happy with wet wash results, but thought I might lift a few more pops.

 

Here is the woodglue set:

 

14731221926_da8387c5d4_c.jpg

 

It's winter, so the glue took a bit longer to dry even with fan & sunshine assist, but peeled off nicely.  Listening through, I can hear only the slightest drop in surface noise. Comparing the wet wash vs wood glue files with Audacity, it appears a few pops have gone, but three have definitely appeared at 1min20, 1min40 & 2min21. Not bad but shows that some residual glue may stay behind using this technique (these may not re-appear on next play though). I believe that the pre-existing pops are plain old physical damage on a $3, 46 year old record.

 

Here are the wood glue files (note I use a cheap $15 Ebay analogue to digital USB device):

 

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - After Wood Glue MP3

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - After Wood Glue FLAC

 

In hindsight, I think that using the wood glue on the dirty vinyl would have got this result in one go, more or less exactly the same as the wet cleaning method. So I reckon wet cleaing is the winner here as it is much quicker process start to finish (actually effort time is about the same though).

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I always have a quick look at the second hand there, but seems he prices them so well that all the good stuff fly's out the door in a flash.  I asked Rob some months ago if he was getting the Robin Trower re-issues in at all and he promptly told me that he had the first six albums on the second hand shelf for about a day before the went.  Seems like I'm just a tad too late!.

 

Anyway back on topic, I got one of these ultrasonic cleaner kits from Altronics:

 

http://www.altronics.com.au/p/k6021-high-power-ultrasonic-cleaner-kit/

 

Which I was able to successfully use to clean one of my Wishbone Ash albums quite well, until I let the smoke out of one of the MOSFETs.  Bugger.  When Silicon Chip say use it sparingly on burst mode, they mean it!  I'm considering rehousing in an alloy case and mounting the MOSFETs on that for heat sinking.

Robin Trowers "For Earth Below" was sitting in there for a while, was a very very good UK pressing for $15.

 

The ultrasonic cleaner looks like the way of the future, but a bit pricey at $150 per record  ;)

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Robin Trowers "For Earth Below" was sitting in there for a while, was a very very good UK pressing for $15.

 

The ultrasonic cleaner looks like the way of the future, but a bit pricey at $150 per record  ;)

 

Got that one.

 

I think I'll redesign, and come up with a better system.  The stock SC cleaner doesn't have a heatsink on the mosfets and they are mounted really close to the HV transformer so as I said, I'll probably put them in an alloy case, maybe with fan too.

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I always have a quick look at the second hand there, but seems he prices them so well that all the good stuff fly's out the door in a flash.  I asked Rob some months ago if he was getting the Robin Trower re-issues in at all and he promptly told me that he had the first six albums on the second hand shelf for about a day before the went.  Seems like I'm just a tad too late!.

 

Anyway back on topic, I got one of these ultrasonic cleaner kits from Altronics:

 

http://www.altronics.com.au/p/k6021-high-power-ultrasonic-cleaner-kit/

 

Which I was able to successfully use to clean one of my Wishbone Ash albums quite well, until I let the smoke out of one of the MOSFETs.  Bugger.  When Silicon Chip say use it sparingly on burst mode, they mean it!  I'm considering rehousing in an alloy case and mounting the MOSFETs on that for heat sinking.

I am considering this unit. Compare to wet cleaning how do you rate ultrasonic cleaner kit? Is there any instruction how to use it for records?

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Loving a bargain, fixing stuff and DIY are strong personality traits of mine. So I've taken to searching out old records and bringing them back to life like a duck to water. There are many methods to use and choose, depending on the condition of the vinyl, so choosing what to do is part of the fun. Whether it takes a simply brushing with the trusty carbon fibre & velvet, wet washing or going "nuclear" with the wood glue.

 

After some good results, I'd thought I'd share the results of cleaning a "new" second hand record today. I originally planned to do a wet clean and then woodglue, but the wet clean gave such great results I'd thought I'd share, before continuing with the wood glue to see if there is further improvement.

 

The test bunny...... an original Australian pressing of Spirit's 1968 debut (not even listed on Discogs) , a bit of surface scratching, but worth a shot at restoring for $3  :)

 

14746087565_0554913fd0_c.jpg

 

 

So I set to it with my trusty DIY wet cleaning kit......

 

14765950903_5aa26c3583_c.jpg

 

 

Result was good, so I thought I would post sample audio files now, and then get on with the wood glue to see if I can lift the last of the pops (even though I'm almost happy to leave as is).

 

Before:

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - Before Wash MP3

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - Before Wash FLAC

 

After the wet washing:

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - After Wash MP3

Spirit - Fresh Garbage - Before Wash FLAC

Hi mate,I've got few questions for you -what ratio's do you use,with iso and distilled water?and where did you get that big bottle of iso and how much was it?

Edited by masliko
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@@masliko

 

Sam if your in Adelaide then you can get truly 'big' bottles of the stuff here>>> Click   5 litres for $27.50 which is a really good price or if your planning a huge clean you can get 20 litres for $89.95, I wont mention the 44 gallon drum of the stuffs price :cool:

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I only use the iso treatment as a light clean,when i play my LP's. For me,this treatment  has never gotten out deep groove dust(pops & clicks) etc.

 

 

I personally don't use sponges but only because the soft cloth method has worked well-again just for surface problems.I dont see a problem with using sponges.Records are more hardy than people think IMO.

 

I will use revirginizer for that(when i can afford some).Most of my problems are deep groove issues.

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So I set to it with my trusty DIY wet cleaning kit......

 

14765950903_5aa26c3583_c.jpg

The contents of my wet cleaning kit are:

Distilled water - 4l from Coles/Bunnings @$3-4

Isopropyl Alcohol - 2l from Altronics Perth @$20

Finish Rinse Aid - cheap surfactant http://www.rsc.org/learn-chemistry/resources/chemistry-in-your-cupboard/finish/13

Paint Pads - Shur Line, soft fine bristles over soft foam layer, from Bunnings @$3-4

Lazy Susan - Ikea

Ribbed plastic shelf liner - cut to fit & sit on lazy susan - Bunnings

500ml Spray bottles - 1x cleaning solution & 1x distilled water for rinse - Bunnings

Microfibre towels - Bunnings hey!

Cleaning Fluid Mix - roughly 20-30% isopropyl, 70-80% distilled water, one or two drops of Rinse Aid in 500ml

Method:

- record sits on shelf liner on lazy susan

- spray cleaning fluid on vinyl, while turning.

- lightly hold paint pad on grooved section while turning both directions 3 or 4 times

- repeat for other side

- hold vertically record by edge over a sink and use blast/squirt the distilled water in sprayer2 at grooved section to remove cleaning fluid.

- get towel/s and pat down any water on the label (try to avoid getting it there)

- wipe dry the record by holding towel inside hands, hold record within towel and rotating around until mostly dry. Flip disc and repeat. (see second video at 3.30, for technique)

- stand disc upright to air-dry (lean against wall at angle or get a rack)

Since doing the last batch I have returned to using a cotton hand/bath towel as it seems to absorb more water, leaving less surface noise. Any cotton fibres seem tcome away easily with first carbon brush clean.

The method is basically a trial and error mix of these two youtube videos:

Without using the vacuum to clean.

and the towel wiping here at around 3m30s. Not so sure about the rest of his technique.

Edited by enikoy
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I am considering this unit. Compare to wet cleaning how do you rate ultrasonic cleaner kit? Is there any instruction how to use it for records?

 

I would personally not use that Altronics unit for cleaning LPs.  However, having owned a wet/vac RCM for 25 years, ultrasonic RCMs are the way of the future, IMO. :)  Read the DIYAudio thread I linked to in post #10 - some reasonably-priced retail units have come out of that, if you're not into DIY.  And there are a couple of very good - but very high-priced - big-name ultrasonic RCMs on the market.

 

 

Regards,

 

Andy

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I am going to give uvex lens cleaning solution 1009 ,a try on a couple of old records(out of the misuses) collection and see how that goes

 

Going by the m.s.d.s it contains 20% isopropyl less than 5% surfactant and balance demineralized water

comes in a nice 500mil spray bottle and shouldn't hurt vinyl as its designed for plastic safety glasses and leaves very little residue as you can see through it..

I wonder if there is to much surfactant though ?

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Care to elaborate as to why not use the SC kit?  Apart from cooking MOSFETs ;-))

 

Sure, mackeb.  I've spent a lot of time following this 74-page DIYAudio thread:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analogue-source/218276-my-version-ultrasonic-record-cleaner.html

 

... and they're using ultrasonic kits which don't blow MOSFETs. ;)

 

The earlier guys bought 40KHz units but now we're seeing 60 & 80KHz transducers becoming available at a 'reasonable' price.

 

Of course, if you've got the ready ... you can buy some commercial systems (is it "Systeme-Desk"?), but some of the ultrasonic units the DIYAudio guys have put together are pretty sensational - for far less money.

 

 

Regards,

 

Andy

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The big trouble with the SC kit is no heat sinks, no space on the board to mount one so need to remote mount the MOSFETs etc.  It does use a 40kHZ transducer although it sweeps from about 12kHZ to 40 in the burst mode - the one I was using to fry semi conductors.

 

I really like the commercial unit that dries the record as well - ready for play!

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I really like the commercial unit that dries the record as well - ready for play!

 

Absolutely, mackeb - that's the "real deal" as far as I am concerned.  But:

  • it's costly,
  • it (I believe) only uses 40KHz transducers, and
  • I'm not sure it has a "filter" cycle - to remove all the crud from the water?

 

Regards,

 

Andy

Edited by andyr
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