Cleaning vinyl...help!

[pmac]

I`ve tried most, if not all, of the manual methods and, without exception, they arevery poorwhen compared to the results from a vacuum based RCM with a goodquality cleaning solution.

I realise that it is beyond what you are looking to spend, but you will always be doing things by half until you get there.

Second hand models do sometimes crop up atreasonable prices, but not many, which is probably testament to how good they are.

If you have no intentions of making this sort ofinvestment, there was a thread not too long ago where NCDRAWL (I think)was raving about a manual system which worked via the kitchen tap. (can`t find the thread, or I would have included a link). Not sure how much it cost, but he certainly rated it.

[fled]

I have used a VPI for some years now. Its a noisey as hell but cleans the LP's perfectly. Unfortunatly it does zip for records damaged by as naff stylus.
Phil

[Uncle Ants]

pmac wrote:

I`ve tried most, if not all, of the manual methods and, without exception, they arevery poorwhen compared to the results from a vacuum based RCM with a goodquality cleaning solution.

I realise that it is beyond what you are looking to spend, but you will always be doing things by half until you get there.

I disagree. I think this overstates it. Done with care and patience the manual methods can bepretty much as effective as the VPI/Moth/Clearaudio style machines (which I have used), the problem is you do need to be meticulous and you do need to spend a lot more time on it. That the machines save a lot of time and effort is undoubtedly true.

The method of getting the dirt out and into solution is pretty much the same. A brush and liquid - the only difference is that you are moving the brush round rather than a machine moving it for you. The method of removing the dirty solution is the big difference, but there is no reason why rinsing properly with dfistilled water (not tap water) and (very importantly) making sure that once rinsed you only use a clean microfibre cloth (keeping a stock in hand if you doing a few records), it shouldn't be pretty much as effective, andin practice it is.

At times over the years I've had a machine to hand and not had a machine to hand. I wouldn't have said there was anything much in it in terms of how clean the records were either visibly or audibly using either method, but I know if I had a lot to do I'd want a machine ... and some ear defenders.

Now I can't speak for the Monks and Loricraft machines, other than that looking at the way they work on a groove by groove basis, in theory they should be the perfect method. Bloody expensive though.

[bigdur]

Emma Royd wrote:

Uncle Ants wrote:

Emma Royd wrote:

bigdur wrote:

I'd advise against spraying a cleaner on and wiping it off with a cloth, it wont properly clean the disk and will no doubt leave a load of shite behind too

Cannot for the life of me see how this works by spraying a chemical onto the disc,then rubbing excisting shite into the grooves.

It doesn't .... that's why it needs to be rinsed off wth distilled before drying.

Do the instructions state that the disc must be rinsed after spraying?

I was refering to the meathod in post 3. Bad idea imo

[pmac]

Uncle Ants wrote:

pmac wrote:

I`ve tried most, if not all, of the manual methods and, without exception, they arevery poorwhen compared to the results from a vacuum based RCM with a goodquality cleaning solution.

I realise that it is beyond what you are looking to spend, but you will always be doing things by half until you get there.

I disagree. I think this overstates it. Done with care and patience the manual methods can bepretty much as effective as the VPI/Moth/Clearaudio style machines (which I have used), the problem is you do need to be meticulous and you do need to spend a lot more time on it. That the machines save a lot of time and effort is undoubtedly true.

The method of getting the dirt out and into solution is pretty much the same. A brush and liquid - the only difference is that you are moving the brush round rather than a machine moving it for you. The method of removing the dirty solution is the big difference, but there is no reason why rinsing properly with dfistilled water (not tap water) and (very importantly) making sure that once rinsed you only use a clean microfibre cloth (keeping a stock in hand if you doing a few records), it shouldn't be pretty much as effective, andin practice it is.

At times over the years I've had a machine to hand and not had a machine to hand. I wouldn't have said there was anything much in it in terms of how clean the records were either visibly or audibly using either method, but I know if I had a lot to do I'd want a machine ... and some ear defenders.

Now I can't speak for the Monks and Loricraft machines, other than that looking at the way they work on a groove by groove basis, in theory they should be the perfect method. Bloody expensive though.

and that is my point, rinsing just does not clean all of the residue from the grooves in my experience.

Maybe my technique was flawed....

[Uncle Ants]

pmac wrote:

and that is my point, rinsing just does not clean all of the residue from the grooves in my experience.

Maybe my technique was flawed....

Maybe it was. You need to use a lot of it in a squeezy bottle, so that it flows off the record. Much as if you ran it under the tap. It needs to take the dirty solution away with it down the sink.

[flaxton]

i use my old wharfdale turntable from 1972 to clean my vinyl. after cleanibg i suck out the debris with an old cleaner. not brilliant but does quite a good job.

[Borats Baby]

bigdur wrote:

I was refering to the meathod in post 3. Bad idea imo

Before I got the Knosti manual cleaning machine, I cleaned all my charity shop vinyl using either one of the 2 methods in post #3.

One particular LP had some bad tidemarks where it had been in the damp, and mould all over it. A sponge in the sink and a quick rinse saw most of the shite gone and a quick scrub with the AM spray and a microfibre cloth finished the rest off.

For lightly soiled records, the spray works fine on its own, gets rid of fingerprints and such like. The muck comes off on the cloth, you can see it ! The liquid left on the record evaporates away and your left with a record which plays without any pops or clicks and sounds great.

Whats not to like ?

The op stated he didn't really want to spend £50, given that stipulation Jack, what would you suggest ?

[bigdur]

Borats Baby wrote:

bigdur wrote:

I was refering to the meathod in post 3. Bad idea imo

Before I got the Knosti manual cleaning machine, I cleaned all my charity shop vinyl using either one of the 2 methods in post #3.

One particular LP had some bad tidemarks where it had been in the damp, and mould all over it.Â* A sponge in the sink and a quick rinse saw most of the shite gone and a quick scrub with the AM spray and a microfibre cloth finished the rest off.Â*

For lightly soiled records, the spray works fine on its own, gets rid of fingerprints and such like.Â* The muck comes off on the cloth, you can see it !Â* The liquid left on the record evaporates away and your left with a record which plays without any pops or clicks and sounds great.

Whats not to like ?

The op stated he didn't really want to spend £50, given that stipulation Jack, what would you suggest ?

Â*

I wouldn't and didn't suggest anything for a good reason. Those reasons have been discussed in previous posts.

[earlofsodbury]

Nah, don't listen to these muppets, wire brush and Dettol every time

Got me out of sticky spots a few time I can tell you!

Got some sticky spots out me a few times too, by thunder!

[Borats Baby]

bigdur wrote:

I wouldn't and didn't suggest anything for a good reason. Those reasons have been discussed in previous posts.

Furry Muff