I bought around 100 albums yesterday from someone on CL and most are just dirty and dusty. What would be a good way to clean these without having to purchas a record cleaner?

Thanks.

What would be a good way to clean these without having to purchas a record cleaner?

Sell them to me.:yes: There is no "good" way around this without a RCM. :no:

You could get a diskwasher, or another type of LP cleaner pad, or paint pad.. dampen lightly with even just distilled water, then as they spin, let the brush ride over them and pick up the dust... That's the way I do most my LP's. Always before playing any.. I reserve my RCM and vac for the really dirty ones..

Sell them to me. :yes:

I didn't really look through them when I bought them. When I got home and looked through them there was a first pressing of Led Zeppelin I and II - but they aren't in the greatest of shape. Just about all of them are first pressings - Doors, CCR, TDN, Van Morrison, etc. Alot of 60's stuff. There was even an Japanese import of The Young Rascals in there. Pretty neat collection.

Build a RCM. Search AK or the net for plans. It will be well worth your while. You need about $50 worth of parts max to build one. You don't even have to mount it in a nice case or anything. I didn't. I just have an old vacuum that sits next to an old turntable with the arm removed.

Well, I have an old vacuum that's just sitting around so maybe I can put it to better use than what it was intended for.

The quickest way to start listening to what you have might be to do a mass production clean. Take them all out of the sleeves, give them all a sponge bath of a std DIY solution, rinse with distilled, dry with soft lint free non-nubby towel (so nothing flakes off), wipe clean the interiors of the paper sleeves (or replace with new inners). Put them all back and then go through individual scrub downs. Scrub and play side one only first. See if each LP is worth saving and/or cat them into NM, VG, G. Then come back around and do all side two's of the worthy ones.

Investing $30 in an VPI RCM brush would work pretty well even without an RCM. You probably want something with a little oomph to it so in the "restore phase" you can scrub, not just wipe. Not sure if paint brushes or pads give you much scrubbing power. They might work better to maintain them after the initial clean up.

I have used old soft toothbrushes to clean LPs with the DIY cleaner. Works good, especially on the really (Grape Juice?!?!?!) dirty records.

Thanks guys! You've given me alot of good advice. Now to go to GW and find an old turntable that's not worth a couple hundred bucks!

Many guys here use the simple soap and water method (http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=186385) when you have a lot of dusty records from garage sales or thrift purchases.

You can do it without the label protector, just be careful not to get too much water on the label (a small amount should just wipe off).

Good luck. Snade

Many guys here use the simple soap and water method (http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=186385) when you have a lot of dusty records from garage sales or thrift purchases.

You can do it without the label protector, just be careful not to get too much water on the label (a small amount should just wipe off).

Good luck. Snade
+1

It's the method I use for all eBay and Goodwill LPs. I do it in the basement laundry basin with a spray attachment.

I spread the mixture with my hand to feel for any possible embedded particles that may need followup, then I use a toothbrush or denture brush at a 45 degree angle or less.

The key is a good thorough rinse. Here I use the spray to flush and my hand to wipe away the water until I can feel the slick soap feel is gone. And also see if embedded particles may need more followup.

Then dry.

Has anyone tried using compressed air to blow dry them after rinsing instead of just letting them air dry?

I have an auto repair shop and so I guess I'm just used to blowing parts dry with an air hose. :)

Has anyone tried using compressed air to blow dry them after rinsing instead of just letting them air dry?

I have an auto repair shop and so I guess I'm just used to blowing parts dry with an air hose. :)

I guess that could work. But to me the less handling the better.

I'm kind of fumble fingered and would be afraid of blowing the LP out of my hands. :D

Oh and before playing on the turntable, I may still do a Discwasher cleaning and then zerostat and carbon fiber brushing just before archiving to CD-R. Then I file the LP away and forget about it.

Has anyone tried using compressed air to blow dry them after rinsing instead of just letting them air dry?

You really don't want anything drying back on to the record surface. For this reason, air drying is a big no-no. I'd be afraid compressed air would burrow any left-over particles further into the grooves. I have no proof of this being a real concern, just a feeling.

Before i started vacuuming my LPs dry, i used to blot them with big, clean bath towels. I'd rather deal with a little towel lint after the fact than dried on hard-water spots or dirt that didn't get rinsed away.

Nothing achives the results of vacuuming. I'd encourage anyone reading this to set up a DIY rig (at least) if you haven't already. Here's mine:
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2234806#post2234806

Most importantly, Have fun!
:thmbsp:

So really all I need is something like a turntable platter that spins, a couple mats, and a vacuum to make a RCM? hmmmmmmmmmmm, I think I might be able to come up with something seeing how I have a bunch of spare car parts around here. ;)

So really all I need is something like a turntable platter that spins, a couple mats, and a vacuum to make a RCM? hmmmmmmmmmmm, I think I might be able to come up with something seeing how I have a bunch of spare car parts around here. ;)
Someone here made a platter out of a lazy susan bearing and a round piece of MDF shelving. Someone else mentioned using a microwave platter spinner-thing. I think anything round that spins, is clean, and won't scratch records will work. (i think a used brake rotor is out.)

As long as a mat is used I suppose you could use just about anything, but I wasn't thinking about a brake rotor - you're close, but I was thinking about something else.

Someone here made a platter out of a lazy susan bearing and a round piece of MDF shelving. Someone else mentioned using a microwave platter spinner-thing. I think anything round that spins, is clean, and won't scratch records will work. (i think a used brake rotor is out.)

Put a rubber mat on that brake rotor and it would work. :D

I'll need to do some parts machining but it oughta be pretty cool when I get done. lol

I'll need to do some parts machining but it oughta be pretty cool when I get done. lol
Be sure to give us pics! Will it be geared to the transmission like this TT?

lol probably not quite, although the platter will probably weight about 50 pounds.

Ahh yes.....the Les Paul creation of the flywheel turntable platter...I think it was in the late 40's early 50's that he used a flywheel from an old cadillac to make a transcription table that he could experiment with his multi-track recording. IIRC it was over 50 lbs and he chose it because of the weight and the precise machining to be perfectly balanced. I would love to have seen that in action....BHD