DIY record cleaning machine (RCM) consolidation and resource thread

I have always wanted a RCM but they cost too much, I kept looking at what people had built here and marveled at their ingenuity, and didn't think I could build one.
I finally thought, well, nothing ventured, nothing gained and went on Ebay and bought a Hurst 10rpm reversible motor, $25 I had a platter from a turntable that had died, bought a Hoover from Goodwill $15, a very powerful one!! Made a box out of spare MDF, the clamp is a piece of 2 x4 cut with a hole saw, a T-nut is screwed in the bottom and has a round piece of felt glued on to prevent scratching the label $4 , I figured out how to couple it together, added switches $15 and Then purchased the VPI upgrade kit $70 and I was on my way!!
My wife suggested I paint it and I didn't really care as it was more of a prototype but I did as she ask and bought a paint called Rust-Oleum hammered paint $7 a can and used 2, I liked the way it looked and found out it even hid defects so this is my finished RCM so far, I say this because I intend to also buy the VPI fluid dispensing brush and and buy a windshield washer tank with pump to dispense the fluid , hence the push button in the middle, I have used it on several records and I am blown away !

I had about 100 records I had taken care of with a discwasher brush and on those the sound after using my RCM they are dead quiet . I have bought around 75 used records lately and on those it varies from dead quiet to very little surface noise. the over all effect is like a blanket being removed from my speakers, it's almost jaw dropping, I would advise every one who has records to buy or build a RCM, the difference in sound is astonishing and in my case when it's all said and done I will have little more than $200 invested.

build one, you won't regret it!! :music:

That's what we're talking about - nice!!!
 
well, Got my VPI complete brush assembly installed, using a generic windshield washer tank with pump ($18) and installed all of it and it's wonderful!! dispensing fluid and scrubbing the record is not effortless , I also now follow up with a rinse of distilled water and my records sound fantastic, should have done this sooner !:music:
 

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Do you remember the part number the guy on their customer service line is acting like he has no clue that they sell that part in particular.
What I did was send them a photo of the part. It's around $16.00 for that piece. They call it a platter hub. Tell them it's for the 16.5.
 
It'd be cool to source a kickstarter/group buy for a RCM. You provide the wood/enclosure, and you get everything you need to do it.
 
HI all,

Am about to order a USC I have two in mind but want your opinions which to go for, essentially they are the same except for the price about £30 difference.
One has analog knobs temp & timer.
The more expensive digital one has push buttons & displays

Q is their any point in paying more ?
Q will the vibrations kill the analog one ?

Jay
 
Centrifugal drying

Most of the RCMs seem to use a vacuum process to finish off, which is costly and complex.
What about using centrifugal drying? The machine is already built to rotate the record, so what about running it at much higher speed to dry the disc off once clean?

But how fast is required for good, quick drying?
1500rpm ? 3000rpm? Or even higher?

Too fast might be dangerous - PVC records don't often splinter or shatter, but at a high rpm, a record that disintegrates could be quite dangerous.
 
Most of the RCMs seem to use a vacuum process to finish off, which is costly and complex.
What about using centrifugal drying? The machine is already built to rotate the record, so what about running it at much higher speed to dry the disc off once clean?

But how fast is required for good, quick drying?
1500rpm ? 3000rpm? Or even higher?

Too fast might be dangerous - PVC records don't often splinter or shatter, but at a high rpm, a record that disintegrates could be quite dangerous.

Reminds me of the Mythbusters episode where they mounted a CD on a router. It spun so fast that it broke into pieces.
 
Most of the RCMs seem to use a vacuum process to finish off, which is costly and complex.
What about using centrifugal drying? The machine is already built to rotate the record, so what about running it at much higher speed to dry the disc off once clean?

But how fast is required for good, quick drying?
1500rpm ? 3000rpm? Or even higher?

Too fast might be dangerous - PVC records don't often splinter or shatter, but at a high rpm, a record that disintegrates could be quite dangerous.


There is a reason for the vacuum. Not only does it 'dry' the record by removing the cleaning solution it also removes all the gunk with the solution.
 
There is a reason for the vacuum. Not only does it 'dry' the record by removing the cleaning solution it also removes all the gunk with the solution.

Centrifugal drying (more accurately, 'centrifugal fluid removal') would do exactly that too.
 
i'm in the planning stages. went looking for an ice cream machine at the sa. didn't see any but they did have a bread machine that i need to go back for.

for those of you using a pump to spray the fluid, do you use one for the cleaner and one for a water rinse or only use a cleaner? i found a pump from a small counter top fountain and am thinking of incorporating it.

thanks!
 
I have a 17F with a pump. To tell you the truth, I like squirt bottles. I picked them up from U S Plastics.
 
Centrifugal drying (more accurately, 'centrifugal fluid removal') would do exactly that too.

I scrub my lp,s on a plastic round chopping board with quite a stiff but soft fine bristle type shoe brush ., with solution , dis water , isoprop and rinse aid , rinsing under the tap ,as many times as I need to. One at a time .
Then quickly put the LP in a Knosti (spin clean ) type cleaner bath and take it out , and place one the spindles of the Knosti in a cordless drill with a good variable trigger , and spin off the excess liquid.(A really knowledgeable poster on another forum ,ahh erm , does it all the time and rates it !! )
Not dry as I would like but nearly there
It works very well, however I would love to make a small spinner to do some controlled spinning .
I made a wand out of a crevice tool and used a vacuum cleaner but felt that unless the wand is lined with a minimal amount of bristles that don't absorb too much fluid , then it smears a bit too much . A proper bought wand might help
 
Here's my successful attempt to build a record cleaning machine for as little as possible.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/album.php?albumid=3830

Nice! It looks backwards to me. Are you a lefty? (Certainly not a criticism, I assure you, just an observation. :D)

EDIT: I just checked out your great photos. That is a serious vacuum; you can probably suck the music right out of the grooves with that monster!
 
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Nice! It looks backwards to me. Are you a lefty? (Certainly not a criticism, I assure you, just an observation. :D)


No it just made sense to me. Also from a practical standpoint I was trying to keep the vacuum hose on the left so mounting the vacuum tube there made it easier. It's very natural in use - but I've never had a factory made machine so that may be why.
 
Mounting the tube on the left side makes sense, leaves the right free for scrubbing.
I found some stick on velvet material for my wand and it works much better now.
See post 59 for my RCM. It's been in service for over a year and the mdf is holding up smashingly.
 
Alright fellow AKers, I have a question about my DIY RCM that I decided to post in here rather than start a new thread.

I made a manual RCM using an old turntable (move the platter by hand), a 2 HP shop vac, modified crevice tool with velvet, and I'm using a paint pad to scrub the grooves. My fluid is the usual 75% distilled water, 25% isopropanyl alcohol (91%), and a few drops of clear detergent.

I've tried 2 LPs so far and results have been minimal. The discs end up looking clean, but the sound still leaves a lot to be desired. My first LP ended up still really noisy, so I chalked it up to my mom mishandling the record, and moved on. The next one (a Gordon Lightfoot album) I cleaned last night. I cleaned it, vacuumed it, rinsed it, then vacuumed it. Played it through. Cleaned it again and vacuumed it. Then played it, and afterwards dry vacuumed it. I assumed maybe my stylus would get the gunk out. Finally listened to it again.

It was still pretty crackly. Slightly better than the first play, but not great. How do I know my RCM process is incorrect, versus it being the record? This is driving me insane and I have some valuable LPs that I really want to be clean.
 
SSaxdude - you may want to add just a TINY bit more "clear detergent". This may help your cleaner get down into the grooves better by breaking more of the surface tension.

I'm not sure what you're using, but I have in the past used either Kodak Photoflo or dishwasher rinse aid. Both have worked quite well with the distilled water / IPA mix. Many folks here have also used Dawn dishsoap.

Do you have pics of your set up?
 
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