RCM renovation - Pics inside :)

After seeing fellow AK-er Coop402's RCM I was tired of mine and decided to invest in a decent geared motor and the VPI vacuum tube assembly.
I picked up a Pittman geared DC motor off of Ebay. Found some scrap formica in the garage, newer platter, new switches and a new top.

The main difficulty was how to couple the motor to the spindle without any wobble and to have it firm enough for even a little bit of pressure from the cleaning brush. After 2 days of mind stretching I tried two allen screwed collars welded together. I had to use two different sizes because the spindle and the motor had different diameters. Well that didn't work the way I wanted it to, so on to plan B.

Plan B was a inch long spacer from a TT assembly that I drilled out to fit the motor shaft and then filed down the shaft of the spindle on a drill press until it "just" fit.
Pressure fit and hardly any wobble.

Two things I have learned is slower speeds clean better and the VPI tube cleans WAY better than my DIY PVC pickup. Way better.
Here are some pics:

Looks good. Congratulations! A RCM makes a real difference in obtaining the best possible LP condition.

Great job on the DIY RCM. It looks very substantial.
Regards,
Jim

Very nice. That is a serious cleaning machine!

Good job Scott, it looks great! :thmbsp:

OK - I am thus now inspired to update mine, too. :thmbsp: It spins too fast (ice cream maker motor ~ 38rpm) and DIY suction wand also performs so-so.

I will order the motor on eBay I have been watching for weeks and get the VPI vacuum assembly I have also been putting off.

Great renovation - thanks for the inspiration!

Nice !!! Were you using the modified crevice tool before the VPI ? that's what I am using and it's totally manual , so have to hold it at the right angle etc etc ? Your comment about the VPI tube cleaning better has me very interested :scratch2:

I got mine from elusivedisc.com - it's the upgrade for the 16.5 VPI RCM.

ARJohn said:

Nice !!! Were you using the modified crevice tool before the VPI ? that's what I am using and it's totally manual , so have to hold it at the right angle etc etc ? Your comment about the VPI tube cleaning better has me very interested :scratch2:

Click to expand...

I was using a piece of PVC pipe with a slot cut in it. I had tried the crevice tool before that and decided the PVC worked better.

I bought the VPI upgrade assembly and don't regret it. I also like the fact you can see in the tube to see when you have removed a bulk of the fluid.

The ice cream motor I had spun way too fast and there was no way to slow the AC motor down without losing torque. The difference is quite noticable in the dirt the VPI removes at a slower speed.

scootchu said:

I was using a piece of PVC pipe with a slot cut in it. I had tried the crevice tool before that and decided the PVC worked better.

I bought the VPI upgrade assembly and don't regret it. I also like the fact you can see in the tube to see when you have removed a bulk of the fluid.

The ice cream motor I had spun way too fast and there was no way to slow the AC motor down without losing torque. The difference is quite noticable in the dirt the VPI removes at a slower speed.

Click to expand...

This is exactly what I need to read. Thanks again!

Very nice!

Not to criticize, but I just want to add there is a simpler way to build a RCM. A motor driving the platter is not needed.

There's a "sticky" thread on the RCG forum depicting DIY RCM's. Take a look at the photos of my machine. Rather than motorizing the platter, I welded a piece of 1/4" x 20 bolt onto the spindle. A clamp with an offset knob is used to hold the record tight to the platter and rotate it by hand. I like the manual operation as it affords a great deal of control.

http://www.recordcollectorsguild.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=40503

cactuscowboy said:

Very nice!

Not to criticize, but I just want to add there is a simpler way to build a RCM. A motor driving the platter is not needed.

There's a "sticky" thread on the RCG forum depicting DIY RCM's. Take a look at the photos of my machine. Rather than motorizing the platter, I welded a piece of 1/4" x 20 bolt onto the spindle. A clamp with an offset knob is used to hold the record tight to the platter and rotate it by hand. I like the manual operation as it affords a great deal of control.

http://www.recordcollectorsguild.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=40503

Click to expand...

I like switches and wires and things that spin on their own.

Nice looking rig :thmbsp:!

Shop Vac Question

I notice some DIY RCMs have a seperate fluid collection jar in line with the shop vac. What's the deal with these? Does the design of a shopvac allow you to just suck fluid directly into the vac? How do they work?

If you use a shop vac (wet dry ) there is no need for the fluid container . I have been using mine for over a year and when I think to check it there is never any liquid in it . I only do 3 or 4 at a time cause it howls and I don't want to get evicted ! But a RCM is the best upgrade you can do I think , makes such a big improvement . I went the cheapo manual route but results are very good , always room for improvement though .

Thanks John.

At the moment I'm at the "bearing and platter on MDF board, spinning by hand with Disc Doctor brushes and homebrew solution and wiping with microfibre towell" method.

I'll add the manual shopvac step like you use and go from there. From all accounts though this 16.5 upgrade kit sounds like the way to go. I'd like two so I could use one for wash and one for rinse, but one step at a time. I'll get a shopvac first.

bhundu said:

Thanks John.

At the moment I'm at the "bearing and platter on MDF board, spinning by hand with Disc Doctor brushes and homebrew solution and wiping with microfibre towell" method.

I'll add the manual shopvac step like you use and go from there. From all accounts though this 16.5 upgrade kit sounds like the way to go. I'd like two so I could use one for wash and one for rinse, but one step at a time. I'll get a shopvac first.

Click to expand...

my way was the cheapest shop vac and 2 crevice tools , one for wash , one for rinse , using the Nitty Gritty pads on them . I started without a rinse but ended up doing the rinse . But the VPI tube might be the way to go ? I think you would notice a difference with vacum over the micro fibre towels , how much I can't say ?