Collection of various RCM machines and methods videos

markd51 said:

If you look closely at that video, the record starts out spinning true. As soon as he begins to apply the steam, note the warpage that is occuring to the record! Most of that warpage may be temporary, but some residual warpage may remain. Not to mention what possible damage that heat may cause to the groove itself?

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JonL said:

Lee, that scene looks awfully familiar! What are the various fluids you've got? Is that dark red one part of the process, too?

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bhundu said:

Thanks for posting!

I like how guy #6 had a second vac wand for the 2nd rinse cycle> I like his thinking. Don't think I'll get a steamer any time soon though. Guy #5 was a classic.

I've been recently thinking that there needs to be a record cleaning sticky thread with all the various methods. Any thread regarding this topic always gets many different responses. I feel for the newbies that come home with some secondhand vinyl dying to give it a spin on their new TT only to be disappointed by the surface noise. It's great that they can start with a simple and effective "sink" method that won't cost them a cent and slowly move up in their technique. Not saying that sink methods are the best but they are better than not doing anything at all.

Here's some pics of my current method. It started with sink and has progressed over the year thanks to this site. Hand spin, Disc Doctor brushes, home brew isopropyl mix, demineralised water and vacuuming with microfibre towel over the nossel. Second pic is the new inner and outers getting changed out. Third is dirt on a towel from a record that had already been "sink" washed but "scrubbed" with a solution then vacuumed.

I like the hand spin method for two reasons. 1) I'm on solar power and the 1100W alone from the vac is luxury enough. 2) I can focus more on the dirtier spots and have free movement with speed and backwards to forwards motion. The whole kit is a fairly easy set up and pack down. I find it more practical than sink as I don't need to wash the dishes before I wash records!

Eventually I'd like the components in a more compact unit like the other DIY RCMs out there, but for the time being this has been an easy way to knock over 10 or 12 records on a Sunday afternoon.

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ARJohn said:

having wanted a real store bought machine vs my hand spinner , shop vac hand held wand hodge podge unit I think I will stay with mine . I can get way better scrubbing in both directions and can spend as much time as I want or don't want on cleaning a side . If I could put the shopvac in another room I would be very happy as it howls , but other than that I think the manual method can give better results . Now the loricraft or monks look to be a different breed ?
Just my 2 cents .
thanks for the time to link all those vids .

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markd51 said:

You've sort of lost me here? "You can get way better scrubbing in both directions and spend as much as you want, and the manual method can give better results", versus what other method are you referring to here?

There's too many videos here in this thread to know what you are referring to?

Before I comment any further, I'll await your answers. Mark

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markd51 said:

Hello ARJohn, with a machine such as the relatively simple VPI 16.5, you can do all those things too. Perhaps in the other current VPI thread, this wasnt explained clearly enough?

The way we've seen these machines used in these videos, is they apply fluids, lazily hold the brush in one place upon the record, then continue to let the platter spin. Then vacuum.

This is not the method I use, and concur with your methods as a better way.
I'll apply fluids, insure I have completely covered every last square millimeter from the edge of record, right to the label area, without wetting the label.

Once this is done, I then shut the Platter motor off. I let the fluids sit, to do their job. Then with one hand on the platter switch, and one hand on a Mobile Fidelity Brush Pad, I begin a gentle scrub routine. I'll gently scrub in both directions, back, and forth carefully following the groove, do this 6-8 times to about a 1/4th of the record, then momentarily hit the Platter Motor Switch, rotate the record into a new position, and continue on until the entire record has been scrubbed.

Then the fluids are removed by vacuum. It is easier done than said.

Now with machines like the VPI 17F, and VPI Typhoon, these have a Cleaning Fluid Resovoir, with a Pump, and a Deck Mounted Scrubbing Brush. These machines have reversible Platter Motors, so one can pump fluids onto the record to their heart's content, and scrub back and forth all day if you want, with a simple flip of the Platter switch.

The one downside with these, the resovoir only holds one type of fluid, so if you prefer using a multi-step cleaning process, and then a final rinse, one still needs to resort to seperate bottles-holding vessels for these additional liquids. Hope this all makes sense. Mark

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dodog said:

I like the proximity of the cigarettes to the Costco sized bottle of rubbing alcohol! :nono:

Edit- While drinking a Costco sized glass of wine!

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bhundu said:

Yes, my bad..."I just placed it there briefly for the photo honest officer!"

But in all seriousness this is a good pick up. This 100% stuff had to be shipped as a "dangerous good".

I keep mine down to a diluted 250mL spray bottle that I pour and spray with depending on the need. I started by having it in an open container like the distilled water but I found the it evaporated so quickly that by the time I was washing record five it had become half strength.

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