Vinyl record cleaning the Ultrasonic way - Making the unplayable sound great again
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- Richard Shireby (UK) discusses & demonstrates a multi method technique of vinyl record cleaning. Firstly running the record through a Knosti Disco Antistat (other similar products available), then 2 mins into an ultrasonic cleaner, jet washing with distilled water using an automotive parts washer, then into a second Knosti Disco Antistat (obviously cleaner than the first!), then rinse off back in the automotive parts washer & dry naturally in the Knosti drying rack. Standard formula of fluid to make up 1 Litre, 80% distilled water, 20% Isopropyl alcohol & 5ml of photographic wetting agent. We use both Kodak & Ilford product with equal success.
If I were into 78rpm records then it would just be distilled water & wetting agent as the isopropyl would affect the shellac.
Finally someone plays a before and after! Sounds great.
Another ‘top tip’, it’s worth buying a pack of brand new inner-sleeves to store the records once cleaned. I’m amazed how many people clean their records then slide them back into yellowing, mouldy sleeves!
Matt Cameron exactly mate.
And if the original inner-sleeve does contain lyrics or so, one can keep them.
@@Causticism When the new one is foil and the old one is paper, it could work. Or you put first the record with new sleeve and then the old sleeve in. Outer sleeves are pretty often so wide, that you could put two records in.
@@Causticism I will just put them both in the sleeve side by side if they have lyrics, but sometimes they don't fit. If I really want to save the liner, I'll put a protection sleeve on the whole shebang and those are large enough to hold inner sleeves.
Thanks for the explanation and demonstration on the ultrasonic way. That was a big difference before and after. I think the ultrasonic clearly would do a great job of shaking loose the coats of dust and grime but I think your use of the ionized water and the parts washer to dispense the water under mild pressure to rinse the discs off is the ultimate. Using the ionized water should eliminate the chance that there is minerals and other dissolved waterborne junk that could begin new deposits on the records. Great video.
Glad it was helpful.
I notice people selling super-expensive record cleaning devices don't demonstrate 'before & after'.
Richard (UK)
I enjoyed this immensely and it truly made a huge difference in that record! I have approx. 450 45rpm records, I play them on a regular basis and I'm going to set up a cleaning system to mirror this one. Thank you for this informative video sir!
I think the difference here is that I'm not selling anything & demonstrate a genuine before & after!
Richard
I'm just going to slam dunk this record into the parts cleaner real quick.
Definitely going to try this with my mother's seven inch singles collection and with my twelve inch collection. I like the results. Thanks, from Los Angeles.
In reality we have a bigger model to take the 12" records. I'm still cleaning records nearly every day.
Richard, UK
The way I clean my records is 1. put label cover on. 1-A. I rinse under kitchen faucet. 2. I lightly scrub with dish soap and water and a soft sponge. 3. rinse. 4. I rotate in record cleaning trough thingy with the camel hair brushes. 5. Rinse with faucet water. 6. Rinse with filtered drinking water. 7 rack dry and finish with cotton towel. I change the water in the trough every 5 or 6 albums. They come out spectacularly clean. Sound great. Point being, the record is pre-cleaned before it is put in the soapy water trough. Then it is rinsed 2 more times.
Personally I've used PVA wood glue with amazing results. Obviously can't do anything about a record that's scratched to death but the vast improvement in sound quality is amazing.
That is a nice solution, as well. I can confirm.
I just received a nearly identical cleaner. Sure hope this video provides solid advice 🙂
Well the method still works for me
Richard
Great job! Thanks!
Great job!!! Proof is right there!!!
All these years later now in 2023, I'm still buying cheap lots of singles via Ebay "for craft use only".....meaning unplayable records & recovering 9 out of 10 on average.
The whole point here is I'm not selling anything.....not one of these "come & buy our cleaning system"..no.
Richard, UK
Brilliant
The fact you showed dropping the 45 gives you serious credibility Richard.
I like the spin clean thingie after the ultrasound and using the filter to collect drippings is genius. I use tap water from the kitchen sink after doing a ten minute ultrasound cleaning but the parts washier is clearly better. Thanks for a helpful video!
Sounds great after the restore....record and player
Well done
You sound like Rod Temperton who was a producer for Michael Jackson... A soothing deep voice
I just bought a tank the manual dose not say what thread is in the drain tap can you tell me the thread size of youre tank in hope its the same as on my tank so i can attach a barb tail and hose to my tank.
Analogis clean (Lenco clean) but with Vetril liquid, from 50 years and for the rest of my life !!!
Can you say what the solutions you use again is in the ultra sonic cleaner and how much of each please. The video was really helpful thank you
Yes, the formula is already in the 'blurb', but to repeat, it's distilled/deionised water 80%, Isopropyl Alcohol 20% & photographic wetting agent 5ml
Richard
On inner sleeves they wrote, that records can't handle more than 35°C.
Fair enough....I said 38C as a maximum. Bear in mind I clean at 25C, it's the ultrasonic cleaner heating the water through it's action, so simply stop at 35 & wait for it to cool down. I find doing about 15 record sides is the maximum temperature rise I'm happy with.
richard
Brilliant video! What litre is this ultrasonic cleaner and also have you ever had any problems with label damage from the ultrasonic cleaner? I have a Knosti cleaner myself but find the spindle clasp/holder isn't all that water tight!
I actually run the ultrasonic 3min per side these days. Sometimes label damage if I forget to take the record out after the 3 mins. Perhaps 1%
Regarding litres, I have two of these...this is the smaller one, the other takes a 12" LP on a diaganal such that the whole record is 'just' underwater. When I bought there via AliExpress I went on the internal tank dimensions rather than litres.
Richard
Where did you get those spin on label protectors? I already own the same exacting ultrasonic unit for clock parts cleanings. Of course I will not be using clock cleaning solution on my 45's.
They are part of the Knosti Disco Antistat system & are available as a spare part individually. I got mine from Ebay, but you'll find them available from many sources.
Richard, UK
So the label protectors are one in the same for LP'S and 45's?@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21
I have a very nice CB set up but no locals now. Pretty much just an emergency communications set up now. Sad.
@@VintageGearMan Yes they are. When you have 45's with the centre removed, there is a built-in adaptor.
Richard
Fantastic thanks
After washing have you ever used a hand held wet vac to help dry your records? I manually clean my records with solution and brush and then use my Karcher Window vac to removed worst of the liquid and hopefully some dirt.
No I haven't...but if it works for you. I'm playing some records at present that I cleaned a decade ago & have remained spotless...nothing coming off the record & onto the stylus.
Richard (UK)
Before: 1:02
After: 7:52
AMAZING!
Damaged record?
Damaged record what?
Richard
Nice job but I've been saying that for years with the ultrasonic cleaner and Records way to show that it can be done!!!😎
Wonder how it would work on a 78... Might want to wipe the crap it leaves behind off your stylus
Just taking a big break sorting things out after the death of my 92 year old uncle. The fluid for cleaning 78's must not contain alcohol so is totally different. Today I tested doing a 78 using the same setup with different liquid, using industrial Teepol detergent mixed to a ratio of 1:250. Unfortunately when I dug out a suitable turntable to try it on & discovered the DIN interconnect lead is missing, so have ordered another.
This is my first time on here since February.
"If I were into 78rpm records then it would just be distilled water & wetting agent as the isopropyl would affect the shellac."
Would wash petrol work?
It looks like you are in Germany & I don't know what wash petrol is. When I do shellac records, I use a very dilute industrial UK made detergent made by TEEPOL. I use their "multi purpose detergent". This is made for laboratory use. My late Father put me onto this who was a Doctor or Chemistry and wanted to clean his 78's.
Richard
Ok, the right word is "white spirit".
You sound just like Jarvis Cocker 😂
I had to Google Jarvis Cocker to find out who he is. Well he's a year younger than me. He originally came from Sheffield...I came from Rotherham, as little as 4 miles apart.
Richard, G0OJF, Lincolnshire UK
where to get that thing you cover the record lable before you dump the record into the ultrasonic cleaner?
As mentioned in the video, the rotary baths & the label covers are part of the Knosti Disco Antistat system. I bought mine on Ebay & those covers are available separately from them.
Richard (UK)
covers don't work, the water will leak onto the edges of the labels of a 33...never used a 45 so I can't comment on that but would assume same result
Hello. I have Knosti washer and
covers bigger which I have purchased separately and do not cause the labels to be flooded - but I have a question about the quality of washed plates, ultrasound washer or plates losing after such washing clutches - micro-mirrors visible against the light because Im going to buy an ultrasonic cleaner.
Hi how often do you change the ultrasonic water/cleaning fluid?
Water (in the washer) & fluid (in the Ultrasonic), when it starts looking dirty is removed and run through laboratory filter paper (in a funnel) into a clean plastic chemical bottle. This takes about 3 days.
The water & fluids have to be topped up periodically too.
Richard
Thanks for your quick reply...
I just need to know about the water in the Ultrasonic cleaner.
So just to clarify you visually see if its dirty and then filter it out into a seprate bottle and reuse it again?
and if need be top up every so often?
Is this correct.
@@elvisrafi Yes,that's exactly what I do.
Richard
Hiya. Do you have any advice on cleaning 12" records in similar way?
Yes, simply get a larger ultrasonic cleaner that will take an LP. Look at the tank dimensions offered . I have two tanks, one as shown for 7" & a larger one for 12". I've seen people & products that are supposed to clean whilst the record is vertical but don't believe it is as effective as doing one side at a time in the way I've shown. My late Father was a Doctor of Chemistry & we worked out this technique together many years ago when he was still alive.
Richard
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 cheers. I've already got a tank that will take vertical half submerged LPs but not horizontal. Do you think you could dip half and then the other half?
@@richardkyle5115 Yes, I previously did lp's as flat as I could using 4 passes per side when I only had the smaller tank (the one in the video) & it worked fine for me.
Richard
I can deep fry some french fries in there lol 😆 😂 😝
No, it's not a deep fat fryer! Good comment.
Richard, UK
Am not big fan of Tom Jones but sounded loads different.
Random record B side to try & evade the copyright police for the purpose of this demonstration.
Richard
Why does no one do a "I cleaned the record with normal methods" then ultrasonic cleaning test? Everybody who does a video on "how much better" the record is after an ultrasonic bath cleaning is always plays a damn dirty record.
Are you in the habit of expecting others to do your dirty work? Why don't YOU get off your butt and do it, then post a RUclips video of the experiment?
Q precio tienen
I'm not selling them, have a search on AliExpress or Ebay.
Richard (UK)
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 gracias
Hi Richard, I have sent you a message via Facebook, as i cannot do it via RUclips.RegardsDarren
Roger on that rshireby@yahoo.co.uk
I'm not on Facebook!
When you getting back to CB radios..!!
surely there's more you could be doing..
Mark,
The repairs that come in are always sets that have been covered already.Yes, there are plenty of sets here to do which are my own, but I'm busy on the pipe organ side of the business so electronics stuff on here is just jobs that have come in that I haven't previously covered. Organ restorations take 19,000 man hours per job, so that's where the time is going.
T21
Any old excuse :)
get on with it, pull your finger out and get some more CB's done..
i'll lend you a load but mine are all illegal..
good work as always though at T21 Towers..
There both b sides and probably sound better dirty
Don't ever use alcohol on records. Watch someone who knows something about this. Michael Fremer. Analogplanet on RUclips.
Strange. This technique was developed between my late Father & myself in the late 1980's for vinyl records @20% Alcohol 2mins in solution. More alcohol causes vinyl to harden & become brittle. My late father was a Doctor of Chemistry with access to a million volt AEI electron microscope. However, never ever use alcohol with shellac 78's!
Richard (UK)
What's the brand and model of the digital ultrasonic cleaner? There's a lot of ultrasonic cleaners on the net. Just want to make sure, I get the right one you are using, so I get the right size, and also the timer functions. Thanks mate for the video. Krusty from Denmark. BTW: Just noticed you are cleaning small singles in a 15 liter ultrasonic cleaner. Do you know the size in liters I need for normal size records?
I'm only interested in 7" records, so choose a size right for your requirements. I have two identical ones. I simply bought the cheapest price one via aliexpress. Instructions state to rest the machine 5 mins after 15 mins continuous & do so. I didn't & ended up having to repair one of the machines...but then I'm an electronics engineer & replacing two blown output transistors & 3 diodes wasn't a snag for me. One is model PS40A & the bigger one that will just take a 12" record if filled full is a PS60A. No branding. I'm very satisfied with both units.
Richard (UK)
@@ukfmcbradioservicingTango21 PS60A... Thanks a lot. Will search for that. Regards Krusty