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September 2000
DIY Record Cleaning Machine
With bonus DIY Cleaning Fluid Formulas
Article by Frank Gales
frank.gales@sap.com
This is the description of a record cleaning machine I built. It uses an industrial wet vacuum cleaner with 1000W to suck the cleaning fluid from the record. The fluid is applied by swinging a tube over the record and pumping with a manual pump. The platter is rotated manually and a normal paint brush can be used to get the dirt out of the grooves. I use a professional brush from a Moth record cleaning machine. After that the sucking tube is swinged onto the record (please don't forget to glue the velvet onto the tube, or the first record you cleaned is cleaned to death) and the vacuum cleaner is switched on. One or two spins should be enough to suck all the fluid with the dirt away.
Top View
Above is a top view of the record cleaning machine. The plinth is a box which is about 10cm high. I used MDF because it is good if the whole thing is rather heavy, so that the machine does not move while vacuuming. The vacuum is rather high as the air slit is very small compared to a cleaning tube of a vacuum cleaner.
Side View
View From Underside the Cleaning Tube
If you build such a machine please send me some feedback. If you have problems with the description, feel free to ask me.
Frank Gales
Germanye-mail: frank.gales@sap.com
Bonus: DIY Cleaning Fluid
by Steven R. Rochlin
steve@enjoythemusic.comFor all you vinyl junkies out there, i have gathered a few suggested cleaning concoctions from the internet and other mailing lists. i offer no responsibility for these formulations. Quite a few dudes swear by certain one's. Me? Well, being too lazy i just buy Nitty Gritty (Kitty Litter) or VPI's stuff. Here we go:
distilled water alcohol detergent ------------------------------------------------------------------1) 1 part 1 part isopropyl none2) 1 part 1 part isopropyl a drop of Triton X-1003) 1 quart 1 pint denatured 10 drops Photoflo4) 3 parts 1 part a few drops5) 3 parts 1 part rubbing a few drops6) 4 parts 1 part ethanol someIf you have any doubts though you want to save a few bucks, then may i humbly suggest you simply buy solutions like "Genie in a Bottle". The Audio Advisor carries "Genie in a Bottle" last i checked. OH, and don't forget to use your Hunt EDA brush! Remember: a clean needle is a happy needle.
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