Started my DIY RCM!!!

OMI · May 20, 2006

Well I have all the parts and have started the project. Being DIY and electrically challenged I use as much stuff that I can find that does not need a lot a tweaking...

I have 2 platters to pick from. One is from a Phillips and the other is from a technics. I have a 24 VDC gear head motor and have a 20 VDC lap top power pack to run it. It should be in the range of 10 - 15 RPMs.

A bud at work had a shaft coupling made for me to connect the gear head motor to the TT shafts.

The Technics has a friction fit between the platter and a brass bushing. The Phillips locks down onto the assembly.

I need a inch and a half bottom spacer to get the technics platter down to the top of the shelf. The Phillips is about a two and 1/2 inch block spacer.

Have not decided on which platter I will use.

Will be using a VPI suction head tied into a small 1 GAL Wal-Mart wet / dry shop vac when I get to that point.

I am using a file desk drawer combo as the main structure. Will put the wet / dry vac and other connections in the drawer part...

Have to fab the block spacers next and decide which platter I will use...

more to follow...
:banana:

JimmyNeutron · May 21, 2006

Good luck!! A good LP cleaner is very awesome!! Post some pics when you're done!!

Jimmy

OMI · May 21, 2006

Shot of my "SHOP"

and the small wet / dry vac. Even one that small makes a lot of noise. The wooden top to the right will be what the platter gets attached too. There is a drawer and that will be where the vac goes. I wonder how much noise a VPI or Nitty Gritty makes???

omi

Strawman · May 21, 2006

Post your pics and observations in progress, I get ideas from all of these projrcts, and it allows one to adapt the best ideas from multiple designs.
I got to play with Grumpy's VPI. It still makes noise, just turn up the V knob a bit when you're running it. So far, I have an industrail 24V power supply, need to find a good motor for it, I'm looking at some laser printer drive motors, but they all seem to be controlled by chips and have tach feedback.

Andyman · May 21, 2006

The ice cream machine motor works real well for me, but I haven't even seen another one in all the scrounging I've done since then. Tons of torque and 117 VAC so it's just a matter of mounting it and mating your platter to it.

Mark W. · May 21, 2006

The comments about an RCM making a lot of noise confuse me.

I'm planning on cleaning my albums and putting them into new antistatic sleaves. and the Jackets in to outer covers. I'm going to do all of them (maybe not at once afterall I do have 500+ albums) but I sure won't be cleaning them right before play.

Once an album is properly wet cleaned you should only have to brush it before play to make sure nothing got on it during handling. If your careful I would venture you wouldn't need to clean more then once every 5-6 plays. Now if you keep the clean album in the origional slip cover your wasting your time cleaning them.

Only time I plan on doing one at a time cleaning is when someone brings something over to listen to or I bring home a thrift shop find I just have to hear right away.

My plan with the RCM i finishing up is to setup on the kitchen table

1. completely disassemble album placing the record on a large soft clean cloth

2. Using dry Nitrogen I will blow all the dust off the album (quicker then a brushing and more complete)

3. Place the record on the machine a single pass dry brush

4. Wet scrub with my home made 20% Isopropyl alcohol solution using a Nitty Gritty record cleaning nylon fiber brush

5. Vacuum off all liquid should take one two passes

6. Flip album repeat steps 3-5

7. Place clean album in a Mofi style antistatic sleeve and set aside

8. in a work area seperate from where I will clean the albums I will using an Old Velvet record brush brush clean the outside of the Jacket then using a dry dusting cloth clean the inner and outer sides of the jacket.

9. At this point if there are any slipt seams or damamge that can be easily repaired those simple reapir will be done.

10 Any inserts and the origional inner sleve will be cleaned at this time

11. Place the album in the outer Jacket and place the outer jacket in one of the heavier flip top jacket covers.

12. place album back on the shelf in alphbetical order using plastic dividers.

I figure if I do this as an assembly line with some help from the wife I can do an album every 2-3 minutes. (depending on Jacket repairs)

I have about 500 albums to clean so it will be a pretty good hobby unto itself untill done but once done I won't have to mess with the whole collection again.

OMI · May 21, 2006

The noise is from the vacume. The platter motor is no problem.

Strawman I got the motor from e-bay a bit back in time, but Marlin P. Jones (www.mpja.cpm) has one close (item # 14204-md) (23.5V by 17 RPM). You might look around the web and see what else you can find like that.

hpsenicka · May 21, 2006

OMI said:
Will be using a VPI suction head tied into a small 1 GAL Wal-Mart wet / dry shop vac when I get to that point.

... does VPI sell the suction heads seperately as a replacement part, or did you salvage this from a dead one?

OMI · May 21, 2006

2 links to VPI stuff... Seems that I paid a bit less than what Elusive Disc is asking now.

http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=AVPI165LPTH
http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HW-3015

Link to the plans that I am following...

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=39608

If I had a greater DIY ability and a better "shop" I most likely would be doing a lot more fabing and moding.... But being DIY challenged I have to look more towards fixed components thus costing more $$$ up front...

The table is not a piece of junk. I was surprise on the quality of the wood and workmanship... A class unit..

blackwatch26 · May 21, 2006

FYI: A VPI's noise level is 92Db at 18" with the vacuum and platter runing. (C weighted, slow response RS SPL meter)

LOUD!!!! I can only do a few at a time it drives me nuts!!!

Rick

OMI · May 21, 2006

Hmmm Will have to see how loud this one gets...

Pics are the 24VDC gear head motor attached to the mounting plate. The mounting plate gets attached under the table top. The shaft coupling is attached. The first few pics show the Phillips TT connector attached to the shaft coupling. Note the space between the plate and wheel. That is where I need a spacer to glue on the underside of the table to get the platter down to the table surface. The last one has the Technics TT shaft in the coupling. I like the way the Phillips TT sits on the connection. It also has a 45 adapter built into the configuration... Have to get some spacers and see how it will all fit this week…

Strawman · May 22, 2006

OMI said:
The noise is from the vacume. The platter motor is no problem.

Strawman I got the motor from e-bay a bit back in time, but Marlin P. Jones (www.mpja.cpm) has one close (item # 14204-md) (23.5V by 17 RPM). You might look around the web and see what else you can find like that.

Thanks OMI, but that link is busted. I'll be getting more interested after watching your and others projects. :thmbsp:

OMI · May 22, 2006

typo...

www.mpja.com

Strawman · May 24, 2006

Cool, thanks, maybe I need thicker glasses.

I didn't even read the link, just clicked it. Looks like a cool supply house.

OMI · May 30, 2006

1. Put the table and drawer together this past weekend. Have the hole drilled for the drive for the platter.
2. Looks like I will have to use the Technics platter. There is room to lock the shaft coupling on to the motor shaft and TT spindle. The Phillips has that wheel thing and my shaft coupling is too short.
3. Will put all the electrical STUFF in the drawer.
4. Looks like the small shop vac can be broken down and I can get the motor and suction part and not have to worry about the canister. Have to see about connections to the VPI vacuum head.
5. Ordered a VPI 17 cleaning / solution dispensing head. Will see if it is the complete assembly... Will work on some method to dispense cleaning solution... Small aquarium tank pump???

Andyman · May 30, 2006

OMI said:
5. Ordered a VPI 17 cleaning / solution dispensing head. Will see if it is the complete assembly... Will work on some method to dispense cleaning solution... Small aquarium tank pump???

IIRC, with Grumpy's VPI he had a squirt bottle of some sort and applied it to the record and then manually scrubbed it clean. Trust me, if Grumpy's scrubbing doesn't clean a record, nothing will. That's why I think that manually scrubbing the record is the real "cleaning"; all my RCM does is vacuum off the dirty water after the solution and my scrubbing have got the LP clean.

I just don't believe that any machine would clean better than you would with a brush, so I'd stay away from automatic scrubbing. Get a good brush, wet the disk, let it soak a sec to soften any goo, roll up your sleeves, and get to work.

OMI · May 30, 2006

Top of the line VPI @ $1995.00
http://www.dedicatedaudio.com/inc/sdetail/9685

I already pulled the trigger on the brush / cleaning head. I will post some pics when I get it. Will see if looks like it will be worth it to try and hook it up.

I am going SLOW as I am DIY challenged, even with store bought stuff

Already drilled holes in my spacer blocks that were too small

Easy fix now...

Well see where I go with this

OMI · Jun 3, 2006

Did a little more on it today...

1. Decided on what shims to use with the technics platter
2. Mounted the 24 VDC drive motor to the shims and attached the spindle.
3. Mounted the above to the base of the desk.
4. Took apart the small shop vac and removed the vacuum
5. found a reduction bushing to get the suction end down to 1 1/2 inch.

Now I have to decide how to hook up the vacuum to the cleaning head. Was thinking of using a gray weather proof electrical connection box. Have to think this step out.

Looking around E-Bay and found this aquarium pump.... Hmmmm might work well for solution dispensing????

http://cgi.ebay.com/79GPH-Submersib...2132879QQcategoryZ519QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Russellc · Jun 4, 2006

OMI said:
Did a little more on it today...

1. Decided on what shims to use with the technics platter
2. Mounted the 24 VDC drive motor to the shims and attached the spindle.
3. Mounted the above to the base of the desk.
4. Took apart the small shop vac and removed the vacuum
5. found a reduction bushing to get the suction end down to 1 1/2 inch.

Now I have to decide how to hook up the vacuum to the cleaning head. Was thinking of using a gray weather proof electrical connection box. Have to think this step out.

Looking around E-Bay and found this aquarium pump.... Hmmmm might work well for solution dispensing????

http://cgi.ebay.com/79GPH-Submersib...2132879QQcategoryZ519QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

Very nice. thanks for the write up, please continue....May be I will head to home depot for a vaccum this afternoon.

Russellc

OMI · Jun 4, 2006

Using the small desk with the drawer has it's limitations. Have to fit everything in the drawer at the bottom. the size is about 15 inch wide BY 12 inch long BY 10 inch deep. If you fabed the box from scratch you can size it bigger. I could have the vacuum external to the drawer, with a hole for the hose to go in the back of the drawer to the VPI pick-up, but I want to get all the STUFF in the drawer. I need to mount the VPI vacuum pick-up head to see how much clearance I will have inside the drawer. Then I will know how much room I have to play with... Not much... I see more trips to Lowe's to play with the electrical boxes and fittings to see if I can come up with a combination that will work...

Started my DIY RCM!!!

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