Record Cleaning Vacuum Machine
- Thread starter Condorsat
- Start date
Yes, my 1.0 Nitty Gritty heats up, too, and the owner's manual warns against cleaning more than 10 records per session. The only time I clean more than one record at a time is when I take a stack to a friend's home for some music, pizza, and beer. Most of the time, I clean both sides of a record, then play it, then clean the next record and play it, etc. Even with my manual machine, it takes maybe 75 seconds to clean both sides.
Rcm
VPI 16.5 the best audio investment ($400 shipped) I ever made, LPs if in "good" shape play as quiet as a CD. If price is right someday I might move up to a VPI 17F but the 16.5 works so well I'm in no rush. Never had a problem with overheating but might install a fan. I use two wands one for the cleaning fluids and another wand for the final rinse. I use a small red DiscWasher lint brush to clean the wands after cleaning each disc.
VPI 16.5 the best audio investment ($400 shipped) I ever made, LPs if in "good" shape play as quiet as a CD. If price is right someday I might move up to a VPI 17F but the 16.5 works so well I'm in no rush. Never had a problem with overheating but might install a fan. I use two wands one for the cleaning fluids and another wand for the final rinse. I use a small red DiscWasher lint brush to clean the wands after cleaning each disc.
Old_School
Well-Known Member
Nitty Gritty 1.5fi which I just got. Used, but a smoking deal (like 1/4 new retail). Not a fan of the noise though, as I have 2 small kids, so cleaning records after bedtime is a problem (yes, it's that loud).
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
I have owned or used in my home and work the following,
Keith Monks (WUOT-FM 91.9 used them before records aired. They still do. Superb results and able to withstand radio station duty like the Loricraft does and equally quiet operation)
VPI 16.5 (Cleaned superbly, noisy as hell, overheated easily when cleaning more than 10 records at a time.)
His and Hers Loricrafts (we now use these as our main units. Quiet, rugged, excellent results, expensive)
Nitty Gritty/KAB (we have these in our vacation homes). One is on order for me to use in Athens during the week. They are manually turned, deliver nice results, and are simple and inexpensive. No reliability issues.
Keith Monks (WUOT-FM 91.9 used them before records aired. They still do. Superb results and able to withstand radio station duty like the Loricraft does and equally quiet operation)
VPI 16.5 (Cleaned superbly, noisy as hell, overheated easily when cleaning more than 10 records at a time.)
His and Hers Loricrafts (we now use these as our main units. Quiet, rugged, excellent results, expensive)
Nitty Gritty/KAB (we have these in our vacation homes). One is on order for me to use in Athens during the week. They are manually turned, deliver nice results, and are simple and inexpensive. No reliability issues.
Sleep
Well-Known Member
I built one in the style of Monks/Loricraft. I really like the suction power of the small nozzle concentrating on a small area. I use upholsterers thread for the buffer between nozzle and record.
It's cleaned a bunch of average dirty albums, some truly filthy ones, and quieted lots of LPs that looked clean, but didn't sound it. The jar that collects the used fluids off the records looks like it's full of swamp water or worse.
It's cleaned a bunch of average dirty albums, some truly filthy ones, and quieted lots of LPs that looked clean, but didn't sound it. The jar that collects the used fluids off the records looks like it's full of swamp water or worse.
Puddintane
Super Member
Sears Craftsman Clean n Carry.
Hi Bob,
What have you got on the end of the hose there? Can you make this image larger, or maybe crop and zoom?
I'm trying to put together something along those same lines. I just picked up a 5 gal. Shop Vac at Goodwill for $4. It looks a lot like yours. I just need to rig up a hose--it was missing that part (all I got was just the canister part). I picked up a hose at another thrift store for $1, but it's pretty short. I might have to look a little more, unless I want to set the whole thing up on the kitchen counter--or wherever I end up using it. I also got a crevice tool for 50 cents. So now I just need to cut a slot in it. I don't have a Dremel, so I'm going to have to figure out a way to get that done without butchering the edges.
bananachip
New Member
Does anyone know of a DIY RCM kit or do any of you who built your own have any drawings or schematics etc? The more I upgrade my setup the more I'm finding that my dry carbon fiber brush isn't quite cutting the proverbial mustard.
mfrench
Addicted Member
I call it The Vactrola:
First:
This cabinet had been advertised in the local recycler rag for use as a bathroom vanity/pullman. It had been gutted of any sort of record playing device prior to my acquisition. It was in incredibly rough condition. I gave it a second chance to live in the record playing world, if only as a cleaner.
The left platter is my wet cleaning side, and is manually operated.
The right side is powered by a 6rpm motor. Two revolutions totally dry the record off. The wand is VPI.
The left side was never intended to be opened. It had been glued and nailed closed at the factory, and that side was just for record storage.. I carefully cut the lid away from the cabinet, mounted a hinge and created a lid support for it that somewhat matches the OE right side.
These pictures were taken just after I finished it (a few years now). Its cleaned 1000's of records now, and has worked wonderfully.
First:
This cabinet had been advertised in the local recycler rag for use as a bathroom vanity/pullman. It had been gutted of any sort of record playing device prior to my acquisition. It was in incredibly rough condition. I gave it a second chance to live in the record playing world, if only as a cleaner.
The left platter is my wet cleaning side, and is manually operated.
The right side is powered by a 6rpm motor. Two revolutions totally dry the record off. The wand is VPI.
The left side was never intended to be opened. It had been glued and nailed closed at the factory, and that side was just for record storage.. I carefully cut the lid away from the cabinet, mounted a hinge and created a lid support for it that somewhat matches the OE right side.
These pictures were taken just after I finished it (a few years now). Its cleaned 1000's of records now, and has worked wonderfully.
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Wow...what's your choice of cleaning fluids?
mfrench
Addicted Member
thanks, guys!
For my vinyl:
I mostly use a homebrew cleaner. it consists of a bit of distilled water, a bit of windex, a drip of dish soap as surfactant.
I also have a gallon of some kind of formula that a friend sent to me. I don't know what it is, but it works really well. Its a very wetting material (whereas water will sometimes bead up and attract to itself, this stuff stays evenly spread).
Bottom-line: My cleaners are far from fancy, mostly homebrew mixes that are sort of eyeballed into proportions.
Shellac:
a few drips of dish soap into distilled water, and a furious scrubbing with a boar hair bristle fingernail brush.
For my vinyl:
I mostly use a homebrew cleaner. it consists of a bit of distilled water, a bit of windex, a drip of dish soap as surfactant.
I also have a gallon of some kind of formula that a friend sent to me. I don't know what it is, but it works really well. Its a very wetting material (whereas water will sometimes bead up and attract to itself, this stuff stays evenly spread).
Bottom-line: My cleaners are far from fancy, mostly homebrew mixes that are sort of eyeballed into proportions.
Shellac:
a few drips of dish soap into distilled water, and a furious scrubbing with a boar hair bristle fingernail brush.
