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Spin Clean vs. manual clean

db297

db297

Active Member
Hey - I'm new, and I want to clean my albums the best I can. I cannot afford an expensive cleaner, but I could afford the "Spin Cleaner". I've also searched a lot of threads here and saw how a few people clean their albums manually. One guy that posted pics simply used a new soft hair paint brush and scrubbed his albums with his solution that way.

After looking at the Spin Clean video at Garage 'A Records, I'm trying to understand why I should spend $65 plus shipping for the Spin Clean unit.

Do you think the Spin Clean unit does a better job at cleaning albums than me just doing it manually?? Or do they both do the same quality job, but Spin Clean does it SO much faster???

Why should I spend my album money on a Spin Clean unit???

Thanks in advance,
db
 
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I bought a spin clean from them as well. I have put about 700-800 lp's thru it and it does a good job.

I didnt want to spend the $ for a VPI. Ans since its a bath type unit I think it cleans better than a vacuum system. But I cant prove this, just what I think.

Spin clean has been around since the '60's so its as time proven as the vpi and more "green" since it uses no electricity.

Its less prone to scratching lp's than a manual cleaning just be careful when drying. also buy the big bottle of fluid, spare rollers and pads (just so your prepared)

If you need to clean a LOT of records at a given time then go w/ the VPI
 
I manually clean with the GroovMaster label saver and an Osage record brush. I don't have any experience with any other method, but I'm pleased with my results.
 
Tanker Desk said:
I manually clean with the GroovMaster label saver and an Osage record brush. I don't have any experience with any other method, but I'm pleased with my results.
Click to expand...

Where can I get a GoovMaster label saver??? I've looked and looked, but can't find one.
 
I don't like paint brushes because they seem to collect dust bigtime. I've tried big paint brushes and artist brushes. :no:

I still stand by my 20 yr old Discwasher brush. For a basic remove-the-dust cleaning, it still works really, really well.

Another thing that has worked well is putting a lot of fluid on the disc and moving it around / cleaning with a pain edger pad then using a microfiber towel to dry off. I don't know that it helps all that much.

The best method so far is lots of fluid, spread/clean with edger, let sit a few seconds, then vacuum off. I use a $6 mini vac from Goodwill, with microfiber towel wrapped around the fitting (which is wide enough to reach across all the grooves and hang off the end about an inch). Frankly it's easier-- I do this once and there's not a speck of dust anywhere-- and has quieted down a record or two along the way, too.

I do all the cleaning on the turntable, moving the platter by hand.

Michael
 
A nice thread here, and I'd like keeping it "nice" (yeah right).

Contrary to the "DIY Experts", cleaning fluids have come a long way within just the past two years.

Those somewhat ignorant to think for a second that thier "homebrew" formulas are equal, or even superior to top quality brands available today, are I'm afraid wrongly mistaken.

The one problem I see with manual methods, is an excessive use for these expensive fluids.

But, perhaps not so much the cleaners themselves, but the rinses needed to eradicate-remove them.

One doesn't necessarliy have to have 18 fluids, and 14 brushes to get a record clean (my exaggeration of course)

One can have one good brush, one good cleaner, and a good rinse to get by.

I'm no chemist, but one could perhaps use even tap water for thier "preliminary" rise, but that final rinse should be done with "at least" distilled water, and wiped, or somehow another way dried.

I'm very skeptical about "air drying" anything. Water Spots, and thier residues are bound to occur with this process. Sucking, or wiping (in layman's terms, are bound to be mucho better)

As I probably mentioned before, even a "weak" cleaner, such as straight water, may be actually better than all these folks proclaiming Dawn, Windex, Photo Flo, Iso Alcohol from Walgreens, thier formulas are really not much better than straight Distilled Water. In fact, they are much much worse, but they are too hardheaded, stubborn, to know any better. Self proclaimed experts so to speak.

I may be able to get better results, using 65 cents a gallon Distilled a few times, versus, what they get with thier "Frankenstein" garbage junk that they so much swear by. (With Dyes, colorants, perfumes, and food grade silicones, which 1/2 of these people don't even know that's what is in Dawn Detergent, and they are things you don't want on your records)

With what they use, I'd be better switching back to 1970 Discwasher Fluid.
Mark
 
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Well, I just got an email reply from Bill Sargent - the Groovmaster maker. He now charges $65 for it which includes shipping. Evidently, the Groovmaster now has Deluxe handles which are larger, with longer stand-off shafts, allowing easier assembly and a better grip while washing.

Thing is - the Spin Clean costs $65 as well. I believe shipping is $9.95, which means for an extra $10 I can get the Spin Clean. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.......

So now I have to figure out if I want to clean my albums manually without the Groovmaster or use the Spin Clean. I just can't see spending $65 for the Groovmaster and still clean them manually. If I'm going to spend that much money I may as well get the Spin Clean.

Does this make sense to everybody else, or is there something I'm missing. Never having done it either way, I'm definitely open to suggestions.

Thanks,
db
 
markd51 said:
Those somewhat ignorant to think for a second that thier "homebrew" formulas are equal, or even superior to top quality brands available today, are I'm afraid wrongly mistaken.
k
Click to expand...

Please elaborate on this claim.

My formula is quite good. I use it and share it with my friends over commercially available brands.

1 part 99% isopropyl alcohol
3 or 4 parts nano pure water
1 or 2 drops per 250ml solution of Triton X-114 surfactant

The surfactant leaves no residue, the alcohol dissolves fingerprints. Best used with a vacuum but I also use it with a discwasher.
 
Moderator Note:

The OP asked for opinions on the Spin Clean record cleaner, not the 9 millionth supercilious sermon on why anyone else's methods and cleaning fluids are the The Way, The Truth, and The Light. That has gotten beyond tedious.

Please stay on topic.
 
tentoze said:
Moderator Note:

The OP asked for opinions on the Spin Clean record cleaner, not the 9 millionth supercilious sermon on why anyone else's methods and cleaning fluids are the The Way, The Truth, and The Light. That has gotten beyond tedious.

Please stay on topic.
Click to expand...

Thanks
db
 
For what it is worth I have used the Spin Clean for over a year and some 500 LPs. After passing through the SC the LPs are quiet and very good sounding.
 
All of these methods, used correctly, will help clean a record. I don't have enough experience with both of these to make any meaningful recommendation of which one should be chosen.

What I will say is that:

(1) even though I have a range of methods available, I often find using more than one method works better than using just one. If the LP is a really filthy thrift-shop disaster, then start with things like sink rinse (gently brush under running water), wood glue dry-n-peel, and steaming before doing the usual RCM or what-have-you. Sometimes repeated cleaning or a combination of methods works better than just any one cleaning approach.

(2) If and when you can afford it, little works as well as an RCM vacuum-based cleaning, including a rinse-and-vacuum, as a final step. I have yet to find a manually-cleaned record that couldn't be improved with an RCM cleaning, but not the other way 'round. I think that is why every really hard-core audiophile vinyl nut I've met seems to use a machine (although the salesmanship of sellers and the egos of buyers could explain part of it, too!). You certainly do not NEED an RCM to get clean records :no:, but it does help a lot, if you want your records to be as clean as you can reasonably get them.

Don't forget all the other factors that go into getting good sound out of vinyl, too, like cartridge alignment, phono preamplification, etc...
 
Spin Clean has worked well for me. To my mind, it gets LPs very clean, no electricity gets used doing so, and is affordable. If I did more than 20 or so records at a session, I could see having automation making life easier.
 
I've used the Spin Clean for a number of years. Do order extra bushes at the time of purchase, they do wear out, and don't leave them in the solution between uses, remove them, I put them on top of the lid to dry between uses, left in they will disentegrate rapidly.

Jim
 
markd51 said:
A nice thread here, and I'd like keeping it "nice" (yeah right).
Click to expand...

"Yeah right" indeed. Why can't you just present the facts instead of loading up on the attitude? I think more of us are open to learning than you give credit to. So just tell us what you know. You can actually do that nicely.

E.g., just tell how the cleaning fluids have advanced, why they are better. Give us facts. Why do you have to use the word ignorant? Why not just tell us how the new fluids are better?

Like this:

The reason the other items like Pro Flow and Dawn and IPA are added to the water in small quantities is to act as surfactants, reducing the surface tension of water. (for those that don't know http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfactant) They help get into the tiniest crevices and lift the crap off the vinyl. Straight water alone won't work that way. Also of note, most of us use a tiny, tiny amount of Dawn in the water (I use 1-2 drops per quart) figuring there isn't very much extra crap, and most of that is probably vacuumed off.

See? I didn't cop a 'tude and I didn't call anyone ignorant, hardened, stubborn, etc. Just stated what I know. It's quite easy, really.

Thanks,
Michael
 
I've used Spin clean for 10yrs and find it does a very good job. I like it better than manual because the tub and rollers make it very easy to do, also I can leave a particular bad part of the record soak for a long period of time if need be.As was stated earlier order a 2nd pair of brushes and always take them out of the solution.
I usually wait until I have about 20 or so Lp's to clean before setting up the solution because I don't think you can let the solution sit for very long (I think it sits for about a week or so maybe more). So when I have 20 to clean i simply pull 10 or 20 more from my shelves to make it worth while.
 
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