| Grease and dust
will be smeared around in the record-grooves by the stylus. The record
dies a little each time you play it, but cleanliness can get you more out
of your records.
In daily use the
records can be dry-cleaned with an anstistatic or ordinary brush before
and after playing the disc.
Wipe the
record carefully
along the grooves and keep your pickup-needle (diamond) clean with a
small
brush - or special cleaning fluid if you find this to be more effective
and you are not worried that the fluid will make your cantilever
corrode. Always wipe the needle
from the suspension point towards the tip, and do it gentle. The stylus
is easily damaged.
*
Never leave records on the turntable.
*
Store the records in their sleeves.
*
Keep your fingers from the grooves.
*
Hold the record by the edge with your thumb.
*
Support the label with the other fingers. |
Very dirty records
can be washed manually with a soft brush in some lukewarm tap-water - some
will prefer distilled water - with a bit of mild dishwashing detergent.
Vinyl-records can
also be cleaned in alcohol-solutions like 1/3 isopropyl to 2/3 distilled
water, but never-ever use alcohol on 78 rpm shellacs. They will be ruined,
some shellacs with a cardboard core will not even like water...
After cleaning rinse
in (distilled) water, put the record on a clean towel and gently dab the
record dry. The record is now much cleaner, but be sure that some debris
still remains in the grooves.
*
Never clean 78 rpm shellac records with alcohol.
*
Do not use water on lacqer discs.
*
The base material will dissolve.
*
Clean your records outdoors or open a window.
*
Beware of the fire hazard if you clean with alcohol. |
Build
a wet washing machine
If you buy records
in the flea market you´ll come across dirty and abused records. Often
wet-washing and vacuum-cleaning is the only way to rescue these records.
In the seventies
many libraries had Keith Monk and other machines, but nowadays it is rare
to come across such an antique machine.
Nitty Gritty and
some other companies are still in business, but less can do it - do it
yourself!
I made my washing-device
from scrap materials and found some inspiration on the Internet. Look at
my pictures and try the links site for more inspiration.
If you have some
suggestions or questions, don´t hesitate to mail me. Thanks to many
for additional advice - especially from Richard Steinfeld, Mark Huffman
and Karsten Jensen.
Yours
Hans Henrik Pedersen. |
