My DIY record cleaner.

[Moke]

OK,... so I blew it in my first post, not realizing that the photos could not be seen if you were not a member of taperssection.com

Here are a couple of photos, and, the photobucket pic folder for the set:





from this album:
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v1...M%20by%20Moke/


this is the text from my original post at the other forum:

I was inspired by Carl Becks - Ugly Audio Room thread, where he highlighted his record cleaning machine (rcm).

So, I looked into, and purchased the VPI vacuum cleaning mechanism, and started trying to design a cabinet to mount it all in, or, purchase a cabinet to do the same.
I wanted a two platter cleaning system, of a wet cleaning manual side, and a mechanized vacuuming side.

Sarge bought me an old Victor Victrola cabinet, that had no working componentry in it; it was a gutted cabinet, that was advertised as a bathroom pullman cabinet. It was trashed, and in need if allot of work.
This was the perfect base to begin with.
The only real problem for my two platter system was that the left side of the cabinet was never intended to be opened, and was glued and nailed closed (ring-shank nails!).
I, as carefully as humanly possible, removed the fixed lid, and started to work in a manual deck, at the same time, designing in a mechanized deck.
I soon realized that there was a severe offset between the VPI OEM height specs, and my deck height, which required either an isolated riser for the pickup tube, or, designing in a two level deck, with the pickup tube on the upper level,and the tt being on the step down level.

Now with a cabinet at hand, I started into the actual electro-mechanical designs.

In all of my researching, and reading of other forums, regarding the building and design of this, everyone else wanted a motor-drive table, yet, nobody had actually installed a drive motor that I could find.

So, my first mechanical effort was to fabricate in a drive motor, and the rest of the electro-mechanical system to support that.
This is far from as easy as it might sound on the surface:
I had to re-suspend the mechanized-side turntable, from that of its shaft-ended end delrin bearing, to that of a ball bearing load carrying structure that was immediately below the platter; so that I could attach an axial-drive motor off the end of the turntable shaft. No small order!
So I researched and found a small thrust bearing that would do that job.
I then had to shorten the bronze bushing, in order to expose more shaft, in order to be able to attach a solid shaft drive collar to tie the motor and tt to each other (the motor has a .25" shaft, and the tt had a .28 shaft, so this required a redrilling of the steel shaft connector). When the bushing was shortened, I then had to notch the tt drive shaft to hold the set screw of the connecting collar.

The motor is mounted to an isolated, flexible base, of oak, and is floated onto rubber o-rings by mounting screws at two locations, so as to provide flexibility to the motor drive. The motor mount is also spring suspended with an oem mount.
So there is ample flexibility in the motor mount.
The motor is reversible, 6 rpm, high-torque, and was something i had in my garage for years (a $110 savings!).

I rigged a safety system of a GFCI circuitry to run my components from; the vacuum, motor drive, and LED's

Because I had to rig with a two level deck on the mechanized side, I had to redesign the hook for the lid support.
I also had to totally fabricate the lid support for the manual side (left). I made it of brass that I already had on hand.

The cork platter mats are from a garden supply center and are bases for interior planters. They are glued to a stiff plastic backing. They are exactly the same diameter as an album, so they were easy to align and get center drilled.

This has been a very serious effort in my spare time over the last month. I have a ton of thoughts that I'll edit in later, or repost at a later time.
Until then,....
I give you the Victor Vactrola RCM by Moke,......

[kimmy]

finally got the kick in the butt to finish this oft-delayed project.

tada!



not much of a looker but it sucks pretty good. except for some minute traces of liquid deposited very near the record's label, it works quite well.

a couple of things to be improved;

a better looking wand and end-cap

record clamp

replace blu-tack with something better hehe




record cleaner porn

thanks for the inspiration guys!

[fallendragon]

Hey Kimmy, it looks great! I love the use of the little cupboard, at least you can get to your bottle (though if it's like mine it'll probably only need emptying about once a decade and somewhere to keep all thise brushes, pads bottles etc that seem to collect around mine. Nice pump too, what is it?

Have you powered your turntable? If so tell us about it, as while i don't feel the loss at all, indeed quite the opposite, I keep feeling I *should* power mine and it would be fun to do
And if you haven't how are you turning it?

All the best
Graham

[kimmy]

hi graham, thanks for the compliment!

the cupboard-type enclosure was done out of necessity, unfortunately . i initially planned on having a pullout drawer below the cupboard door to hold the record inner sleeves. now i wish i had done so

the vac is of a piranha brand (sorry, no box or model number as i got it from a thrift shop). it pretty much look like this...

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=190246218773

the platter is hand spun hehe, no motor yet. it would be nice to have though

you were right, it might take a decade before the bottle gets filled up. after cleaning a couple of lps, i can barely find traces of crud or liquid in the slop bottle.

one caveat though, this vac screams

thinking of padding the insides of the cabinet with foamy material, hoping to lessen the noise.

regards

[rosey1968]

Matt,
Do you have the model number of the Poineer turntable you used?

I want to use your exact set up as I have a motor that will work perfectly. I have had a hard time finding a turntable that has the platter spindle setup like the one you used.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

[PH104]

Just came across this thread -- very beautiful work here. I thought I would add a couple of recipes for record cleaning fluid that I've used............

Stock solution:
80% (by volume) distilled or deionized water
20% (by volume) isopropyl alcohol

To each quart/liter of stock solution, add:
Recipe 1.
10 drops of Kodak Photo-Flo 200
4 drops of regular blue Windex
----or---
Recipe 2
20 drops of Kodak Photo-Flo 200
3 drops of regular blue Windex

Recipe 1 is from Cordesman in The Absolute Sound many years ago.
Recipe 2 is from Audio Asylum and claimed to be same as VPI cleaning fluid.

My local pharmacy will order 99% isopropyl alcohol for me so that's what I use. Don't use stuff labeled rubbing alcohol as that might have other chemicals in it, but that's probably well-known to most here.

Phil

[Key]

Lots of cool looking machines in here. Right now I am just using a modded shop vac attatchment with a VPI cleaning brush, and an old turntable I found at the side of the street with a cork matt on it.

I made the cleaning fluid out of 99.9% iso alchohol (had a mom and pop drug store order it for me), distilled water (not lab grade but if I can find some pure water I will use it), and a drop of Triton X-114. Bought a bottle of it here that should last me a long long time http://chemassociates.com/shopsite/Chemassoc2/

Anyway the tables you guys did look cool. Might have to keep an eye out for the perfect table at the thrift store and maybe order that VPI upgrade set.

I've been told never to use photoflow as it will leech your vinyl.

[kstlfido]

Yes, some cool record cleaners here! I just picked up a Kenmore magic blue vac for $5. Got a few old TT's I can use as cleaning platters- probably do the hand method.

I have also been researching cleaners. What I keep hearing mentioned on threads in sound archival circles (ARSCLIST) is Tergitol, namely Tergitol 15-S-3 (oil soluble surfactant) and 15-S-9 (water soluble surfactant).

Found some for sale at Talas; ~$20 a pint for each. Sounds pricey, but then you realize you only use 0.25 parts of each in 100 parts deionized water!! I would bet most of the $$ record cleaning solutions out there use this stuff. Anyone here tried it?

More info- go to bottom of this link-

http://www.vinylengine.com/care-and-...aterials.shtml

If it's good enough for the National Library of Canada AND The Library of Congress, it's good enough for me!

I have also seen the 'Disc Doctor' stuff recommended on the ARSCLIST as a good ready-made cleaner.

-Kent

[Key]

Yeah think most LCD and record cleaners are usually

water (deionized and distilled)
alchohol
nonionic surfactant (a drop or two not enough for it to start sudding)

[kstlfido]

Oh, and something I have also noticed on the archival posts- Kodak Photo-Flo is not recommended. You will need to thoroughly rinse your records w/ de-ionized water if you do. Best not to go there, in my opinion. Kodak mentions not to use it for this purpose.