This summer I will buy myself a record cleaner machine. My records have never been cleaned, so I have been looking at The Nitty Gritty Recordmaster 1 and Pro-ject VC-E or VC-S2. Which one of these do You think are the best?
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Didn't get off to a good start US website gives a California Proposition 65 warning that -quote- "hazardous chemicals liable to cause cancer are used " as regards whats used with the Nitty Gritty Recordmaster .
Your country being a Scandinavian country might take note of that .
$507 at Direct Audio -USA
Pro-Ject on the other hand has non toxic fluid --100 % eco friendly -
Cleaning up in Berlin with Pro-Ject Audio's VC-S RCM | Darko.Audio
Your country being a Scandinavian country might take note of that .
$507 at Direct Audio -USA
Pro-Ject on the other hand has non toxic fluid --100 % eco friendly -
Cleaning up in Berlin with Pro-Ject Audio's VC-S RCM | Darko.Audio
I've been using a Moth RCM for more than a decade and had a couple of minor mechanical problems, but it's mechanically very simple to dismantle and fix. Generally not a bad clean, if a little noisy. I'm not convinced it does much of a deep clean but certainly leaves surfaces spotless.
For cleaning fluid I'm using a mix of demineralised water, 5-10% isopropyl alcohol and a few drops of ilfotol wetting agent in around 500ml. Seems ok. I know there are dire warnings about isopropyl alcohol, but no actual strong evidence. Tried Art-du son, that seemed ok, nothing special, though it didn't store well, turning to a bitty mess in the bottle.
I'd been thinking about an ultrasonic machine as they do seem to be the real deal. The Kirmuss machine has had good reviews, Degritter looks interesting. There are plenty of others based on commercial ultrasonic baths with diy mechanisms. But I have a lot of thinking time on purchases like this...
For cleaning fluid I'm using a mix of demineralised water, 5-10% isopropyl alcohol and a few drops of ilfotol wetting agent in around 500ml. Seems ok. I know there are dire warnings about isopropyl alcohol, but no actual strong evidence. Tried Art-du son, that seemed ok, nothing special, though it didn't store well, turning to a bitty mess in the bottle.
I'd been thinking about an ultrasonic machine as they do seem to be the real deal. The Kirmuss machine has had good reviews, Degritter looks interesting. There are plenty of others based on commercial ultrasonic baths with diy mechanisms. But I have a lot of thinking time on purchases like this...
> California Proposition 65
Everything is too dangerous for California.
Don't snort the cleaning fluid.
Everything is too dangerous for California.
Don't snort the cleaning fluid.
I use an entry level Nitty Gritty-full manual, single side cleaning. Works great.
Wet, wipe and vacuum dry and right on the platter.
Never hurt a label and you can use any cleaning fluid you wish.
And I can't pass this up...
"Didn't get off to a good start US website gives a California Proposition 65..."
yes. just about everything I buy seems to have the label on it.
Coffee was on the list.
The brass key in my pocket is on the list.
Alcoholic beverages are on the list.
Fiberglass insulation is on the list.
Water filters are on the list.
Wet, wipe and vacuum dry and right on the platter.
Never hurt a label and you can use any cleaning fluid you wish.
And I can't pass this up...
"Didn't get off to a good start US website gives a California Proposition 65..."
yes. just about everything I buy seems to have the label on it.
Coffee was on the list.
The brass key in my pocket is on the list.
Alcoholic beverages are on the list.
Fiberglass insulation is on the list.
Water filters are on the list.
I second the Ultrasonic cleaner. I have a vacuum RCM and when I ran a few old records I bought that were cleaned with the VRCM through the USC I was surprised how much more muck came out of them.
My VRCM is packed away. I DIYed the USC and it does 12min cycle which is 1 rotation of the LP. New old LP's get 2 cycles, 24min. I have never heard my LP's so quiet.
My VRCM is packed away. I DIYed the USC and it does 12min cycle which is 1 rotation of the LP. New old LP's get 2 cycles, 24min. I have never heard my LP's so quiet.
I'd looked at them about this time last year and was certainly interested. But the problem I had then, as I do now, is that for me in the UK I've got to add delivery + duty and then VAT on all of that. Which pushed the cost to a point where I struggled to justify it swapping more records for cleaner records.
Still thinking. Probably still will be this time next year too.
The issue with isopropyl alcohol is that it has a reputation for causing problems with the plasticisers in vinyl. Not Californians. As with almost anything, discussions quickly 'dissolve' into quasi religious argument where the only backing evidence is another religious argument on a different forum or blog.
It would take days of immersion to cause any issues with IPA you will be pleased to know.
@StevenCrook - maybe look on fleabay item 303577076376 - comes from Poland, have no idea though about the quality of the device
@billshurv This was my view. I did try to get to the bottom of the idea it was harmful and couldn't. The more I looked, the harder it was to see anything.
Being of simple means (and mind) I enjoy my good old Spin-Clean record cleaner. Does a nice job cleaning up the dirty old records from thrift shops and garage sales.
I bought a Nitty Gritty Recordmaster 1 on sale for about 3400 NOK(Norwegian Crown), about 340 USD? Sometime ago I made my own cleaning Fluid. Made it of destilled water, some alcohol(isopropanol?), one drop of dishwashing soap.I think this recipe was one I found in an old HIFI magazine many years ago. Can I use the same recipe and make some for my new NG?
Depending on how the NG works it might foam up more than somewhat and detergent ingredients vary according to brand, though I've seen a few people with an NG using it at 3-4 drops in a gallon of water/isopropyl.
I've been using Ilford Ilfotol which has a really good reputation as a surfactant and you can get 500ml for around £12. I use about 3ml in 500ml of cleaning solution. So it'll go a long way.
I've been using Ilford Ilfotol which has a really good reputation as a surfactant and you can get 500ml for around £12. I use about 3ml in 500ml of cleaning solution. So it'll go a long way.
yes...I think it will work fine and I do the very same. I have also purchased the cleaner from Nitty Gritty.
When I make it myself I do use a only a small amount alcohol (3-5 percent) and less than a drop of the liquid soap. I can tell if is enough because it easily flows and covers all the grooves when spread around.
If there are very dirty records make a special extra strong batch and then cleam it again the normal batch.
And the vacuum removes it all after 30 seconds anyway.
-Missed the comment about foam up.
I have never seen an issue. The machine is full manual so foaming would only occur when manually wiping the grooves with the felt applicator or what ever you use to spread it around.
Then you flip the album and the vacuum slot removes all to a holding tank and the actual volume of liquid is really very small.
When I make it myself I do use a only a small amount alcohol (3-5 percent) and less than a drop of the liquid soap. I can tell if is enough because it easily flows and covers all the grooves when spread around.
If there are very dirty records make a special extra strong batch and then cleam it again the normal batch.
And the vacuum removes it all after 30 seconds anyway.
-Missed the comment about foam up.
I have never seen an issue. The machine is full manual so foaming would only occur when manually wiping the grooves with the felt applicator or what ever you use to spread it around.
Then you flip the album and the vacuum slot removes all to a holding tank and the actual volume of liquid is really very small.
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