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Old 26th May 2020, 5:19 pm   #1
ajgriff
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Default DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

INTRODUCTION

About five years ago I put together a vacuum cleaning machine for vinyl records. I claim no originality for the overall design as it’s based upon commercial machines and similar DIY efforts documented on the web.

Any machine like this requires two key pieces of equipment. The first is a scrap turntable and the second is a ‘wet capable’ vacuum cleaner. If either of them has to be purchased it shouldn’t be too difficult to find suitable items at an economic price second hand via boot sales or elsewhere. Everything else about my machine is cheap, cheerful and DIY.

Personally I didn’t see the point of trying to integrate a vacuum system into one inevitably bulky unit. Also, why not retain the vacuum cleaner’s ability to perform its purpose in life? In a similar vein I didn’t see the need for an automated turntable when the overall process is just as easy to operate in a manual fashion. This is one of those instances where attempts at integrating electrical systems might also have led to unnecessary safety concerns. As everyone here knows electricity and water based fluids don’t make good companions.

Hopefully the attached pictures will help illustrate the narrative which follows. When viewing the photos please bear in mind that the machine is now five years old and has been well used so everything looks a bit worn. This is actually testament to its effectiveness.

TURNTABLE

The scrap turntable in this instance represents the remains of a Dual CS 505-2 which I acquired many years ago for a minimal amount. It was in very poor condition with several faults plus missing or broken parts although it yielded some useful spares including a decent enough Ortofon MM cartridge.

The deck was stripped down to the top plate, platter (complete with spindle), bearing and plinth. The transit screws were tightened down securely so that the set up forms a firm base to support the record being cleaned whilst allowing it to be rotated. There are a couple of short lengths of plastic pipe pushed over the screw heads to protect records from accidental damage.

More or less any scrap turntable could be pressed into service for this purpose but it’s crucial that records don’t skid when being rotated. I used non-slip drawer liner, cut to size and stuck down with PVA, for the mat as this provides better grip than most standard platter mats especially those which have hardened due to age and exposure to sunlight.

PUCK

The puck or pressure pad is an important part of the kit because it provides the means to firmly clamp the record and rotate it whilst being vacuumed. This was made using a badly scratched 45 RPM single by simply cutting a disc from the central (label) area with a strong pair of scissors. Two sink drain plugs super glued top to top formed the handle once the tops had been filed smooth. The handle was super glued to the disc. I fitted the pad side of the puck with another piece of drawer liner glued in place with PVA. When the puck is in position the protruding end of the platter spindle sits comfortably in a ⅜” hole drilled through the sink plugs. There are many ways to make something like this including using scrap timber, plywood or MDF. I just used a little imagination and materials that were readily to hand.

VACUUM WAND

This is the business end of the whole thing and was made from what was once a Henry vacuum cleaner crevice tool acquired at a flea market. Any crevice tool of suitable length which fits the particular vacuum cleaner’s hose (with or without adapter) would be fine of course.

I squared off the angled end of the crevice tool before drilling a 4” line of 1/16” holes at 1/16” intervals down the centre of one side of the tool starting about 1/2” from the end. The end itself was plugged (PVA again) using a small piece of wood with a 1/8” hole drilled through it to allow some air flow. Strips of felt were glued with PVA along either side of the line of holes plus a smaller piece at the end. Similarly strips of velvet tape were glued on top of the felt. The aim was to achieve a nice soft non-scratch cushion. The velvet does wear but it and the felt can be scraped off for replacement when necessary

SUCTION

This was easy for me as I already had an Aquavac 1300W ‘wet and dry’ household vacuum cleaner so no additional costs were incurred. From a safety perspective I wouldn’t even think of using a vacuum cleaner without the ‘wet’ facility even though the amounts of fluid involved are relatively small. The machine is far more powerful than necessary for this purpose but the amount of suction can be moderated using the adjustable vent fitted as standard to the hose. As it happens I did need an adapter, which came with the crevice tool, in order to connect the wand to the Aquavac’s hose system.

In financial terms I guess the availability or otherwise of a suitable vacuum system is the most significant consideration for anyone contemplating the DIY cleaning machine route. However, even bought new, basic ‘wet and dry’ vacuum cleaners can be had for less than £50 so purchase might still be worth considering as an option bearing in mind the substantial price tag of a proprietary vacuum driven record cleaning machine.

CLEANING PROCESS

A very ordinary 3/4” soft bristle paint brush makes an ideal cleaning fluid applicator. It also doubles up as a way to remove loose material (dust, debris, fluff etc) at the start of the cleaning process. After gently dry brushing both sides, the record is placed on the turntable, with the puck on top, so that the fluid can be applied. After giving the fluid container (old de-ionised water squeezy bottle) a good shake, three equally spaced blobs of fluid are positioned around the record and the brush is used to spread the fluid evenly over the surface using the puck handle to rotate the platter. Whilst continuing to rotate the platter the fluid is lightly stippled into the groove, taking care to avoid label contamination. At this point the record surface should be well wetted and slightly frothy. It doesn’t take much practice to develop a routine for this part of the process.

Turning to the vacuuming stage, the wand rests on the record surface pointing towards the spindle with the vacuum cleaner switched on. Next the wand is twisted slightly so that only the right hand edge remains in contact with the record. Holding the wand in one hand the record is then rotated slowly anti-clockwise using the other hand with continuous firm pressure applied to the puck. Two or three steady rotations will result in a reasonably dry surface. A further complete turn with the wand held flat should remove any remaining moisture. The preceding description assumes that the wand is held in the right hand. If someone prefers holding the wand in the left hand the wand needs to be tilted the other way and the direction of rotation changed to clockwise. All easier to do rather than describe in words but again it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it. Finally, it takes about ten minutes to clean each side of an LP making a total of twenty minutes per record so cleaning a large number in one go can be quite an undertaking.

CLEANING FLUID

There seems to be widespread agreement that preparing a vinyl record cleaning fluid involves mixing three main constituents. Broadly speaking these are water, some kind of alcohol based solvent and a small amount of surfactant. Beyond this opinions start to diverge. Internet sooth sayers and cleaning fluid makers/vendors claim that a high level of purity of the constituents is absolutely critical. However, I would challenge this assertion with specific regard to the vacuum process for reasons that should become apparent. Firstly though, this is the formula for the fluid mixture I use:

1. 20% methylated spirits

2. 80% fridge drip tray water

3. Two drops of washing up liquid (surfactant) per litre of mixture

Do I hear howls of derision? If so that’s fine but please read on. Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) is the most commonly recommended non-aqueous solvent component on the grounds that it doesn’t adversely affect PVC (vinyl). In fact a little research of reliable sources will reveal that methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol are somewhat more effective solvents and don’t affect vinyl any more than IPA. Of course meths is composed primarily of ethyl alcohol and a smaller proportion of methyl alcohol. Another thing about meths is that it evaporates more quickly than IPA which means that the vacuuming part of the process takes less time thus reducing the risk of abrasive damage.

Turning to the issue of contaminants meths, fridge water and washing up liquid all have them but in very tiny amounts when compared to the overall volume of mixture. Also the contaminants (dye, pyridine, salts etc) are either held in solution or, to a more limited extent, suspension. It’s also worth considering that a soiled LP will almost certainly hold a relatively large quantity of contaminants relative to the amount residing in the cleaning mixture. The purpose of the fluid is to float or dissolve the muck so that the vacuum can remove the contamination from the record surface including the groove. My contention is that the whole lot is swept up by the vacuum system without the need to worry about the tiny amount of contaminant contributed by the fluid. I appreciate that this argument doesn’t necessarily hold for Knosti style air drying systems or for highly prized mint records although those shouldn’t need cleaning anyway.

Call me cynical but I think that the prices charged for snake oil record cleaning fluids verge on the ridiculous. A litre of the fluid I’ve described will easily clean both sides of 30 to 40 LPs at a cost of about 1p a record which is less than the cost of the electricity used to power the vacuum cleaner.

CONCLUSION

It’ll be obvious to anyone reading this that making this machine was motivated by a penny pinching attitude and a desire to produce something that worked well with little or no concern for aesthetics. In the final analysis I prefer using it to clean vinyl so that I can listen to the music rather than spending time making the thing look pretty. When not in use it lives in a cupboard out of sight along with the Aquavac.

In terms of performance there’s not much I can say other than that the machine does the job extremely well and making it has resulted in significantly enhanced listening pleasure. After cleaning around 200 LPs I don’t believe that a single groove has been damaged to any audible degree. After cleaning, records are static free and are kept that way by using a carbon fibre brush whenever they’re played. Regular stylus cleaning helps to keep records in good order too as well as ensuring optimum audio performance.

Alan
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Old 26th May 2020, 5:57 pm   #2
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Interesting and thanks for sharing. I use a soft shaving brush. Wet the record and then using distilled water and washing up liquid thoroughly brush the record in the direction with the grooves and rinse under the tap. I find a shaving brush very gentle but thorough. As the water runs over the surface you can see even tiny particles cause a disturbance in the ‘flow’ as it runs over the surface and brush them away until you get a nice flow running off. Pat the majority of water away with a soft towel and leave to air dry. I have many (many many) LP’s and used this method for years with excellent results. It takes some care in handling. Unless I was faced with cleaning a lot of records at one time I couldn’t justify the construction or purchase of a machine
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Old 26th May 2020, 9:32 pm   #3
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Thanks Alan, very interesting.
I am currently building a record cleaning machine using the same principle, I especially like your puck and the use of the drawer liner, I may steal shamelessly.

Peter
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Old 27th May 2020, 9:26 am   #4
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Great stuff Alan - an inspirational build that should encourage others to have a go themselves.

Helps to reinforce the message that a wet clean and vacuum is really the favoured method as it gets deep down into those grooves.

My own proprietary RCM has a bi-directional platter but was unsure if yours does the same?
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Old 27th May 2020, 1:05 pm   #5
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

That was very interesting - thank you! I have only used a Monks (?) machine at the BBC 30 years ago, when I was there for a short time as a trainee. From memory the machine 'played' a cotton thread which was wound out of a little tube where the stylus might normally be, continually, to dry the record. Is there an advantage to either system?
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Old 27th May 2020, 2:46 pm   #6
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

The Keith Monks does a better job of sucking the fluid out of the groove.
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Old 27th May 2020, 5:50 pm   #7
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Glad that the DIY machine has generated some interest. Heath Robinson would be delighted!

I'd just like to correct an error in the original post. The hole in the puck handle (two sink plugs) was drilled with a 1/4" bit and not 3/8" as stated. My proof reading skills, or lack thereof, let me down once again. I can also confirm that the platter rotates freely in both directions which allows a good deal of flexibility when it comes to how the user manages the cleaning process.

I've never come across a Monks machine and don't know much detail regarding how it works other than the information provided on the website. However, the basic principle seems to be 'wet and suck' just like the other available vacuum devices. One feature that does stand out is the current price tag which seems to be about £2000 although I don't know how much the machines cost in 1969 and I do wonder if the law of diminishing returns starts to come into play here. Perhaps a Monks machine does cleanse the groove more effectively, I've really no way of judging the proposition. All I can say is that my simple and inexpensive (practically nothing) machine works.

Just for fun I've attached a photo of the muckiest record I've cleaned thus far. This disc was deeply engrained with various species of mould, jam, wine and sundry unidentifiable substances. No sane person would have allowed a stylus near it. As can be observed the record must have led a hard Dansette type lifestyle and has been played hundreds of times. After cleaning it plays right through faultlessly albeit with lots of background ticks/clicks caused by the scuffs and scratches. There's never been any sign of residue on the stylus used. A photo of the cover is also attached simply because it took me hours to clean and reconstruct. Why do I do these things!?

Alan
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Old 27th May 2020, 8:02 pm   #8
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Quote:
Originally Posted by mark_in_manc View Post
That was very interesting - thank you! I have only used a Monks (?) machine at the BBC 30 years ago, when I was there for a short time as a trainee. From memory the machine 'played' a cotton thread which was wound out of a little tube where the stylus might normally be, continually, to dry the record. Is there an advantage to either system?
It's not a cotton thread, it's nylon and it doesn't do any drying. It's there to interface with the nozzle which sucks up the cleaning fluid.
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Old 27th May 2020, 9:43 pm   #9
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

From what I can gather reading the Keith Monks website the nylon thread effectively acts as a spacer between the suction nozzle and the record surface to ensure a constant flow of air at the same pressure throughout the vacuuming process. This appears to mean that the nylon rubs against the vinyl in the same way as the velvet on my machine.

The Monks cleaning fluid is interesting as it is claims to be 100% organic with no alcohol content. I couldn't find any further details other than a mention of triple filtered distilled water.

Alan
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Old 28th May 2020, 1:07 am   #10
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

I have posted this before, but here it is again for those that might have missed it.
I clean records using a VPI record cleaner. That bit of info is just for reference because I have been known to clean records on a towel on the kitchen table in an emergency.
Any method will be OK I think, as long as reasonable care is taken.

I use Liquinox critical cleaning agent. I buy it from the usual auction places direct from the manufacturer. It cost ( last purchase) $14.50 including poost. Thats about seven quid. Its a US quart, BUT that makes 100 quarts of cleaning solution. so dont anybody tell me its expensive. I have at times been over generous cleaning and applied too much so that the label gets wet. So far after they dry they are still in perfect order.

The three photos are self explanatory. If you can use this stuff to clean hard drive components, I am sure it wont damage good old vinyl.


Joe
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Old 28th May 2020, 4:36 pm   #11
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Thanks for the information about Liquinox Joe. I'd not come across it before as it seems to be a product very much limited to the US. As you say the product itself is not expensive, although it's now rather more than when you last bought some, but the cost of importing a quart into the UK would be quite high these days.

From looking at the technical and safety data sheets Liquinox is essentially a laboratory grade detergent and I'm sure there will be similar products which are more readily available both here and in Australia. In essence, using it for cleaning vinyl is likely to be very similar to using a standard aqueous solution of houshold washing up liquid so nothing particularly wrong with that especially if a vacuum system is being employed. Overall and without undertaking a scientific research project, my feeling is that the alcohol based mixtures discussed here and elsewhere are likely to be more effective.

Alan
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Old 28th May 2020, 7:14 pm   #12
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Quote:
Originally Posted by Electronpusher0 View Post
I am currently building a record cleaning machine using the same principle ....

Peter
Would be interesting to hear how you're getting on with your project Peter. Are you building an all in one unit or using a stand-alone vacuum cleaner?

Alan
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Old 28th May 2020, 7:34 pm   #13
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Hi Alan,
It started as a very simple device like yours but it has got more complicated.
I had an old VAX cleaner that was very small despite being 1800W.
I opened it up and realised that the suck bit was sufficiently self contained and small enough to build into the box.
The box itself is and old wine box, I wish I had a few of the bottles it once contained!
The turntable is from an el cheapo deck I broke some time ago.
I put an intermediate container in the air path to catch any liquid, as you say, quantities are small but I dont want them in the motor, this was made from a strong plastic screw top container.
I assembled the main gubinns and gave it a test and had to laugh, the suction was so great that the plastic container collapsed completely. If I had tried to use it on a record it would have stuck to it immovably.

Back to the drawing board.
I am now fashioning a liquid container from an old thermos stainless food container, dual walled and should be strong enough.
I have ordered a triac speed controller module so I can dial down the suction.

I will post some pictures when I go down the workshop tommorrow.

Peter
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Old 28th May 2020, 9:49 pm   #14
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Sounds good Peter. Just a couple of thoughts off the top of my head which you've probably already considered but here goes anyway:

1. I wonder whether or not you really need an intermediate container assuming that the VAX motor unit was originally designed to cope with wet use? Even if I clean half a dozen records at one sitting (standing in reality) the inside of the Aquavac's receiver barely gets moist. I assume that most of the moisture is dispelled as vapour through the exhaust filter which of necessity must vent into the outside world.

2. The suction on the Aquavac can be controlled by an adjustable vent on the hose handle. If the VAX doesn't have this option suction power could be moderated with holes which could be positioned in the wand, receiver (wine box I assume) or the hose handle. In reality I mostly use mine at full throttle and twist (tilt) the wand to limit the pull. This has the advantage of maximising air fow, reducing drying time and limiting direct contact with the record.

You'll appreciate that I'm a fan of the simple approach to life and I do hope not to have muddied the waters for you. Looking forward to seeing the pictures.

Alan

PS I hope that the preceding interchange is still of interest to anyone thinking about making one of these machines.
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Old 29th May 2020, 6:35 am   #15
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Quote:
Originally Posted by ajgriff View Post
I hope that the preceding interchange is still of interest to anyone thinking about making one of these machines.
I am hoping that if nothing else it will contrast the difference between using a separate aquavac or building in the vacuum cleaner and help inform other prospective builders' choice.

The doner cleaner for mine was made by VAX but was not a wet and dry cleaner, see picture (a stock picture, mine was in worse condition) so I would feel happier with a liquid receiver.

Interesting thoughts about keeping the air flow going by using an adjustable vent to control suction. I will still turn mine down a bit by a speed controller as it will reduce the noise.

Pictures and further explanation to follow.

Peter
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Old 29th May 2020, 7:33 am   #16
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

OK, I have just taken some photos.

As I said the housing is an old wine box, Chateau Batailley Pauillac Grand Cru Classe 1976 no less!
This was divided in two, one part to house the motor and has a top on which is mounted the deck, the second part is open for the water receiver and pipe storage.

The motor chamber from the doner VAX performance cleaner was removed, just the base had to be cut out from the casing. The motor chamber has rectangular inlet and exhaust ports. I used the small rectangular cleaning attachment to convert the inlet port to take a pipe, I used some body filler to shape it to the port and bonded it with JB plastic weld and reinforcing mesh.

The MK1 liquid receiver was a strong (but not strong enough) screw top plastic container. As you can see from the photos this sits in the open compartment of the wine box, it has a hole in the side which marries up to the inlet pipe of the vacuum motor. I just used a piece of closed cell foam with a hole in to make the airtight seal, this was very effective, too effective.

The flexible hose that goes to the wand clips into the top of the water receiver.

I hooked up a mains lead temporarily to test the system and switched on.
As noted above the water receiver instantly collaped due to the suction.

The MK2 receiver is going to be a modified 800ml Thermos Thermocafe food container, the top (cup) part of this has already been used to cover the torroidal transformer of my Mullard 5-10 amplifier.
The thermos container of course has round sides instead of square like the plastic one had and I had thought to add more foam to make a better seal to the vacuum cleaner inlet pipe, but following Alan's suggestion about an air vent I will probably just let some air leak past the curved sides.

I will post updates as I progress.
To be honest, if my local car boot was still running I would probably have just bought a second hand aquavac and followed Alan's route.

Peter
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Old 29th May 2020, 10:17 am   #17
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

I really admire the ingenuity and work that has gone into the wine box cleaning machine although I can't help but feel a little uneasy about drawing moisture laden air through a motor unit not designed for wet use. Very much a judgement a call. On an optimistic note I guess outdoor car boot sales may be able to resume shortly. Love the raised salad/vegetable bed too!

Alan
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Old 29th May 2020, 1:21 pm   #18
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I can't help but feel a little uneasy about drawing moisture laden air through a motor unit not designed for wet use. Very much a judgement a call. ........... Love the raised salad/vegetable bed too!

Alan
I will proceed carefully, the motor unit is double insulated so hopefully the worst that can happen is I lose the motor. The workshop has RCDs of course.

The raised bed is my son's lockdown project, I passed on your compliments.

Peter
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Old 29th May 2020, 3:37 pm   #19
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

Quote:
Originally Posted by Electronpusher0 View Post
OK, I have just taken some photos.

As I said the housing is an old wine box, Chateau Batailley Pauillac Grand Cru Classe 1976 no less!
This was divided in two, one part to house the motor and has a top on which is mounted the deck, the second part is open for the water receiver and pipe storage.

The motor chamber from the doner VAX performance cleaner was removed, just the base had to be cut out from the casing. The motor chamber has rectangular inlet and exhaust ports. I used the small rectangular cleaning attachment to convert the inlet port to take a pipe, I used some body filler to shape it to the port and bonded it with JB plastic weld and reinforcing mesh.

The MK1 liquid receiver was a strong (but not strong enough) screw top plastic container. As you can see from the photos this sits in the open compartment of the wine box, it has a hole in the side which marries up to the inlet pipe of the vacuum motor. I just used a piece of closed cell foam with a hole in to make the airtight seal, this was very effective, too effective.

The flexible hose that goes to the wand clips into the top of the water receiver.

I hooked up a mains lead temporarily to test the system and switched on.
As noted above the water receiver instantly collaped due to the suction.

The MK2 receiver is going to be a modified 800ml Thermos Thermocafe food container, the top (cup) part of this has already been used to cover the torroidal transformer of my Mullard 5-10 amplifier.
The thermos container of course has round sides instead of square like the plastic one had and I had thought to add more foam to make a better seal to the vacuum cleaner inlet pipe, but following Alan's suggestion about an air vent I will probably just let some air leak past the curved sides.

I will post updates as I progress.
To be honest, if my local car boot was still running I would probably have just bought a second hand aquavac and followed Alan's route.

Peter
The '79 was better!

What a corking record cleaner.

I'll get my coat.

Seriously, that's brilliant. well done Peter.
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Old 7th Jun 2020, 8:31 am   #20
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Default Re: DIY Vinyl Record Cleaning Machine

I have cleaned my first record with the "Wine Box" cleaner!

I still need to mount the speed controller properly and tidy it up but it works.

Following ajgriffs's suggestion about an air vent I cut a slot in the non flexible part of the pipe before it enters the motor unit, this will not only reduce the suction but will also keep a flow of dry air going through the motor unit to dry any moisture that might make it past the water trap. I fitted a rotatable sleeve on the pipe to adjust the amount of venting.

The water receiver is the dual wall stainless food container I mentioned. The hole in the side was cut with a stepped cutter and the gap between the walls at the hole sealed with silicon. The hole in the top of the lid was a perfect fit for the old vacuum cleaner hose, just sealed with more silicon.

I cut a slot in the wand rather than a row of holes. The velvet either side of the slot was a length of velvet ribbon.

A gap of about 4mm was left in the end of the wand to get more air flow.

When I tried it at full power the wand stuck itself to the record and I could not move it so the speed controller is a must, having turned it down it now works as it should.

I use a mix of 75% distilled water, 25% IPA and 0.5% (5ml in a litre) Ilfotol wetting agent.
The puck is a record clamp, this was just used to test it, the clamp does not cover the label fully so I shall make a bespoke puck.

I tried it on an old record I have in the workshop that I use to test record decks and don't mind getting damaged, it was filthy.
It cleaned up brilliantly and plays well now.

I attach some more pictures (son's veg is coming on well)

Peter
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