Re: [ARSCLIST] ultrasonic bath for records

[Art Shifrin <goldens3@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Shellac disks (typical brittle "78s" should NEVER be cleaned with
alcohol!
Edison's thick (Diamond Disks) should be cleaned with alcohol & NOT
water.

Shiffy

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Douglas Small
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 9:43 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] ultrasonic bath for records

Kurt,

I essentially gave away all but a few of my 78s, so I have no experience
with them.
I would be very reluctant to clean my best 78s in the alcohol bath, but
it could work since the liquids are so diluted. I would try the 100%
distilled water alone to see how that fares and then amp up the mixture
as necessary.

Also, since the 78s are generally a harder material, they heat up around
the Groovemaster faster and the heat tends to warp the records. Either
start with cold water or go slowly. I find 6 minutes in rotations of 3
acceptable. Others in our group do 3 minutes 3 times.

The tank is too small to completely immerse a 12" record. The cost/
benefit of a significantly bigger tank doesn't seem worth it to me.  
Ken Fritz (who just dropped off this list) has considered a timer and
spit arrangement to mechanically move the record twice in the tank and
would allow you to do two disks at once. I am not the gizmo expert that
Ken is, so I can't really help you there, but I'm sure he would be
willing to assist if asked. Let me know if you would like his email
address (or it might be in an old email he sent out).

Hope that helps. Please let me know if I can be of any further
assistance. If you have a few records that you would like me to clean as
a test, please send them postage pd and I'll try it out at no charge. No
warranty, no guarantee, though :-)

I would also add that the Ultrasonic Bath is ONLY for the real fanatic;
90% of the junk in the grooves can be removed in other ways.

Doug
Skype: Doug_Small
(audio only)



On Feb 5, 2008, at 9:30 PM, Kurt Nauck wrote:

> Hi Doug
>
> I was asking about this last year. Do you clean 78s ultrasonically?  
> Why or why not?
>
> Do you mount the records on a spit and rotate them, or do you just lay

> them on their sides? Are they 55% immersed because your vat isn't 
> large enough to accommodate an entire 12" disc?
>
> Kurt Nauck
>
> c/o Nauck's Vintage Records
> 22004 Sherrod Ln.
> Spring, TX  77389
>
> Website: www.78rpm.com
> E-Mail: nauck@xxxxxxxxx
>
> Phone: (281) 288-7826
> Fax: (425) 930-6862