[orthobiz]

Just picked up a Eureka Enviro 350A steamer, Mikey wrote about it in this month's Stereophile. Have a couple of tiny lumps (organic 70's stuff?) that skip on an occasional record that will not come off with my Loricraft automatic cleaner or with the Orbitrac 2 Allsop cleaner by hand.

Anyway, anybody have any tips or experience before I fry the discs and steam the labels off? Or maybe some tips for stuck on stuff that begs (horror of horrors) judicious use of the fingernail for removal?

Thanks,

biz

[Folsom]

Bad idea.... Vinyl warps from heat. It would probably destroy not only the shape, I could see it destroyer the music itself on the vinyl.

I have come accross a few records with strange stuff that will not remove... I do not buy them or toss them because a styli with more diamond on it then in most peoples'e wedding rings is worth more than a few dollar disc.

[ohenry]

Oh hell, take a nasty album and give it a shot, then follow up with more traditional cleaning methods.  

I read an account of a guy that religiously used a handheld steamer for cleaning a few years ago (I think it was on "The Vinyl Engine" forum) and I was tempted at the time to try it on some yard sale items but never bought the steamer.

I'd think that distilled water is a must, but I don't recall any specifics beyond that.  I do recall that the record surface didn't get hot enough to cause warping.  I'm sure that could be done if the steamer remains stationary for too long.

Sorry for the lack of help, but it has been done successfully (no one ever embellishes on the internet, right?).

[Folsom]

You might need to add some thing to the water like when you wash by hand so no residue is left over...

If it really will not warp the record.... though I would be concerned for deep down warping on the level of where the needle touches.