[caddisgeek]

Hi All,
        Anyone know a safe method of flattening out a warped LP?

Cheers
Steve

[SET Man]

Hey!

  Well, there is the Air Tight DT-01 Disc Flatter....

http://www.musicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=AAIRTIGHTDT01

  At $1995.00! A bit crazy isn't it? Oh! well too bad I ain't rich

  Anyway, back to the real world for most of us. Yes, I've been wondering about this too. I do have a few warped LPs but not to sever. couple of them shaped like bowl

  Hmm... I've been thinking about using my oven and maybe 2 slaps of glass or marble to flatten LP. Now, at what temperature the vinyl start to soften? How long will it take to get to that point? If know those points than I might try it and reduce the temp gradually. Might work.

  Warning: This is just my theory, imagination and crazy idea. I haven't try it yet. So, do not do it! But if you do... do it at your own risk. Oh! and please report back the result.

  One of these day I might try it but I won't use irreplaceable copy of LP for sure.

   Anyone have a better sane idea on this?

Take care,
Buddy

[TheChairGuy]

Throw it out and get a flat one.

Sorry for the smart-alecky reply ....I've never been able to flatten a disc (I've tried a hot iron wayyyy back).  I just toss 'em or find the best tracking cartridge to play them.

Hi All,
        Anyone know a safe method of flattening out a warped LP?

Cheers
Steve

[jules]

I suspect it depends on how warped they are to start with ...

Warping seems to stretch some bits, causing them to be "slower" so it's going to be almost impossible to selectively compress them back. In fact, it doesn't sound the least bit possible to compress stretched plastic does it?

For very slight warping, the heat of the sun with some very light weight sometimes works.

jules

[lonewolfny42]

Or.....you can take those warped lps and do this.......

[Don_S]

 Furutech makes the DFV-1 Disc Flattener

[SET Man]

Or.....you can take those warped lps and do this.......

Hey!


 Man! I think I'm going to cry every time I see that!

I hope their use non-playable condition LPs for that.  And not 6 eye copy of Miles Davis "Kind of Blue" Otherwise that would be a crime against analog vinyl!

Take care,
Buddy

[mcrespo71]

Throw it out and get a flat one.

Sorry for the smart-alecky reply ....I've never been able to flatten a disc (I've tried a hot iron wayyyy back).  I just toss 'em or find the best tracking cartridge to play them.

Hi All,
        Anyone know a safe method of flattening out a warped LP?

Cheers
Steve

Best advice yet.  Though I suppose that some records are hard to replace.  Thank God my warped vinyl isn't that rare.

[Scott F.]

Hiya guys,

I know I'm not supposed to copy and paste loads of text but there's only 3 or 4 paragraphs. I haven't tried this so I can't attest to whether it works or not but this is what Greg Weaver says works for him.


The first thing you’ll need to do is call or stop by a local glass shop -- not one of those drive-to-your-parking-lot-to-replace-your-cracked-windshield places (unless they do plate glass too), but someone who specializes in cutting and installing plate glass. Order up two 1/4" thick, 14" square pieces of tempered glass. MAKE SURE to get tempered glass. Regular plate glass isn’t durable enough to take the heat and abuse we are going to dish out. Though I got mine for about $6 over 10 years ago, a local company informed me that two plates cut to these dimensions shouldn’t set you back more than $20. When you get them home, clean them thoroughly, both sides, with a glass cleaner that leaves no residue and use a cloth that leaves no lint behind. No paper towels, please!

Stoke your oven, place the baking rack in the center, set the dial to 150 degrees, and let the oven pre-heat. Make sure the record you are about to restore is as clean as humanly possible. I suggest something like the Disc Doctor’s Miracle Record Cleaner, LAST’s Power Cleaner, or maybe even my own recipe. Don’t be afraid to clean the record twice just to be safe. I would even recommend a distilled-water bath after both cleanings, just to be sure that you have removed all residue and debris from the surface of the record. What you are about to do next COULD bond any residual dirt, dust or debris to the record for the rest of its life, so be SURE the record is as clean as you can get it.

Now, place the immaculate record in the center of one of the glass plates, gently lower the other one on top of it and gingerly place your vinyl sandwich on the rack. Now all you have to do is set the timer for 12 minutes and wait. Remember what I said about trial and error? This is the trial part. The actual time will vary with vinyl quality and thickness, but 12 minutes is a safe starting point.

When time is up, take the warm sandwich out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack for about half an hour, or until the entire sandwich is cool to the touch and back to room temperature. Don’t take any shortcuts here, or you won’t have achieved anything. All your care and effort will have been for nothing. Carefully separate the two panes of glass and inspect the record. If you find you haven’t succeeded after the first try, give it a second go, increasing the in-oven time by two to three minutes per try until you nail it.

I've got a DIY project in the back of my mind for a record flattening machine, much like the one Buddy mentioned except this one would only be $50-$75 in raw materials. One of these days I'll get around to building the prototype and experiment on a few warped ones that I own.

If anybody tries the recipe above, be sure to let us know how it works.

[Scott F.]

Oh, I've also heard that taking two sheets of glass, sandwiching the vinyl between them and leaving it out in the afternoon sun (all afternoon) will flatten them too. Haven't tried that one either.

[caddisgeek]

Thanks for the help guys. I'd buy a new copy if I could find one, but its pretty rare (I'd be very surprised if more than 5000 were pressed) and I've only ever seen one other copy. On the other hand, one would have to classify the music a psychadelic so a bit of slowing down and speeding upay not be too noticable . now only if I can only just keep the needle on the thing and stop it launching off like evel knevil.....

[Russell Dawkins]

here's a very slight variation on one of the methods above:

''This method is described in "The Preservation and Restoration of
Sound Recordings" by Jerry McWilliams (1979). It suggests: cleaning
the record; placing it between two sheets of clean and perfectly
flat plate glass; heating to about 135 degs. F; leave at this heat
for 10 minutes; remove heat and place some heavy books on top of the
glass for 24 hours. If the warp is not removed then not enough heat
has been applied. Heat should not exceed 150 degs. F as damage may
occur. Hope this is of some help,

Warwick Peberdy
Preservation Services
Australian Archives, Victoria

[SET Man]

Throw it out and get a flat one.

Sorry for the smart-alecky reply ....I've never been able to flatten a disc (I've tried a hot iron wayyyy back).  I just toss 'em or find the best tracking cartridge to play them.

Hi All,
        Anyone know a safe method of flattening out a warped LP?

Cheers
Steve

Hey!

   Well, that doesn't always work

   A few years back I bought a copy of LP from Music Direct. And that LP shape like a bowl. So, I called them and they were very nice and told me to send it back for a new copy. I did that and when I got the new copy.... it still shaped like a bowl, but less this time.

   So, if you are going to get a new copy make sure you don't get another one from the same store. Otherwise you are likely to get another copy that came out from the same press as the one before.

   With that expreicne I would love to have a gadget that could really flatten LPs. But the Air Tight is just way too expensive!

 

Hiya guys,

I've got a DIY project in the back of my mind for a record flattening machine, much like the one Buddy mentioned except this one would only be $50-$75 in raw materials. One of these days I'll get around to building the prototype and experiment on a few warped ones that I own.

If anybody tries the recipe above, be sure to let us know how it works.

 Scott, let me know how that project turn out. Very interesting and it would be wonderful it works!

Take care,
Buddy

[beachbum]

outer ring clamps work really well, just be careful where you drop the cartridge,