Just got back from my hols and being starved of quality music I have spent most of today playing old records through the gm70 amp.
An old favourite LP from has developed a small warp on the outside of the disc such that it is impossible to play the first two tracks on either side. This LP has been stored upright in a aluminium LP carry case.
My question is does anyone know a way of removing such warps from LPs without causing permanent damage to the recording?
I do have a heat gun from my aeromodeeling days used for heat shrinking covering material. Anyone tried using a heat gun and then holding down the rim of the disc until it is cooled to remove warps?
Can't think of any way to remedy the damage, but a clamp with a felt washer (a la Michell) might sufficiently flatten the outer edge of the disc to at least permit it to be played.
Chris's link looks good. I would expect your suggestions to be extreme and will probably do damage. Certainly you may flatten the disc but it will probably be unpayable based on my experience. I've not had to do it for a while. but I've been successful with the LP between paper between two sheets of glass over a low heat appliance such as the top of my very old Ideal floor standing central heating boiler. Leave for a few hours, remove and leave to cool for more hours and you might get a good result. This has worked well for me but I also have had some failures so you'll need to trial and hope. The main thing I would say is that anything that invovles intense heat IME is a non starter.
some useful and interesting info on your link, Thanks.
Greg,
Thanks for this tip. I like the idea of this method and will try this next the central heating boiler gets fired up.
I'll let you know how successful I am.
Regards
Colin
Interesting topic and something I think we all have suffered with at some point in our vinyl collecting lives....... So the boiler must now be fired up by now Colin, so was it a success?
Sorry nothing to report back yest. I must confess to not having got around to this. I was sidetracked with other DIY builds and must admit to forgetting about the LP since this post.
I'll locate the dics tonight and put the 'treatment to test'
I tried Gregs suggestion of placing the LP between two sheets of 10mm thick glass with kitchen roll between disc and glass and placed on top my floor standing boiler. Left it there for 2-days.
Last night I removed it and placed the sandwich in a cool place for an hour. Yes the warp has reduced but not completely gone and the LP is still unplayable due the warp.
So it was a partial success and would work if the warp in small. Me thinks this LP is doomed the recyling bin.
tried this after the boiler cooking experiment as I have a heat gun from my aeromodelling days for heat shrinking solarfilm and the like. But didn't post because i think I added to the problem.
Andrew,
I did add additional weight to the glass sandwich during the 'cooking' phase and also the cooling. The warp was quite excesive in two parts on the rim quite close each other to the extent it threw my arm off from the disc when attempting to play. Quite how this deleveloped in the first place I don't know. It was stored vertically in an aluminium case with around 50-other LPs. Though the warp is now much reduced it still causes a nasty thump when the stylus travels over the two ridges. I treasure my cartridge more than the disc so I'm afraid it will be consigned to the recycle dump.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
As I say this would work if the warp is not too excessive.
if it goes flat it goes flat But seriously, when I accidently subjected a box of reconrds to a good heating, even the unwarped ones produced a chunk of noise everytime the needle went over the damaged (though not to the naked eye)part of the LPs
tried this after the boiler cooking experiment as I have a heat gun from my aeromodelling days for heat shrinking solarfilm and the like. But didn't post because i think I added to the problem.
A bit OT but I've just had a (flat thankfully) John Martyn LP delivered today in a huge great Dorito's box I dunno if the seller was on some form of medication but luckily it got here safe and sound.
Must have been the 4 protective Sainsbury's carrier bags that stopped any damage
This LP has been stored upright in a aluminium LP carry case.
