Re: [ARSCLIST] VPI cleaning fluid -- any good homebrew recipes?

[Eric Jacobs <ericj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Don't forget the brushes.  The KM block brush is okay for gross cleaning,
but doesn't really loosen up deposits that are deeper in the grooves.
Both chemical and mechanical action are required to get a record as
clean as possible.  The Disc Doctor brushes work well, and I like their
ergonomics, durability, and replaceable pads.

For really big projects where I need a relatively good cleaner which
is low cost, I'll blend up a Tergitol formulation.  But beware, with
Tergitol you really need to make sure you've mixed it well so that
you have a homogeneous solution, otherwise you may end up leaving
traces of Tergitol behind on your record.  Tergitol is potent, so
this is a clear case where more (higher concentrations) is NOT better.

If speed is important, I can highly recommend the Disc Doctor
cleaning solution.  In fact, I've been known to follow-up a cleaning
with Tergitol (on a really dirty record) with a final cleaning with
Disc Doctor.  But this requires multiple steps, and with a KM this is
time consuming.  The KMs are slow - but they also clean better than
anything I've tested.  Because they are slow, when you look at cost
of solution versus cost of time, time becomes the over-riding factor.
If you want a single solution, I wouldn't hesitate to use Disc Doctor.

Cleaning technique and process come into play as well.  Rinsing is
essential, and prior to rinsing it helps to agitate the rinse
solution in the grooves with a fine brush.  A few drops of surfactant
(cleaning solution) in the rinse water (we're talking a few mls per
liter) breaks the surface tension of the rinse water and helps it
go down into the grooves to remove any residue.

Depending on the type of work I'm doing (material type, condition),
I'll vary the concentration of the cleaning solution.  It's a
balance between chemical and mechanical action - too much of one
or another can be harmful.

On the subject of water, I like using distilled / deionized water.
Because the water is deionized, it has this scavenging property
where it attracts and retains ionized contaminants.  I have used a
Laser Turntable, which is especially sensitive to groove contamination,
and have noticed that the deionized water makes a difference.  This
is less noticeable on records played back with a stylus, but still
noticeable.

It's simply a question of how clean you want that record.  You can
spend more time cleaning a record really well, or you can spend more
time trying to remove the contamination noise digitally in the
computer.  From my experience, an ounce of prevention (cleaning)
is worth a pound of cure (digital restoration) - don't skimp on
the cleaning.

Eric Jacobs

The Audio Archive
tel: 408.221.2128
fax: 650.941.8796
mailto:EricJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx



-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx]On Behalf Of H. Duane Goldman
Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 7:32 AM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] VPI cleaning fluid -- any good homebrew recipes?


Hi David,

Regardless of the recommendation from KM, the fluid is far from thorough in
its cleaning action.

Regards,

Duane goldman

At 11:16 AM 11/9/2005 -0500, you wrote:
>Kodak Photo-Flo 200 mixed with steam dried distilled water (1:200) is
>perfect for all discs, shellac or vinyl or lacquers. I've been using it
>for 6 years and it's the recommended formula for use with the Monks.
>
>dl in gray, drippy Toronto
>
>"Bewley, Nigel" wrote:
>
> > I'd like to hear of any home brews too.  We have a Keith Monks using
> > 50:50 distilled water/industrial methylated spirit for use on vinyl (NOT
> > shellac because shellac will dissolve in alcohol!!) and distilled water
> > with a few drops of Kodak Photo Flow as a wetting agent/detergent for
> > 'everything else' (including vinyl).  We're not averse to washing discs
> > in the sink either with a mild liquid detergent, soft brush and wet
> > fingers, using tap water that has, apparently, been through the cycle of
> > reservoir, glass, kidneys, sewage farm and reservoir on many occasions.
> > The key is to give the disc a final rinse in distilled water to prevent
> > lime scale depositing.
> >
> > Greetings from a mild and sunny London.
> >
> > Nigel Bewley
> > British Library Sound Archive

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