Re: [ARSCLIST] ultrasonic bath for records

[Douglas Small <dsmall22578@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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