Cleaning Vinyl LPs

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Mix up some plaster of Paris in a bowl.
Important only use distilled water so you don't add mineral deposits
Apply a liberal coating to both sides of the record but don't get it on the label it may cause the ink to run
After 13.5 hours of drying time its ready to remove it
Place the record in a vise use a flat edge chisel and rubber mallet work in from the outer edge and proceed to remove the dried plaster
It will pull every speck of debris out of the grooves.
Haven't tried this method yet myself but I read this on the internet so it must be true.
 
Mix up some plaster of Paris in a bowl.
Important only use distilled water so you don't add mineral deposits
Apply a liberal coating to both sides of the record but don't get it on the label it may cause the ink to run
After 13.5 hours of drying time its ready to remove it
Place the record in a vise use a flat edge chisel and rubber mallet work in from the outer edge and proceed to remove the dried plaster
It will pull every speck of debris out of the grooves.
Haven't tried this method yet myself but I read this on the internet so it must be true.
I used to use that method back in the 70's. Very good at getting out spilled candle wax & incense ashes.
 
Caveats on record cleaning fluids:

- Keep them off the labels. Some labels disintegrate when wet.
- Do not use ethanol (even diluted) on records. Some record formulations are affected by it, making hiss.
- Use Isopropanol (<= 50%) on only pure vinyl. It can damage shellac, styrene, and filled vinylite records.
- For the others, I put a few drops of Dawn dish soap in distilled water, then rinse with just distilled water.
- My dehumidifier makes all of the distilled water I need.
 
Well I am not brave enough to spread glue on my records, although many seem to get good results. I have a cheap manual (no motor to spin the records) Nitty Gritty machine. You have to attach you home vacuum to it. I have recounted elsewhere my problems with CD 4, and with the help of Quad Bob, we worked through each component from pre-amp, to cables, to demodulator, finally ending with me cleaning each CD 4. The improvement from cleaning has been dramatic. I am now able to enjoy these discs for the first time in decades. If you are not using something similar, at least on CD 4s, you are probably putting up with unnecessary noise!
 
Place the record in a vise use a flat edge chisel and rubber mallet
I'm sure the folks making LPs love this guy; it sometimes seems like I need a or even a Jackhammer to get them old LPs cleaned. Guessing a lot of it is actual damage, like scratches/scuffs instead of debris in the grooves. Could they have produced them with some substance that held up better and with the same microscopic characteristics :unsure: Thank goodness we have digital now, but they have their own issues as well.
 
This is the most recent record I've stripped all the gunk off of with Elmer's School Glue. A record that was a little hard to find. This one had 40 years of pinched fingerprints around the edge and dust coating it overall. after I got done with it, it plays like a master tape playing back. so quiet especially noticeable in the lead-in and out. Place stylus in groove and total silence before the music starts. Don't knock it! It works. Really not harsh at all.

(Btw I picked up this record on ebay after getting reminded of the old series on PBS when they brought back "All Creatures" earlier this year. Low and behold there was a soundtrack record at the time of the original late '70s-'80s series. The theme is one of those "earworm" tunes too!)

allcreatplaying1.jpg
 
I have one of those static zappers. For me, it's the most frustrating tools ever. Supposedly, you're supposed to squeeze trigger slowly. If it clicks, it means you didn't do it right (I think)

It clicks every damn time...I finally just tossed it in the drawer. I don't know how to make it work.
 
I have one of those static zappers. For me, it's the most frustrating tools ever. Supposedly, you're supposed to squeeze trigger slowly. If it clicks, it means you didn't do it right (I think)

It clicks every damn time...I finally just tossed it in the drawer. I don't know how to make it work.
I bought one of these and have been using it (Pro-Ject Carbon Fiber Brush) and I haven't noticed any issues with static.

https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Ject-Bru...rbon+fiber+record+brush&qid=1622917476&sr=8-1
 
I have one of those static zappers. For me, it's the most frustrating tools ever. Supposedly, you're supposed to squeeze trigger slowly. If it clicks, it means you didn't do it right (I think)

It clicks every damn time...I finally just tossed it in the drawer. I don't know how to make it work.
It's probably arcing inside from the wire insulation broken down from the high voltage, or arcing to the soldered connection to the piezo element. I have another one, my old original white one begin doing that and used some shrink tubing and UV curing clear acrylic to fix it. You can carefully pry one apart. Now if you have one working properly and pull the trigger too fast they will internally arc, the clicking you hear, but it shouldn't be too sensitive.

If it's working you can hold it about a half inch from the hair on your arm and pull the trigger, and the hair will move back and forth with each squeeze.

zerostat-arcpoints1.jpg


Out! Out! Damned static!
zerostatx2.jpg
 
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It's probably arcing inside from the wire insulation broken down from the high voltage, or arcing to the soldered connection to the piezo element. I had one, my old original white one begin doing that and used some shrink tubing and UV curing clear acrylic to fix it. You can carefully pry one apart. Now if you have one working properly and pull the trigger too fast they will internally arc, the clicking you hear, but it shouldn't be too sensitive.

If it's working you can hold it about a half inch from the hair on your arm and pull the trigger, and the hair will move back and forth with each squeeze.

View attachment 67713
IN terms of actual usage...mine is "new". IN terms of age, I think it's 3 years old.
 
IN terms of actual usage...mine is "new". IN terms of age, I think it's 3 years old.
So you have one of the newer blue Milty ones? I've not handled one of those but I figure it's about the same internally. Maybe it's defective. My white one I bought around 1976 and the red one came in a Discwasher kit from around 1979. They age well.

It should make a slight crinkling sound when you squeeze and release the trigger but no clicking unless you're too fast or it's arcing inside. Not a whole lot else it could be.

I keep my white one in the kitchen. Sometimes when I grind my coffee beans especially on cold dry mornings in winter the grind is all staticy and clingy, and a couple of zaps from the Zerostat makes it all relax and drop into the filter.
 
So you have one of the newer blue Milty ones? I've not handled one of those but I figure it's about the same internally. Maybe it's defective. My white one I bought around 1976 and the red one came in a Discwasher kit from around 1979. They age well.

It should make a slight crinkling sound when you squeeze and release the trigger but no clicking unless you're too fast or it's arcing inside. Not a whole lot else it could be.

I keep my white one in the kitchen. Sometimes when I grind my coffee beans especially on cold dry mornings in winter the grind is all staticy and clingy, and a couple of zaps from the Zerostat makes it all relax and drop into the filter.
more click than crinkly. That's my gripe. I can't seem to get the proper pull on the trigger It shouldn't be that difficult to do...
 
It also has a little bellows in it to blow air over the spark electrode as the voltage goes up to throw ions into the air stream. If you look into the barrel you will see a spark when it clicks. You might also smell some ozone from the air stream.
Where are you getting this stuff from? There absolutely is NOT a bellows inside. The tip is completely sealed, there is nowhere for air to pass.
 
Per these instructions, wondering if Zerostat could be used liberally here on the QQ for optimal neutralization of some rogue posters.

"Zerostat should only be fired at locations where inanimate objects of static potential should be neutralized.
(4) Large, heavily charged areas may require several operations for complete neutralization.
Keep out of reach of children."

:)
 
I tried one in the store back in the late '70s and it always clicked and I couldn't get it to work. I figured I didn't know how to use it. But then I always intensely disliked Discwasher and their fluid...
 
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