After seeing the power of vacuum cleaning records, I am ready to go ahead with a D.I.Y solution.

As you most likely heard, I have been having issues with my stylus ALWAYS being dirty, sometimes as frequently as half way through an album side. Anyways, I was suggested by many to get a vacuum record machine and I told myself sure, ill get a vacuum rcm when I can (essentially when the funds permit). Unfortunately it's still quite a bit much for me (hobbies are expensive). So I have decided to go the D.I.Y route. I saw one of those 3d printed machines made by someone in canada (no exchange rate crap to deal with) but it still would have ran me at least 140 without shipping. i basically am working off of that concept for my setup. Essentially I'm gonna grab one of those turntable spinny things (i think its called a lazy susan or something?) like this

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0036OQU2E...20&ascsubtag=pfb-P01-V01-O5-T1-LO-B5QDEG&th=1

They do make a 12 inch version but I am not sure if that includes the lip on the sides, so I opted for the 18 inch diameter one to be on the safe side. I have a shop vac that works fine, but I may pick one up for just this.
The second component of my setup will be some home-made vacuum attachments. I saw someone selling these on ebay but I would probably need 2 (1 for the cleaning fluid, another for the rinse). Besides, it looks like it's literally a pvc tube with a hole and some velvet material (i could be wrong though).

MK1 RECORD CLEANER CLEANING WAND VINYL VELVET BRUSH TOOL VACUUM ATTACHMENT VAC | eBay

I figured i'd just get some pvc pipes, cut a slit into it, and someone attach a cloth to it. But then I realize, the other end of the pipe is going to be exposed. I have never really worked with pvc pipes before but I am not sure how i could cover the end. So then, back to the item on ebay. I think I could get away with using one for the cleaner, and then just use a microfiber for the distilled water rinse. Any ideas on how best to proceed? I figure the lazy susan thingy is a good start but I am not sure what to do about the vacuum nozzle part. It just seems 30-40 dollars for a pre made attachment is pretty steep when the pvc parts i'd need to make a similar one would be like 20 dollars max.

Thanks

 

I have a few things to say.

First, if you have a decent stash, just get a VPI. It works. And it works real good.
If you can't, a Spin Clean may not be a VAC clean type, but it works very well.

Please don't go too cheap on the DIY idea. People have literally spent about $500 worth of work and parts only to find out, they should have either bought a used VPI 16.5 or new and watched their record cleaning time shrink.

Once you start to do what you're aiming at doing, quality and effectiveness will go out the window. Trust me.

I tried to mod a 16 and should have just got the wand and remove the dust-lid stuff VPI tried to do at that model.

Don't spend too much time not listening.

 

Have about 100 records now, but still cannot really justify paying 500-600 for one of those vpi machines. At the most, I would go for that 3d printed option that I mentioned in my post. This thing:

SqueakyCleanVinyl MK-III

That being said, I don't see how rigging up a d.i.y version for slightly less will really make a difference in how much time I spend cleaning a record. I am not really willing to spend more than the cost of the squeaky clean in either case, but I don't see what exactly makes the squeaky clean cost as much as it does. That's where my whole idea of the d.i.y option came from. I have the shop vac so there's no extra cost there. Anyways, I will take you advice and think on this a bit more. Maybe ill just get the squeaky clean asap and just take a break from my records until then?

Thanks

 

You are in Canada. Why are you not just ordering a Squeaky Clean?

3D Printed Record Cleaning Machine. Bring your old vinyl back to life. | eBay

This machine beats many that cost 5X + more. No hyperbole....

 

as my reply above to sckott I mentioned that I was considering this. However, I don't know if I am missing something but it seems a little steep for what you get. Definetly waayy more affordable than one of those okki nokki things, but it just doesn't really seem like it should cost that much. maybe it's the costs of the 3d printing machinery, and the fact that the seller probably makes a bit of a profit on the sales.

 

I have a SCV kit and have had it for about two years. It even survived the threat of an Ultrasonic setup. It's a great kit and, I don't know, maybe it's just me but it's not THAT expensive (I think it's rather cheap) and it just works, right out of the box. No fabrication, no finding parts, just set it and forget it. To me, that was worth spending a little extra. Now, if you like to build things and have those skills - do it and have fun. But maybe I just don't know what all is involved in DIY'ing such a thing that's 3D Printed to do one specific job, but to me the SCV is THE bargain in analog

 

I get that. I still Have a RCM that cost 8X what the Squeaky Clean does from 30 years ago. I'm not naming names ( I have before) because they are going through a tough time, and I don't want to add to that.

That being said, the Squeaky Clean is my go to machine. After using it a few times, it seems dirt cheap.

 

Yeah, it really isn't that expensive when you think about it ESPECIALLY when you have a least 100+ records that haven't ever been rcm'ed (except a few i bought on line). Unfortunately vinyl is one of many expensive hobbies of mine. It's not that I cannot afford a record cleaning machine, it just needs to be justified. I will think on it a few days, and will send out a message to the seller of the squeaky clean machine as I still have a few questions. Everyone has their own budget, that's why its good that their are cheaper options for those who can't justify hundreds of dollars on a cleaning machine.

 

for cheap, this works quite well
Disco-Antistat Record Washer System - Gen. II

 

If you have any questions, shoot me a PM and I'm happy to answer anything you like from an owner's perspective. As far as justification goes? I've salvaged so many "borderline" records using the SCV machine, Osage brushes, and Audio Intelligent fluids that it has more than paid for itself. Sometimes "VG" just means "needs a really good clean to be NM." Not always, but I've had it happen more than a few times. And cleaning/preserving your vinyl is exactly how you protect that investment.

Good luck! If you're going to be using a cleaner AND rinse stage, I'd pop for a second, color-coded vacuum wand at time of purchase.

 

Honestly. I don't blame you, nor is your lazy Susan vacuum wand solution a bad idea. That will work, and cheap.

What I can tell you is, dirt and oil is the worst thing for your records. When you get a vacuum based cleaner, you are going to be floored. It's pretty awesome.

All of that being said. Get the damn Squeaky Clean. You're in Canada. The guy Nick who makes them is a class act, and his product is solid. It's the best option, not only for price, but functionality. You supply the vacuum. That's the best part.

The design is well thought out, and it's easy to use. Probably the best thing I ever bought for my records.

Think about it. You've invested all of this money into records. Why not protect your investment, and enhance your experience listening to them? Once it's paid for, it's done. Like I said before, dirt is the worst. I've found more often that it's not scratches, or scuffs that cause as much surface noise as dirty grooves.

Get a good vacuum setup.

Would you expect your CD player to play discs all finger printed up? And would you just use your t-shirt to whipe it off? Or a nice cloth?

 

If you are happy to drill a couple of holes and can find a cheap old turntable, I'd recommend this diy job from instructibles. We made our own version of it and it is brilliant. I've compared the results of mine to a friend's £1000+ German made machine and there is very little difference in the results, apart from the seals on his have gone whereas mine still works. I already had an old turntable to butcher so the most expensive thing was the shop vac, the rest of the parts were less than £10!
Make Your Own Professional Record Cleaning Machine for Less Than $80 and Save Up to $3000 and More.

 

Surprised I'm not seeing the KAB EV-1 here, the least expensive true vacuum RCM out there.

 

Just get a cheap wet vacuum and a vinyl vac from eBay, sorted.

I did that, got a lazy Susan, drilled a hole to put a wooden dowel in and just use that as a fake turntable to vacuum the cleaning solution off.

 

Understanding the basic engineering that goes into a vacuum wand slot-type system like the SqueakyCleanVinyl is important. What you're paying for are all the things you still don't know about (or how to accomplish) - at least based on what you've posted up to now.

First and foremost, any old vacuum just won't do. The amount of suction has to be controllable. This is not a matter of the strongest vacuum being the best choice. Too much suction will grind the LP surface against whatever cloth you've chosen to wrap the PVC. That prematurely wears out the cloth. You have considered that whatever the cloth is mounted on has to be replaceable, right? Cloth wears out, the chosen fibre has to be appropriate for the task - no abrasive yarn in the textile. So you have to cut or machine a replaceable mount for the cloth. If you don't, the cloth will wear, inevitably, and aside from the problem noted above, one day the cloth will wear out and the PVC will grind the surface of the LP you're cleaning.

Precise slot machining and alignment is crucial. If the slot and its cloth cover aren't positioned at the correct angle, the risk of chatter exits. That happens went either insufficient suction or too much suction occurs through a cloth covered slotted that isn't exactly perpendicular to the LP surface, or when the cloth covered slot doesn't properly seal to the LP surface. The LP begins to vibrate and the seal makes and breaks rapidly, and damage then occurs to the LP surface.

Using a lazy susan might not be the best idea. The plazy susan platters look flat, but they're not. As they rotate with an LP, there'll be cupping and peaking underneath the rotating LP. That means, the cloth covered PVC slot won't be making full conact with the LP surface, which means you won't be vacuuming everything off the surface, which means a still-dirty LP.

Precise rotation speed of an LP through/on an RCM is important. The more precise the speed, the more thoroughly and evenly an LP will be cleaned/vacuumed.

RCM makers go through all of this sort of thing, and several other important considerations as well. The SqueakyCleanVinyl MK II can work well, but never as well as the best of the mid-priced RCMs (e.g., Okki Nokki, VPI). Without the exact right vacuum suction, it's a PITA and without the exact right and consistent/non-varying, manual rotation speed, your LPs won't be cleaned properly. If anyone thinks that simply doing another few vacuum rotations will even out any imprecision in the DIY unit, they're wrong. Excess vacuuming will quickly damage the fine detail in LP grooves.

If a person can't get great results from a SpinClean with its manual process and muslin drying cloths, then they're most likely not patient enough and exacting enough to design, assemble and make productive use of a DIY vacuum LP cleaner. The SpinClean works great, when users follow the directions precisely. I never had a problem with the SpinClean. It's a PITA to use. The muslin drying cloths have to cared for very, very well. The cleaning solution can't be left to age for more than a week. The precise amount of cleaning solution recommended is important to maintain. The manual rotation/cleaning technique requires practice to get right. The internal cleaning brushes themselves have to be cleaned after every LP cleaning session. The scrub brush has to be cleaned after every cleaning session. But, IMO, all of that is still a better bet than a DIY vacuum LP cleaner like the one proposed.

 

I realize cleaning is important/this is the kinda stuff that makes me wonder why I got back into it at times also...

 

What's funny to me is that, being a buyer of many used records - a great many of which are "VPI-cleaned" as part of the enticement to buy - that I have improved upon them with the SCV kit. It's not at all difficult to create a consistent "RPM" even manually and the record itself tells you when you're going too fast or too slow based on how the solution is reacting to the vacuum wand. I do one rotation clockwise at a relatively slow pace, then do a slightly faster rotation counter-clockwise. No "detail" has been lost using this method.

Seems like you're going on theory and not practical use which is a dangerous position to take. I clean my wands and brushes after every "side" and would expect to do so even on an automated machine like a VPI. Also, dedicated brushes for water/cleaner should be SOP.

 

The price in USD alone is higher than the Squeaky Clean. Once you add shipping and about 30% USD to CAD exchange rate, it's even more expensive. So it's not an option for the OP.

 

I made my own RCM in an afternoon for about $75 including an on sale shop vac. I used a turntable platter from a broken turntable I found on kijiji. $10. Got the wand parts at Home Hardware in the plumbing section. Works great. I've got friends with VPI and Nitty Gritty machines that also work great but I feel no need to buy one. I appreciate that others may have worries or negative opinions of the DIY RCMs but I'm perfectly satisfied. It does what I want without any harm to my records. Good luck with your project!

 

Interesting Points. I thought a bit more on it and just decided to grab the squeaky clean after doing some more research on it. Just don't wan't to have to worry about whether or not my records are truly clean.

 

The KAB uses the vacuum you already own since it has an air-water separator inside.

 

With the Squeaky Clean you have to use a shop vac which the OP already owns.

Even if he didn't, he'd be better off with the Squeaky Clean once you factor in all the cost of getting it to Canada. It's a much more cost effective solution for Canadians.

 

Not theory. Practical experience. What I was getting at in my post was basically that it's really difficult for many DIY'ers to understand all of the things that go into a decent, commercially viable record cleaning system like the SqueakyCleanVinyl both you and the OP happen to like. The device initially looks simple enough to duplicate, but it's not. I have all the respect in the world for the SCV because the developer obviously took into consideration all of the things (and probably a few more) that I mentioned.

I agree with you completely that certain smart procedures should be SOP for LP cleaning, but that does not mean all other RCM users understand it too. That's one of the reasons why there are so many LP cleaning and RCM threads on this form, I think. There are perfectly decent people who understand nuclear physics or equally complex subjects of one sort or another, but who still can't thoroughly clean an LP at all. That's just an observation - not a criticism - so it's important to occasionally lay out some of the specifics that go into the design and engineering requirements needed to produce a top quality RCM before somebody goes ahead with a DIY 'solution' that can't possibly work well.

Anyway, the OP opted for an SCV, so that's great. I think it's a very good decision.

 

Have you tried simply manual cleaning and rinsing? I used the Disc Doctor brushes and fluid at my sink for years before I bought a VPI 16.5 and had great results with it.

Extra work, yes, but very effective.

 

Or the Record Doctor V....I own both and they clean just as good as the more expensive vac systems.