How to repair a spindle center hole of vinyl records

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by kifkid, May 4, 2016.

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  1. kifkid

    kifkid New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Venezuela
    Hi there, I'm new to the forum.
    Does anyone out there have any ideas on how to repair an enlarged spindle hole?
    Your comments on the subject are very appreciated.
    Thanks
     
  2. Jasonb

    Jasonb Forum Resident

    I use a record clamp as long as I know where centre is.
     
  3. JBStephens

    JBStephens I don't "like", "share", "tweet", or CARE. In Memoriam

    Location:
    South Mountain, NC
    Why would you need to? Just put the record on and watch for lateral movement of the tone arm. When you see it moving, just tap the edge of the record opposite the tone arm and nudge it until it disappears. When I remaster from vinyl, I always do just that to make sure there's no periodic wow.
     
  4. Rick Bartlett

    Rick Bartlett Forum Resident

    how about for an old 78 record? I just passed up on one, not sure why or how it was done, but I passed on it.
     
  5. krisbee

    krisbee Forum Resident

    I heard of someone using fiberglass auto body filler and redrilling. I have no real life knowledge if this worked or is worth the effort.
     
  6. OcdMan

    OcdMan Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    Sometimes records are pressed off-center and people will enlarge the hole so they can center the record by hand to eliminate slow pitch fluctuations. Could that be what happened to your record?
     
  7. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    An easy idea, The three ring notebook paper "lifesaver" reinforcements for repairing torn paper will slide over a spindle. If you apply one to each side of the label, and fill between them with epoxy, then drill out the center, you have a rather neat repair. Any repair method will deface the record of course, and it will have no value to another collector (with very rare exception) If a center hole has been previously mangled, it is better, perhaps, to leave it alone, and just center the record manually on the turntable.
     
    pscreed likes this.
  8. kifkid

    kifkid New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Venezuela
    Thank you all for your comments... very appreciated :) I think I will leave it as is and try centering it when played. I have it also on CD anyway.

    The record I'm talking about is: "The Future Sound Of London - Lifeforms" which has become a must have among electronic music record collectors.

    The FRINgE's idea seems very handy. I thought that the vibration caused by drilling through a record could damage the sound some how but I have no technical knowledge on the matter.

    ...Hey thanks again ye all
     
  9. Matty Mc

    Matty Mc Forum Resident

    My copy of The Moody Blues' "A Question Of Balance" has a perfect spindle hole on side one, and a spindle hole with a "conjoined twin" on side two. When I play side two the record rotates a little off center and makes a "woosh" noise on every rotation. Should I push the record more into the "conjoined twin" side of the spindle hole when I play it?
     
  10. RingoStarr39

    RingoStarr39 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Baden, PA
    imo, that might actually not be a bad thing.
    If the record's pressed off-center you could adjust for it.
     
  11. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    Hey Matty, Would you please explain how a spindle hole can be good on one side, but not good on the other side? o_O Are we talking about the same record? The whooshing sound you describe was probably something that went wrong as the record was pressed, a defective pressing. Centering the record will not correct that.

    Best advice is just to shop for a better record, discogs, eBay, or vinyl for sale here on Steve's forum. Moody Blues LP's are still reasonably priced.
     
    Last edited: Jun 30, 2016
  12. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Snap the record in half and buy another one...
     
    sunking101 likes this.
  13. Matty Mc

    Matty Mc Forum Resident

    Oh it's true. The spindle hole is actually completely normal on side one, and then it looks like they tried to re-punch the hole on side two. Side one plays just fine, but then with side two the record sways back and forth a little making the whoosh noise on each rotation. Like if you took a 45 adapter out and just let the 45 spin around on the spindle hole without one, it's that type of movement with the record, only nowhere near that extreme. It doesn't affect the music really, just makes that whoosh noise and I'm wondering if it's putting pressure on my stylus by not rotating correctly. This is a really nice first press of the album too that was previously sealed.
     
  14. Matty Mc

    Matty Mc Forum Resident

    LOL. Nah man, this was a first press in the shrinkwrap. An H.V. Waddell pressing from out here in Burbank, CA. Good copy with good sound. It's just that they tried to re-punch the spindle hole on side two giving the original hole a "conjoined twin."
     
    richbdd01 likes this.
  15. richbdd01

    richbdd01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Just joshing chief! :edthumbs:
     
    Matty Mc likes this.
  16. The FRiNgE

    The FRiNgE Forum Resident

    Looks like side 2 is stamped off center. Your stylus will not be damaged by the off center groove. The whoosh is a defect because of the off center stamping. centering the record will not get rid of the "whoosh".

    The only remedy is to replace the record.
    Also beware of the sealed record. Some were returned defective and resealed for the budget bins. And... sealed records were not intended to remain sealed for decades. The wrapper was just to protect the cover until opened by the consumer. When a record remains sealed for the long term, it is rarely in mint condition, maybe unplayed, but subject to many types of damage to the surface and groove, chemical damage, or physical damage, ie: embedded debris or compression dings.

    I've been collecting since 1981. You can find rather easily a nice NM Question of Balance, 1st press Threshold white label for about $25.00 to $35.00 from a seller who knows how to grade for groove wear. If in shrink with hype stickers, add another $50.00.
     
  17. Matty Mc

    Matty Mc Forum Resident

    Thanks for the info. Talk about "beware of the sealed record," I had a HORRIBLE experience with a sealed "All Things Must Pass" from George Harrison once. It was an original early pressing, poster and all, from Capitol Hollywood. I opened it and everything seemed to be hunky dory....until I got to the second record. All three records appeared completely normal and mint, but when I played the second record the grooves were not pressed correctly. My stylus would get stuck in a groove and then jump out. Not only did both sides of the second record suffer this deformity, but so did the "Apple Jam" record as well. It was such a beautiful copy too.
     
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