Okki Nokki drama?

That doesn't look like a plastic arm to me, at least not the versions they use now. The arm in the video looks more like the aluminum version. Perhaps this was a plastic version they used initially. But the new one is definitely different.

This video is also a good to watch if you want to know what not to do. First, he is using far to much fluid, hence it's leaking to the underside, or he isn't being careful with spreading it around. It's probably why he's left with that stream of fluid at the end of the clean. Second, I wouldn't lift the arm like he's doing. He's lifting it off the record as soon as he turns off the vacuum but he isn't waiting for the suction to die down. You shouldn't force it up like that IMO.

 

I do remove my arm every time just to keep everything dry. The few times my arm didn't fully go back I pulled the spring a bit to make the upwards force a bit bigger. Removing material from the arm should be avoided I think since it might ruin the suction.

 

Actually, I think he is using much too little

I watched several record cleaning machine videos today and it made me want to yell at the monitor; watching how these jokers were parsing out 1/2 an ounce of fluid on those dirty ass records...........like it was single malt

The whole point of a wet vac system is to reduce friction

When you are taking two, three, four and five revolutions just to get your fluid spread out enough for scrubbing you are essentially just wet sanding your Lp with all that gritty **** on it

Not to mention the fact that I would NEVER put anything so filthy as that crap disc he was demoing with on my machine without first giving it a good rinse in the sink; the guy is an idiot

It is the same as washing a black automobile by doing the wheels first then sticking that rag in your wash water all loaded up with wheel funk and then proceeding on to the paint with ever rinsing out or changing rags

Just zero common sense

With practice and good technique you can get your record's surface dripping wet and still keep it on the disc

Cleaning fluid (I make my own) is a hell of a lot cheaper than records, good ones anyway

Analogman

 

I keep a soft brush at hand while cleaning records to brush and clean the "velvet lips" under the tap

Brush in the opposite direction of which they wear when cleaning

When cleaning filthy ass thrift store treasure, rinse your suction tube between every disc

Does not hurt to get into this habit no matter the disc (I clean records on the kitchen table so the sink is close by)

The velvet strips will last for a long long time with good hygiene in play, your results will be better and your records will thank you

I have not seen a demo video yet of anyone that actually knows how to use a record cleaning machine in an effective, optimal maximized and disc sparing fashion

At least not so that they're letting on

Analogman

 

The machine in the video is also leaving a huge strip of funk and crud on the disc

One or more things are going on with that

The suction tube's angle is incorrect (as it would be with his half assed "Scotch tape" repair)
(the angle on VPI's tube is adjustable to allow for initial set up and to compensate for brush compression from use)

He's not using nearly enough fluid; the fluid is the vehicle (particle suspension) for effecting the removal of the **** from the surfaces of your records, ergo "wet-vac" system as well as providing some solvent action

The fluid (MORE) also greatly reduces the friction the record will have to endure

Not quite the same as vacuuming your dry carpet with the Hoover upright

If all of the "Okki Nokki" machines leave a strip like that then the machine is crap (I did not say they did; I said IF they do)

Analogman

 

My OK never used to leave a strip of fluid when it automatically lifted off the record but now it does. To counter that I always do 1 rotation with the vac and then clean the tube off with some kitchen towel and do another rotation after that. I'm not impressed with my OK at all really after having it for 8 or so months but it does get the job done. It's mostly trial and error as the instructions they give you are pure crap. I might try vacuuming CCW even though the manual states to NEVER do that. I always see people in videos or on forums using that method which may help with the strip of fluid at the end. The biggest problem with the OK is the wand.

 

Then it may just be the pads are worn out (on yours and in the guy's video) Going by the amount of crap he subjects his "lips" to he cannot be getting much out of them (assuming they were good in the first place)

Can you twist or make angle adjustment to the suction tube on your machine in any way?

I would suggest you not rub the "velvet lips" with a towel or anything dry

Use a worn out tooth brush or similar and brush the little fibers clean (opposite their working direction) and under a running tap if possible

The key to this whole thing's maximum efficacy is keeping everything WET

I am going to look at some pictures of your machine again; I cannot tell if it is possible with yours, but on the VPI there is room to just lift off the wand assembly and let the open vacuum port suck the wand clean after use. That is also how I dry mine off before I put it away

Analogman

 

Good idea. I will try that with my ON next time.

There is no angle adjustment on the ON suction arm.

 

I am sorry, what is "ON"?

Yeah, flat spots develop on the "lips" so when the VPI starts leaving a little moisture behind you twist the tube slightly to give it a new contact spot

We're talking just fine increments of degrees here but it makes a tremendous difference

If the record cleaning machine is working well you should not have anything left behind on your disc and it should be dry (any moisture left will disappear by the time you get it off the machine, like breath)

 

ON = Okki Nokki

Ok, if so then yes it's the same on the ON.

I don't have problems with left overs on mine.

 

I am sorry; I thought I understood you to say you were having to clean off your tube between revolutions (one-wipe-one) to keep it from leaving a strip?

Regardless, you should be able to put a disc on your machine, clean it with two continuous revolutions and then just take it off and play it, if your machine is working as it should

If not something is wrong or the disc was so filthy that it should have been sink rinsed first

 

Not me.

 

I am sorry; it was "Phil4" in #81

My mistake

 

We've used the Okki Nokki record cleaning machine at TARA Labs a number of times and have been impressed with the results. Though personally I preferred the slightly cheaper VPI 16.5

 

Cheaper I suppose depends on where you live. In Europe the Okki is nearly half the price of a VPI 16.5. Really enjoy my Okki Nokki

 

I had the exact same problem. It got to a point where i had to put a lot of effort into lifting it off the record. It felt as if the arm had swelled to be too big for the hole. I gave up in the end and bought a new arm for a whopping £45! I now make sure I don't leave it in the machine when not in use.

 

Did you try to clean the arm, the hole and also gently pull out the spring? I don't think plastic in any other way than heat/cold will change it's form so I suspect it is cleaning solution build up causing tolerance and friction issues.

 

I know that would fix it so I will end up doing that. It's just a shame that they don't tell you about it in the manual

I didn't do that initially so that's what messed it up. It was sitting in fluid 24/7 which made it get progressively worse to the point of it being unusable.

@everyone thinking of getting an Okki Nokki

If you are a new owner of the Okki Nokki, make sure to dry the arm and where the arm sits after use then put something like kitchen towel on top of the platter for the arm to sit on. You will not have the problem that myself and others have had if you do that. They should have updated the manual when they changed to the plastic tube.

 

Yeah did all that and although logically you're right about the likelihood of an adverse reaction to the solution there was nothing I could do about the arm. Other than this one issue I've had no other problems and I think it's a great machine. BTW, your later post in response to the anti-ON tirade is excellent.

 

As somebody who has used both a VPI 16.5 and an Okki Nokki, I can say the Okki Nokki is a clearly better machine. I bought mine 4 years ago when they were built in Germany and used an aluminum wand instead of the plastic one now. I paid just under $500 w/dustcover, which was a good bit cheaper than replacing the POS VPI that I was using. Admittedly, it was a pretty beat up unit and I never really cared for it so that is why I wanted to try something different. Mine does not leave any liquid on the record and they go straight into a Mofi sleeve when I am done cleaning. The spindle never gets hot. No warping of the mdf. Much quieter. Spins in both directions. Looks a hell of a lot better and has a sturdy aluminum body. I can't speak to the Chinese built machine but I can't see it performing much differently.

If I were buying a RCM today, considering the distribution problems in the US, it would be a VPI MW-1 Cyclone. If it were not for the Okki Nokki, which was stealing a lot of sales from them in the USA, they never would have came out with this and would just continue selling the tired old out of date 16.5.

Gotta love it when somebody who has zero experience with a product goes on and on complaining about how bad it is.

 

Hijacking this thread hoping to be useful in case you were planning to buy an Okki Nokki from Germany. I have had the misfortune of buying one from a retailer on Amazon.de (Ohrenschmaus-Shop).

In the first weeks the machine, while cleaning extremely well, started to develop some problems: water leaking from the bottom, the vacuum motor starting to smell "burnt" and then intermittently misbehaving (stopping, slowing down). Ok, it may happen... a lemon is something which may happen even from the best brands. Well, the seller refused to honour the warranty. As you may know, EU law dictates that in the first two years the seller must replace or repair a defective item at no cost whatsoever for the customer. This seller refused to have the machine sent back to him and to refund costs, in a very arrogant manner.

Now I have sent it to the official German distributor to see what can be done. Please check where you are buying from!

 

Only on the first 6 months. For the remainder of the 2 years, the customer has to prove that the item was already defective when it was bought.

 

Yeah, but my Okki Nokki is TWO months old....

 

Then you're covered, of course. It was just your description of EU consumer protection law that was a bit off.

Have you informed Amazon about the problems with the seller? If not, do so immediately.

 

Yes, incredibly (I say so because I have been buying a LOT of stuff on Amazon for years) this time Amazon disappointed. They said that they can't do anything since it was sold by a third party seller on Amazon, and not by Amazon itself. They can't force the seller to pay for the costs if he doesn't want to...

Amazon would have refunded me the whole cost of the machine if it was beyond repair and the distributor wouldn't take it, but since the option of sending it to the distributor (at my expense) is still available even if the seller (who is responsible according to EU law) is uncooperative, they asked me to follow this route.