Question for UK residents with RCMs

After using a knosti for the past couple years I now have enough records (and cash) to get a vacuum RCM (leaning to the Pro-ject vc-s mk ii).

I’m going to invest in 2 mofi brushes for applying the cleaning solution & distilled water for rinsing.

My question is I current use a mix of isopropyl/distilled water/ilfotol (LJC home recipe for record cleaning machines ) but that’s for use in a knosti. Has anyone in the UK found a good cleaning solution available here that does the job well on an RCM?

Also, do you apply the cleaning solution, let it sit for a couple mins, vacuum off. Then rinse cycle with distilled water, vacuum off and then air dry for 5mins?

 

I use L'art du Son, (an enzyme based cleaner), and purified water, available from chemists, I work the solution in, depending on how dirty the record is, let it work it's magic and vacuum dry, I rarely bother with a rinse cycle, too be fair my VPI doesn't leave anything on the record so I'm not sure what I'd be rinsing off anyway, likewise no need to air dry with a VPI, or a Pro-ject either I imagine.

 

I've never been to the UK, but I can share what I use with my Consonance RCM.
I do a three step routine with used records. The last two steps with new records.
(Wash, Deep clean, Rinse)
Wash ingredients:
Distilled water 16oz,
3 drops of "free & Clear" of dyes Hypoallergnic natural dish washing liquid
1-3 drops of Triton X-100 surfactant C14H22O(C2H4O)n
Optional:
Mix together then add enough 91% Ispropyl (or better) alcohol to knock down the foam on top
Let it sit on the record for say um, 2-3 minutes.
Deep clean:
Distilled water 32oz
3-4 drops of Triton X-100 surfactant
Again, let it sit on the record for a while.
Rinse:
Distilled water. If there is a stubborn finger print, I add a drop of Photo-flo 200, mix and rinse again. If the mix foams on the record, I again add a little isopropyl alcohol.

The site linked is correct that if you overdo it with the chemicals the will leave
"grease slicks" on the vinyl. Just rinse again with distilled water and dilute your mix.

I've cleaned thousands of old records this way and it will improve your LPs by a 1/2 grade to a grade. New LPs will benefit from getting the pressing junk and paper dust from the sleeves off.
They get new MOFI record sleeves and filed away.

I just double checked the recommended mix and it is 10-20 drops of surfactant per gallon of distilled water.

 

The recipe that you linked to will work just fine with a vacuum machine. You might rinse afterwards with regent grade water, but distilled will work fine.

 

Keep the Knosti & use a pre-wash ( removes gunk ) & then pop into the Project for a 2nd clean
" belt & braces !" method reduces dirt sticking to the vacuum strips/wands
or 2 cycles on the project 1 x cleaning fluid ( wash ) & 1 x distilled water ( rinse ) using 2 brushes
then into fresh anti-static liners & outer bags

Project fluid is very good but better results with L Art Du Son & can be used in the Knosti as well
Mofi brushes are very good use brush as a applicator to apply the fluid to the record
VC-S excellent machine & cleaned 1000 reords with mine

Upgraded to a loricraft & last ever RCM

 

Which chemist do you buy your purified water from? I asked in Boots on Glos Rd and they had no idea what I was talking about

 

I’d not heard of the LADS solution before, instead mixing my own, but I’ve now read that the alcohol in the isopropyl can prevent the solution sinking down into the grooves and instead sits on the surface so I think I’ll give it a go. I have read in a couple places it leaves a film that then collects on the stylus, will a rinse with distilled water on the RCM remove this?

 

The LJC mix you currently use is perfect for RCM machines too. I use the same recipe with my VPI-17 and I don't even need a rinse step afterwards.

 

Sood's on Gloucester Road, just down from Boots, last time I bought some it was £4.99 for 5 litres, it's been a while so it may have gone up, I need some myself.

 

I’ve read that because of the alcohol it doesn’t get into the grooves as well as other solutions, rather it sits more on the surface and then evaporates

 

Most independent chemists will stock it. I also use L'Art du Son and am very happy with the results though I have added a rinse cycle in the last year or so - I think it is an improvement but might be in my head...

 

Thanks, I don’t like the idea of the LADS leaving a film that will gunk up my stylus so would definitely rinse it if I switch to this

 

Well, I never noticed a problem when I didn't do a rinse but for peace of mind as much as anything else - why not. Doesn't add much more time.

 

I'm not knocking anyone else's OCD and I do occasionally, in specific circumstances, add a rinse cycle myself, but the whole reason for rinsing seems to be removing something, I own a VPI and have used several other makes of RCM and without fail all of them remove everything and leave the record surface bone dry, so my question is what do people who rinse think they are removing? I will accept the logic of cleaning tubes and pads, but as someone who adopts a regular and thorough cleaning routine for both I think the rinse cycle is merely halving their useful life for no real benefit.

Just to add that I've cleaned well over 1,000 records this year, so that's a huge amount of time saved by not rinsing.

 

That is simply not true. Isopropanol has a very low surface tension value and Ilfotol is there to lower it further in the mix.

 

No, it’s not OCD, it’s because I currently use a knosti so need to do a rinse and was going by other’s advice here for how to use a vacuum RCM but it makes sense that you wouldn’t necessarily need to rinse if the whole solution is being removed in this step

 

Thanks, I read it somewhere today, I think it might have been a “sales pitch” for a solution called the Right One. Anyway, if that’s the case I’ll carry on using this recipe as it’s much cheaper to put together than the commercial products

 

My other question was, because I’ve read opposing claims, can you place a record directly into an anti-stat sleeve after a vacuum RCM cleaning or should you give it some air drying time?

 

I was referring to the RCM users rather than you, it does make a lot more sense with a Knosti or other manual devices.

 

To be fair, in this hobby we probably all have some kind of behaviour others would class as OCD - one of my friends thinks it’s a joke that I put my records in Blakes Sleeves to prevent ringwear and scuffing, he prefers his collection to look well worn

 

There is a balance between enough rotations to thoroughly dry the record surface and too many potentially causing static build up or micro abrasions, a properly functioning RCM should leave the record surface totally dry if you are following the manufacturers instructions, but there is no harm in leaving it on the platter for a short period. Obviously temperature and huidity can change how effective the RCM is, this time of year may require an extra rotation on my VPI.

 

From time to time labels may get some humidity or droplets be left at the edge. Other than that, no problem putting the record straight into his jacket

 

Absolutely, and I'm sure I have it when it comes to filing records, I just enjoy throwing bricks in glass houses.

 

I’m assuming you casually file alphabetically within genres (also arranged alphabetically)

 

Funnily enough if I had the space to get all the genres in the same room I would absolutely file them alphabetically, as for the rest it may get a lot deeper than that, I've spent far too many hours thinking about filing systems for my records.