Record cleaning machine dust mat

Hi,
recently I've been interested in buying a record cleaning machine (vpi 16.5) but I've realized a problem that no one except for Michael Fremer (in this video ) mentions. If you are cleaning both sides of a record, and once one side is cleaned you put the clean side on the same slipmat that the dirty side was just on, you've really just ruined your cleaning. Granted, I've never owned a cleaning machine but this seems pretty intuitive to me (correct me if I'm wrong). Fremer uses a very thin piece of rubber, which seems to work well. I was thinking maybe I could use a felt mat, but maybe that would be too thick and make the vacuum apply too much pressure. Is there somewhere I can buy a piece of rubber like that? Thanks

 

The Project RCM solves this issue

 

you know what, this unit looks fantastic. as long as it has 45 adapting cababilities I think I'll buy it instead. Thank you!

 

Never bothered me. I use an Okki Nokki and consider a RCM a must own piece of equipment. I'll wipe off the mat with microfiber towel. I always empty the vacuum tank into a clean bowl after cleaning eight to twelve new sealed records and I'm always amazed at the stuff that comes of new vinyl. You can imagine what comes of used records

 

well, two things. with a very dusty/dirty record you may want to blow or wipe it off before putting on your rcm. But second, in practice with the vpi 16.5, it is not a big deal. the dirt on an lp does not tend to come off the LP and stick to the cork mat. You can just give it a quick wipe with a lint-free cloth or etc. when flipping the record.

 

alright, thank you

 

The cleaning you are looking to get out of a RCM is deep in the grooves.
Anything on the surface is just a quick dry brush away.

If i am cleaning something really dirty, I will hand clean it frst, then give it the Vac Treatment.

 

Get a Record Doctor V...only the label contacts the small platter....end of problem. Strictly a manual machine but cleans records as good as the most expensive units.

 

With my VPI 16.5, I slip a second thin cork mat over the permanent mat after cleaning one side of the record to reduce "recontamination" of a freshly cleaned side before I clean the second side. That's my cheap strategy and it seems to work pretty well for me.

 

Good point, but when you rotate the disc to spread the fluid on the top side, the other side is rubbing against the felt pads over the vacuum. Couldn't that distribute any dust onto the pads?

I'm new to RCMs, having just bought a Record Doctor less than 2 months ago, so I apologize if it's not a valid question.

 

The Nitty Gritty machine actually avoids using a platter that might contaminate the cleaned side. The felt pad that is doing the cleaning cleans the underside of the record, and the record is only supported by a "platter" that contacts the label part of the record. This approach, at least in theory, avoids a full size platter being in contact with both clean and dirty sides of a record. But, in actual practice, records that come off a VPI machine sound and look clean, so it probably doesn't really matter than much.

 

I've not noticed any contamination issues with my VPI 16.5. I just wipe off the cork mat with a micro fiber cloth before putting the cleaned side on it. But it's probably not needed. The LP isn't being held so tightly to the cork mat that dirt would get deep into the grooves again.

 

I've never had a contamination problem using my VPI HW-17. None of my records are really dirty, but a quick swipe with a soft cloth usually takes care of any excess dust. The cork mat doesn't usually collect much dust and is easily cleaned off.

 

No...because the suction pads are damp....in all the records I've cleaned with my RD V both sides come away from it sparkling clean.

 

I must be doing something wrong, or maybe my basement is especially dirty, because when I lift the disc off the machine, it nearly always has a thin line of dust corresponding to the pads or vacuum. If I lift it off quickly before the suction dies, the disc is sometimes clean, but often not. I use a toothbrush once a week or so on the pads, and that knocks some debris off.

 

I have the same machine. I took a brand new plastic outer sleeve and took a crappy record and traced an outline in the plastic and cut it out. I leave the thin plastic mat on the platter for the first side that I clean (the side touching the plastic mat hasn't been cleaned yet and is dirty). I then remove the thin plastic mat and put the side I just cleaned directly on the cork mat the machine came with and clean side 2.

 

I think I found the solution. Pull the disc off the cleaner while the vacuum is still running full speed. Then, residual debris gets sucked off.

 

Why can't you remove the slipmat and just use a few felt furniture feet, and stick them into the platter. Most of the LP wont be touching the platter

 

I would be afraid of the felt furniture feet scratching the record. I feel a permanently attached cork mat is the best as is seems to draw off static electricity. The felt mats seem to create static electricity if the record slips on them.

 

OK, then how about using cork feet instead of felt. I'm not married to the felt idea. It would be like using a cork slipmat with all the raised dots.

 

My cork mat came loose at one point, and I probably scuffed up 50 records before noticing. It was surface marks, not audible, but it still damaged the value of some very rare records.

 

How loud is it?

 

I would be concerned the record not being fully supported. Records are rarely perfectly flat. Clamping helps but there still may be waviness. Whether raised dots or a full mat, dirt and dust can still accumulate. With an air gap under the record is inviting dust to be drawn in.

 

Wow, that's awful - did the adhesive wear out causing the mat to come loose from the platter? I will be wary going forward.

 

It was more my fault. I think I'd put on double sided tape because I wanted to be able to easily remove it and swap out with the foam mat I still had (it ultimately tore up, which, I guess, is why VPI switched to the sturdier cork).