Record Doctor V

How many rotations do you do to dry? I think I’m not doing enough rotations, and how do you dry the edges of the record?

 

I do 5 to 6 rotations tops; use a microfiber cloth to run over a wet edge.

 

Okay guys a bit of an update I been using the doctor V and I like it, my vinyl has never sounded better, I switched from the stuff that comes with it too AI premium 6 formula I think it is working great but I have to be honest guys I am still getting huge amounts of dust on my stylus after every play and even as soon as I move the needle to the first groove, I have tried both a pre rinse with my spin clean and just regular cleaning With the doc at to no avail, I have a 2m bronze. I just have no idea what to do at this point it is getting frustrating. Any suggestions, could I be using to much fluid although records that I have not cleaned with the Doc same thing dust all over the stylus. Help I know it’s not normal at all

 

What’s the humidity situation like in your room there in AZ? I am guessing dry air may mean you just have a lot of dust and static to contend with? I am just guessing you are picking up dust on the records after they have been cleaned. Do you brush them right before play to remove surface dust?

 

Ya the humidity is nasty here and so is the dust, I use the groove washer stylus cleaner or sometimes the zerodust thing to be honest none of it works most of the time I have been getting frustrated and just playing the records with dust on stylus, I have a simple vinyl styl anti static brush, but I’m not sure if I am even using it correct as there are so many different technics on the internet on how to use it, also don’t even know if it is a good brush also I have a couple people say you shouldn’t use them cuz it just add to static problem, so if you have any suggestions on a better anti static brush or how to use one that would be great also my system is right under air conditioning vet not sure if that is a problem either

 

I dont know man, you are even using more products than me! I too am in AZ and have just as dry of air as you. I use stylus brush and hunt eda brush after each side, I use rdv on any used records I buy and dont have a spin clean. I dont even bother cleaning new records much. I use Audio Technica carts with their Micro Line styli. I only have dust buildup on my styli with uncleaned and well used records.

Maybe you've got some dirt buildup in the run out grooves? I suspect maybe the record doctor doesn't get that close to the label leaving some room for buildup to stay behind.

 

Record Dr. V, 3 rotations clockwise, 3 rotations counter clockwise. It drys the record completely.
I am using TML-8 with Disc Dr. brushes on a work mat. I take the record directly to the TT and play side one. Flip to side 2 and usually have a little dust (I have static and dust issues sometimes...very humid here in TN) I stopped using the Hunt brush and bought a mint vintage Discwasher. 3 drops of the TML-8 on the leading edge and a quick dusting and lp is CLEAN. Awesome playback and nothing on my stylus.I will never go back to a carbon fiber brush, the Diswasher is my solution for preplay dusting and eases my mind since it is so soft unlike the brushes.

 

Very strange you are still getting dust on your stylus even after a Spin Clean prewash as I do this before doing a RDV cleaning. As I mentioned earlier I never see any junk on my Pickering XSV3000 stylus when cleaning it with a Stanton stylus brush and fluid or using a magic eraser and the Pickering has a Shibata type diamond so gets good groove contact and should pull out any leftover dirt.

For static I recommend getting a 1970's vintage original red body Zerostat gun. I bought 2 off of ebay and have found that people back in the 70's who bought these did not use them much so you can usually get one for less than the inferior quality blue body new Milty Zerostat. If you are patient you can ever get a complete Discwasher kit with record and stylus brush for less than the cost of a new Milty Zerostat.



I zap the vinyl with the Zerostat before playing and then blow off any new dust using a camera lens bulb blower. This is the one I have which has a dust filter for the incoming air so you are not blowing dirty air onto your clean vinyl.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y3YCCF3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Using the Zerostat and the blower I have never needed to use a brush to clean off the dust on my previously RDV cleaned vinyl. IMHO using a brush you will never get all the dust off the vinyl and may even grind some of it back into the grooves. Everyone has different vinyl cleaning and maintenance processes and that they prefer, and have had success with dust and carbon fiber brushes, so YMMV.

 

I just picked one of the vintage ones like the one you showed me for 45 bucks so hopefully that thing really works

 

I would not be at all surprised if the air conditioning vent is blowing dust right down onto your records. Any way to move the turntable? No amount of cleaning or brushing technique is going to prevent recontamination in that environment.

Other ideas, if you don’t use them already, include a humidifier and/or an air purifier in the room. These offer the side benefit of making your room more comfortable to live in, as well.

It sounds like you’re cleaning your records just fine.

 

The Zer

The old Zerostat came with the small bulb you could use to see if it was working properly but these usually got lost over time so if you don't get one with your vintage gun there are other ways to test it to see if it is working.






Fluorescent bulb test



Shipping peanut test

ZEROSTAT 3 MILTY ANTI-STATIC GUN TEST

Milty Zerostat 3 anti-static gun demonstration


If you have a dusty record you can also try blowing off the dust before you zap it and then after a couple of pulls from the Zerostat. If your vinyl has static the dust will not blow off but after the Zerostat zap, you should be able to blow off some of the dust.

Interesting video showing a Zerostat working

Milty ZeroStat

 

Ya I bought a vintage one from EBay so I don’t think it has one honestly I think it is the platter that is keeping on the dust and getting a static charge so the guys at music direct told me to use the zerostat on the platter and see if that works, I got it on eBay so it will probably take weeks before it comes, I got the red vintage one, why is the blue one so expensive?

 

ya I have a humidifier already and it has made a great difference, I just picked up a zero stat i think the next step is to move my record player, thanks for suggestions

 

I think the blue one is so expensive just because it’s actually a new, sealed item. The vintage ones are used, so they go for less, even though they supposedly actually work (I’ve had no luck with the blue ones).

 

so you haven’t had any luck with the red or blue many they don’t work?

 

I’ve returned three blue ones that did not work. I am still on the lookout for a red one to buy (it sounds like you may have snagged one of the ones I was looking at ).

 

How big of a roller bearing would you recommend? Have used the record doctor for years and I do find the one included can be a pain.

 

KAB only sells one size I believe which is between a quarter and half dollar in size. I found it to be s huge upgrade in platter stability.

 

2 1/2" in diameter

 

ya the upgrade is so so so much better

 

I might have lol, god I hope it works at this point I have no idea what else to do I have bought more gadgets for my record player to try to solve this issue and it Just hasn’t worked, I noticed that dust will jump on the needle as soon as I move it towards the record that has to be static right? I hope this gun thing works or I’m going to use a real gun lol, I know you shoot it towards the record but if I shoot it at the platter as well could that help? Thanks for all of your help

 

I am so frustrated I can’t figure our how to dry the records I do 4 rotations sometimes, then sometimes I do three one way and three the other, I have gunk on my needle every time I play the clean records they sound great but man my needle looks like it is playing records through a rice patty in Vietnam, how do you know when these stupid records are dry lol help this is for everyone on this forum, also I have noticed dust goes right to my stylus as soon as i move needle to record, and I dust daily

 

It’s cool, I just won an auction for one, certainly hoping it’s in good working condition.

Yes, dust jumping has to be static. I am however under the impression you should not shoot the Zerostat at the turntable. Maybe take the platter mat off and shoot it away from the turntable?

 

okay so just shoot it at the record? Man every time I clean my record with record doctor there is gunk on my needle one more question sorry if I’m bothering you, how do you know when the record is dry, it seems like the record is dry but it seems like it is a little oily as well if that makes sense, I really hope the gun thing solves the problem, I also got one of those blower things, how do you remove dust?

 

If you weren’t getting them all the way dry, I would think you’d be less likely to see dust jumping around because moisture would dissipate the static electricity. I kind of wonder if you’re inducing static by over-drying.

I can’t speak specific to the Record Doctor V, but with my vac system (should be roughly the same principle, right?), two times around usually has it dry. When I see the wand no longer leaving any kind of wet-looking trail, I assume it’s dry (might be hard with the RDV since it doesn’t have a wand?). I do leave them out in a file rack for a bit in case there is any moisture left (usually I follow a cleaning session by playing the newly cleaned records, at which time I sleeve them). In your environment, though, I wonder if time in the open air might just give them a chance to gather airborne dust? Hard to say without seeing it for myself, just a consideration I would keep in mind.

Hopefully the Zerostat helps you out!