How To Tell If A Vinyl Is Warped

If you accept a drove of vinyl records, yous take likely come across the ever so feared warped record. Everyone has at least ane in their collection. Then if you are in the market to fix warped records, this article is for you. Perchance y'all bought a big drove of used vinyl records or even inherited a collection of records and noticed that a few of them make your turntable arm wobble.

So, how practise you lot gear up a warped record?

There are several ways to try to fix a warped tape just merely a few relatively condom ways.

1. Place your record, while still in its inner sleeve, betwixt 2 heavy books that are the same size equally the records and go out for at least a week.
2. Purchase a tape flattener.
3. Pay a place with a flattening service.

Here is the brusque and skinny of the whole thing: unless y'all are willing to pay a lot for a adept record flattener or yous are willing to pay someone else to use their record flattening services, so y'all are going to have mixed results at flattening your warped record. Nosotros are going to discuss and review a lot of the methods you may see floating around while besides answering other questions y'all may have.

How Practice Records Get Warped?

Several things can cause your records to warp. Ane of the most mutual issues with vinyl records that cause warping is improper storage. We would highly advise you lot read this related article nearly record storage. If you do non store records properly, and so add direct sunlight and/or heat into the equation, and you accept a recipe for disaster.

Heat is the number ane enemy for vinyl records. Records are made from vinyl plastic and having sun and estrus on them volition almost guarantee they get warped over fourth dimension. Every bit the records heat up they get softer and considering they are thin and soft already it will take very little pressure level to warp them. That is why you lot accept to shop them properly at all times.

Can You Play A Warped Record?

This greatly depends on exactly how warped your vinyl record has become. You lot obviously can not play a record that has turned into a salad basin! However, if your record is mostly flat and simply wobbles a flake, yous can absolutely even so play them. The merely trouble you may run into is the sound may not sound perfect within the dips and rise of the wobble.

The other question nosotros commonly get with this question is will it damage your turntable or stylus. We are happy to say playing warped albums that are still playable, or slightly warped, will not harm your stylus or turntable. This does not hateful yous should only that you tin. If your tape is extremely damaged information technology can, still, impairment your stylus by forcing the stylus to jump and pop effectually.

Can Yous Fix A Warped Vinyl Record?

The question of can you actually fix a warped vinyl tape is a hard one. Some options that piece of work better than others, just sometimes they do not make sense economically. Nonetheless, if your only selection is to throw away the record because it will not play, then what practise y'all actually have to lose? If you tin can ready information technology for little to no coin, information technology may be worth a shot. Just keep in mind that in the search for a set up you lot could crusade severe irreversible impairment to the records which makes the album worse.

So What Are My Options For Flattening A Warped Record?

We have seen several methods mentioned on the internet, in forums, in shops, and around circles. Our goal here is not to give you verbal instructions on the methods as this is not a "How To" and, frankly, we practice not desire you to damage your record further which most methods volition do. Nosotros will however give a cursory explanation and overview of the method and then talk over the cons each pose.

*Before attempting whatsoever flattening method, please, whatever you do, be certain to thoroughly clean your record a few times to ensure yous do not either scratch information technology or permanently embed impurities, dust, and clay into your record.

Heavy Object Sandwich Method

What we call the "Heavy Object Sandwich Method" is about as simple every bit information technology sounds.

1. Clean your tape thoroughly and nosotros hateful thoroughly. It may non hurt to make clean it more than once to exist positive.
2. Permit your record to completely dry.
3. Identify your tape back into its inner sleeve (non the record outer jacket with the artwork).
4. Place your record between two heavy objects that are at least 12 inches by 12 inches.
5. Leave for an extended period of time (ordinarily weeks).

Cons We Come across

• If you lot do not have a volume or heavy object the aforementioned size as a record or larger, you can damage your record.
• If you lot practise not make clean your tape first, you can deeply scratch your record with the dust or dirt on the record. Seriously, even if information technology just looks clean, clean it anyhow. There is zilch worse than thinking you accept stock-still your warped record to now find a gauge in the record and accept it popping or worse skipping.
• Mix reports on if it works. This volition likely merely work on a record that has 1 warp or is curved similar a parenthesis mark such as this (. This has worked for me personally on the times I have tried it, but only for minor warps.
• Definitely volition non work on South-shaped warps, just may reduce them.

Glass Pane Method

The "Drinking glass Pane Method" is a method that floats around a lot and can be extremely dangerous for your vinyl.

1. Clean your record thoroughly and we mean thoroughly. It may non hurt to make clean it more than than once to be positive.
2. Allow your record to completely dry out.
3. Place your record between two panes of glass at least 12 inches by 12 inches (probably all-time to take larger like 15 inches past 15 inches).
4. Place your record in your oven while in between the glass panes at a low temperature for a certain amount of time.
5. Pull your records out of the oven.
6. Place a heavy object on top of the glass pane.
7. Permit the tape to come up to a complete absurd back to room temperature.
8. The key hither is low and dull on heat and the cooling is fundamental to success.

Cons We See

• Seriously, Practice NOT Exercise THIS TO YOUR RECORDS…
• Consumer ovens oftentimes can not go depression enough and keep the temperature that low without going over for long. Consumer ovens utilise temperatures over your preferred heat to get the oven to heat up and as they cool they do it once again over and over.  This results in uneven heating and overheating.
• This can literally melt your tape.
• If not careful this can flatten the grooves.
• If you do non clean your record outset you can embed the dirt and grit inside the vinyl making it impossible to remove. Seriously, even if information technology just looks clean, clean it anyway.
• Even if this just slightly melts your tape this can cause bubbling which will brand your stylus bounce, pop, and even get stuck.

Short version – Only do not practice this.

Tile Method

This method combines weight and even estrus at the aforementioned fourth dimension which is the right idea merely it is non full-proof.

1. Clean your tape thoroughly and we mean thoroughly. It may non injure to clean it more than than once to be positive.
2. Allow your record to completely dry.
3. Clean your 2 12 inches by 12 inches or larger ceramic or marble glossy tiles (probably best to have larger like fifteen inches by 15 inches for added weight)
4. Heat the tiles with hot h2o or oven until they are thoroughly warm (not too hot as it tin can melt the poly sleeves).
5. Dry your tiles completely if using water.
6. Identify your tape between the two tiles.
7. Place a heavy object on elevation of the tiles.
8. Allow the record to come up to a complete cool back to room temperature.
9. Repeat every bit needed.

Cons Nosotros See

• If you search this method, some recommend putting it in the oven much like the "Glass Pane Method." Again we do not recommend you ever place records in the oven. Consumer ovens often tin not go low enough and proceed the temperature that low without going over for long. This results in uneven heating and overheating.
• If not conscientious, this can flatten the grooves.
• If yous do not clean your record first, you can embed the dirt and dust inside the vinyl making it impossible to remove. Seriously, fifty-fifty if it simply looks clean, clean information technology anyway.
• Even if this but slightly melts your record this tin cause bubbling which will make your stylus bounce, pop, and even become stuck.
• The important thing to remember is that this needs to be washed carefully low and tedious is e'er better.

Record Flattener Device

This is not actually a method and is more of a thing yous would have to buy to try and flatten your tape. Record flatteners take mixed reviews of success on the low finish of the pricing scale, and the ones that work the all-time are very expensive. Information technology may not be worth your money to flatten one $25 tape when yous can buy a new one for $25. Even if you plant a rare gem the ability to flatten by purchasing one of these devices would not exist cost-effective.

Your Options

• Tape Clamp – These volition help minor warps just are not compatible with a lot of turntables.
• The Vinyl Flat – We would suggest getting the flattener and their heater.
• Orb Disc Flattener – This one is more hard to find only it is what the record flattening service companies use. These can cost between $1000 – $2000.

Cons We Come across

• These are not guaranteed to work.
• You can overheat using this method too if not done advisedly.
• The toll of the Orb Disc Flattener makes information technology not make much economic sense. Y'all can replace a lot of warped records for the price of this device.

Record Flattening Service

This is the best merchandise-off on getting your records flattened and not either ruining them or spending a small fortune. This is probably your safest option. While still not guaranteed to requite yous a perfect record back, it is still your safest selection.

Some services have limits on the number you lot can mail them at one time and others do not. Sometimes your local record shop guys have a flattening service offered as well that you may want to look into. When we say local guy, we mean that new locally owned hipster shop or the old mom and popular record shop that's been in the community for l years.

What'south The Price?

Services we have seen vary in price, have varying wait times, and obviously shipping toll if you are mailing them away. Some services come with new inner and outer poly sleeves and cleaning which nosotros actually similar!

We accept seen local guys offering these services at varying prices, and we have constitute online companies also. I we constitute online that offers ultrasonic cleaning service and flattening with new sleeves for $10 is over at Originals Vinyl in San Francisco, CA. We propose calling them to learn more or visit their website.

If this tin be done using media mail both ways, you can likely go out of at that place only spending between $15-$20 depending on the book you send and shipping rates. That may not be a bad deal if your record is worth more than $20 to replace.

Cons We Encounter

• Like with shipping anything, yous could lose your record or impairment your record while aircraft it.
• Still not guaranteed to flatten or exist perfect afterward.

What We Recommend For Flattening Your Records

There are some safer methods out of the ones mentioned in this commodity and those are generally the ones nosotros would endeavor first. Nosotros accept our preferred methods that nosotros think could work all-time and risk the least.

1. Prevention – That's right, our number ane method for flattening your warped record is to not fifty-fifty let them get warped in the commencement place. Sure, this sounds similar a cop-out, but nothing is as constructive as this. If vinyl records are stored upright and in the correct atmospheric condition, you would never accept to risk melting your record into submission.
2. Heavy Object Sandwich Method – This i we believe is your safest calm depression or no-price option. We actually think that mixed the tile or glass method with this method without heat would make for even meliorate results. If you had two heavy 12 inches x 12 inches or larger marble or ceramic tiles or pieces of drinking glass and placed your cleaned sleeved record between them and so placed a book on top for a week, this would probably yield great results.
3. Record Flattener Device – We hesitate to recommend anything that you lot could potentially damage your records with, nevertheless, if you are i that'due south a DIY and feel like you can handle following the instructions perfectly, this may work for you. We really like The Vinyl Apartment device with their heater. The reason we propose also purchasing their heater is it volition more evenly estrus then your oven will. Ovens estrus past the point of the temperature they are ready to maintain and can easily melt your records. Nosotros feel like the Vinyl Apartment is a corking balance of pricing and features.
4. Record Flattening Service – This would exist our second preferred method to prevention for general users as someone who does this at least semi-regularly volition be paying special attending to your records while cleaning and attempting to flatten your warped tape. The biggest downside hither is time if yous are sending it off and the potential for it to go lost in the mail service. Imagine sending off that original press of Pink Floyd – The Wall simply to have information technology get lost or destroyed in the mail. That would be a full bummer. While not worth a lot, the record is nevertheless a absurd piece of Pinkish Floyd history and memorabilia.

All-in-all, you have to ask yourself, is it worth the trouble for a $20-$thirty record? Probably not. Too, are yous willing to put your most treasured tape with a slight warp nether stress and potentially damage information technology more than? Probably not. Sometimes just buying a new record is what you have to do.

Happy listening, and we hope you enjoyed the read.

Source: https://vinylbro.com/fix-a-warped-record/

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