Anyone offer de-warping services?

[jimjim]

Hi all

First post! And I'm already asking for help...

I was wondering if anyone on the forum offers a de-warping service for vinyl. I have half-a-dozen records bought in bad deals over the years and if they'd been million-sellers I would replace them but asap because they're not, I need to find a way of restoring them to their former glory. An example is a copy of The Underdogs' "Wasting Our Time" from 1970. It was a good thing I only got it for $20 but I can see why it went so cheaply!

To be honest, I'm not so comfortable at doing this myself as I can see myself really f**king up with the glass/oven thing. So does anyone do this as a service out there?

Any help or offers is most welcome.

Kia ora

Sean:)

[fisher X 100 A]

I must look into that glass/oven option - have a few records myself I thought about using as target practice with the under and over shottie.....

Wonder if any record shop in NZ has this service?....Real Groovy maybe

[chopper]

Not to my knowledge - it can be very hit or miss.
Theres no way any business would take on that sort of liability methinks

[jimjim]

Well, I had a feeling shops wouldn't but someone on here might do it having had success doing it many times over....

[fisher X 100 A]

http://youtu.be/-am5oLOU8L4

maybe

[jimjim]

Looks a bit scary that...anyway, I did dip in to this forum a while ago and someone did offer to do some for a nominal amount plus postage. Unless he/she has left?

[fisher X 100 A]

alot of people seem to think you place between two sheets of glass with a small weight on top and place in the sun for a hour?

[johnnyC]

7500

An old NZBC machine, probably built in-house. Not that they offer(ed) a flattening service tho. It is an oven type of operation. It has 35F as the temp - and switch off and allow to cool for 5 hours.

My recollection of the "old between the glass trick" was that it is the cooling down that softens and flattens. Ie, heat oven, turn off, put in rekord between sheets of glass with weight on top, allow to cool.

The various suggested temps have been discussed here before. Whatever is hot enough to move the molecules to soften the vinyl but not melt/destroy it ?

My theory has always been that if it was so warped that it wouldn't play, I had nothing to lose by trying to flatten them.

And they will never be completely flat again - at best, flat enough to play without having to put the old 2c coin on the cartridge.

[itwasonly$60luv]

For years I have used two bits of 1/2 inch plate glass in the sun for three or four hours (more in the winter) then cool down overnight. Watch out for Jan/Feb in Auckland as I melted Rod Stuart - no real loss there though.
As prior posts I agree its getting it to temparature then a slow cooldown.
I dont use weights on the glass.

[jimjim]

*bump*

Well, with the missus away for a month on a work-related trip, it seems the best time to try this. As the good weather has now gone north, looks like I'll need a gas oven to do this. Can someone do me a quick walkthrough of what needs to be done? I don't want to f**k this up!

By the way, some guys on the Steve Hoffman forum have recommended something even more low tech than the above. They have suggested just simply laying the record between some heavy books for around a month. I find that hard to believe - has anyone tried it?

Finally...does anyone know where in NZ yiu can order this:

http://www.vinylflat.com/contactus.html

I have a funny feeling it's online only but the shipping costs....pffft! I ain't made of cash!

[neil]

Hi jimjim,
I was looking at getting a few of those for the shop, and if there's enough interest I will.
Price would be the same as the US price plus shipping from what I can ascertain right this second.
Cheers.

[jimjim]

Hi jimjim,
I was looking at getting a few of those for the shop, and if there's enough interest I will.
Price would be the same as the US price plus shipping from what I can ascertain right this second.
Cheers.

Looks like $120 NZ? Am I right?

[Michael Wong]

By the way, some guys on the Steve Hoffman forum have recommended something even more low tech than the above. They have suggested just simply laying the record between some heavy books for around a month. I find that hard to believe - has anyone tried it?


Tried with mixed results.
Only works with the mildest of warps (warps that shouldn't bother any competent turntable system), takes lots of HEAVY books and certainly more than a month.

Most effective way to fix warps is to use controlled applications of heat and pressure.

[neil]

Looks like $120 NZ? Am I right?
Yep probably, but I doubt they will send them to us down here for free!

[sirAndy]

Yep probably, but I doubt they will send them to us down here for free!

You can count me as being keen on one of those "de-warpers". Then it'd be
banjo factor 8! (Lose 2 banjos for the vinyl being warped in the first place :mad:).

[neil]

Hahaha! Lose 5 Banjos for it not being shellac!
Ok I will do some more research and get back in touch with the Vinyl Flat dudes.

[DodgyConnection]

Vinyl Flat dudes.

Otherwise known as the vinyl flat earth society :D

[Newbie]

Hahaha! Lose 5 Banjos for it not being shellac!
Ok I will do some more research and get back in touch with the Vinyl Flat dudes.

Last time I contacted them the postage to nz was about as much as the flattener.

Any updates Neil?

How about the pouch as well. Looks like a handy alternative to booting up the oven and praying for an accurate temp..

[Owen Young]

I heard a chef the other day talking about an oven thermometer, which you can hang in there....apparently oven temp settings can be inaccurate!

[Newbie]

We have a midrange smeg double oven. Using a calibrated thermometer, either oven temp can be either exactly right or about fifteen degrees out using exactly the same settings.

The pouch seems like a nice solution.

[Owen Young]

Not only that, +/- variation takes place as the oven responds to its thermostat!