DIY Record Cleaner Project - Need ideas

interesting idea - I'd be interested in seeing the finished product. I partially agree with Cableplex in that for normal cleaning of clean records you don't need that much solution, but for first time cleaning of used "thrift shop" buys, it would be beneficial. There are other advantages to your vertical approach I think too. It would be pretty easy to construct a tank from plexiglass with 3 compartments - one for fluid, one for rinse, one for dry. Each compartment needn't be more than 1/2" wide at the most.

I think you will want to use a vacuum system - can't think of any other system for drying that would take up less space and assure complete cleaning. The vacuum used in Cableplex's DIY system seems pretty compact. I think it would be very easy to keep the labels dry - using something like suction cups on both sides of the LP to hold it would do the trick (actually keep it more dry than using a VPI).

As for the brush, I suspect you'll want to experiment. I've used the VPI brush, Disk Doctor Brush, and velvet covered pads that everyone makes - I find for deep cleaning I always used the both the DD and velvet brush suction head.
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I am afraid your suggestion of using suction cups to hold the LP on the vertical will not work

sorry I wasn't more clear . . . I sometimes think what I write is clear, but often leave out key points.

The reason I mentioned suction cups is they are readily available in a size that would just cover the label. I know they wouldn't hold via suction (most young boys figured this out, and I was one of them). They would need to be held in place by a clamp - either around the outside of the record, or a shaft through the center of them and the record with a fastener on the ends of the shaft (so the record ends up becoming a wheel on an axle).

Grimace - your notion of using rubber washers is the same idea I think, just different raw material. Depending on how you do it you'll need plate of some kind to clamp the washer . I did this on a freshman Engineering design project in the early '70s. I picked the suction cups because I didn't have to fabricate a hub, and could buy them at the local hardware store. It was primitive but worked perfectly, though my record cleaner was manual, no vacuum. I suspect you have the wherewithal to do a more elegant implementation.

George, sorry you had to go to all that trouble on your theory and implementation of suction cups ;-)

I recall buying them at a local hardware store. McMaster-Carr has them. The one I'm referring to is part # 53535A46. If you enter that part # in the search box on http://www.mcmaster.com/ it will take you to a diagram of it.