RRL Cleaner, Vinyl Zyme, and Groove Glide

Styx,
Regardless of what cleaning solution you use, removing contaminated solutions from the record before they evaporate is essential. Otherwise, when the liquid evaporates all the gunk that it's holding in suspension ends up right back in the grooves.

In fact, I'd say that a liquid + DD brush procedure without vacuuming is worse than no procedure at all. You're breaking the dirt and contaminants down into smaller pieces and spreading them evenly around the record, making it easier for them to lodge deeply in the grooves. They'll be much harder to dissolve or suspend the next time. It's easier to pick up a lump of coal than a layer of coal dust.

If you can't afford a new RCM there are plenty of threads here and even more on Vinyl Asylum about how to DIY one. Most DIY RCM's cost under $100. Any vacuuming is better than none. I used to use a $25 Shop Vac from Walmart. Served me well for nearly a year before I got my RCM.

I used self-stick felt or velvet (forget which). Vacuum felts need to be changed regularly as they get contaminated and this made it easier.

I vacuumed with my GroovMaster on the record. That protected the label and gave me something to hold it down and spin with. Full Shop Vac power, no problem. It was slow though. I'm sure most of the DIY machine-based ideas others have published would be quicker, though I doubt they'd suck any harder!

Colitas,
Glad you got it working. I agree about the amount of RRL, less is more IME. Typically I dribble one row of almost-touching drops across the grooves, excluding the runout grooves. That meters the # of drops relative to the amount of groove space to be cleaned. If I use any more it actually cleans *worse*, and costs more of course.

If you want me to test clean a few records no problem. No charge except return postage. Drop me an email and I'll give you my office address to ship to (safer for receiving than my unattended front porch).

Shasta,
I love Mikey as much as anyone (20 minutes/side?!) but there are two music lovers in my home who will politely disagree with your view on VTA.

If all lacquers were cut at the same angle, all records pressed on the same vinyl then you'd be right. But they weren't and they aren't.

Whether you choose to ignore those facts or optimize for them is up to you of course, but don't assume that someone gets less pleasure from music than you because they take a few seconds to adjust their rig for each record. Do violinists enjoy music less than clarinetists because their instruments need constant tuning? You do whatever your sometimes imperfect tools require.

Hey, it was a show. He was probably a bit alchohol-based himself when he said that!

I'm with Dan_Ed. I'm going to try AIVS of course, but I'll probably always use RRL as the final step. I *know* it won't leave anything on my records.

Joe, when you get the Wally (should be today/tomorrow they said), feel free to put some RRL in the box and wing it back to me! ;-)

David,
Fair question.

The known safety and purity of RRL will keep it our primary solution, for now and possibly forever. If RRL cleans a record thoroughly then that record never sees anything else. I'd guess that's about 80% of the records we clean. But what about the other 20%?

As good as they are, SDC and SVW are not universal solvents, at least not in our experience. RRL does not get every record 100% clean, even with multiple applications, vigorous scrubbing and soaking. What to do? Throw a record away just because the safest cleaner can't remove whatever's on it? Playing the record dirty is riskier than trying a different cleaner IMO.

Currently we use Vinyl-zyme, Smart Developments foaming cleaner and Micro Care Premier for these problem cases. AIVS will initially join this stable of fallback products. Time will tell whether it deserves to advance to a more primary position.

"You should have a few records on which to test these products right now!"

Do I ever! Damn things will probably take me weeks and a whole roll of thread for the RCM. I'm thinking Brillo pads. ;-)

"Depends on the definition of dirty. I suppose you refer to stylus damage."

Well, I suppose any grunge left behind after RRL + Loricraft vacuuming is likely to be pretty tough stuff. My chief concern is having the stylus grind it permanently into the vinyl. I worry less about damaging the diamond itself.

BTW, did you get my postage refund? Are we square?