How to flatten a warped record?

Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on Feb 07 2021 01:04 PM

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Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:46:20

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SandBug

Joined: Feb 22, 2016
Posts: 442
California
United States

Posted on Feb 07 2021 01:15 PM

https://magazine.vinylmeplease.com/magazine/guide-to-flattening-warped-vinyl-records/

I've never done it, but it sounds like a very scary process.

Best of luck.

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ElMonstroPorFavor

Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 2716
New Orleans, LA
4 Contributor Pins

Posted on Feb 07 2021 01:58 PM

Love that song, the vocal track is just as good.

I've heard good things about this thing: https://www.vinylflat.com/vinylflatproducts.html

Never tried it myself. I kinda think if there were a truly reliable method it would be pretty well-known by now since vinyl has been around for so long.

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Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio

Last edited: Feb 07, 2021 20:11:40

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Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on Feb 07 2021 02:19 PM

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Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:58

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John

Joined: Aug 23, 2007
Posts: 594
Monterey County, California
3 News Pins

Posted on Feb 07 2021 04:25 PM

This subject has been around a long time. There are no satisfactory answers. I've heard about sandwiching a record between two pieces of thick glass, securing with rubber bands, and setting it out in the sun for x hours. Also, doing a similar thing (w/o the rubber bands) in an oven (temp setting is at your discretion). The big issue is that, even if you get lucky and manage to flatten the record, it's possible you'd be left with tracking noise from groove damage.

Thankfully, that Continental Cousins' record is not worth a lot of money on the collector's market...maybe $5-20, depending on condition...so, it's more easily replaceable than, say, a warped copy of "Wipe Out" on DFS. Band was from Belgium, BTW.

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www.johnblair.us
www.soundofthesurf.com

Last edited: Feb 07, 2021 16:27:22

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DeathTide

Joined: Apr 13, 2018
Posts: 1374
New Orleans
United States

Posted on Feb 07 2021 05:05 PM

Please update this thread with your results! I would think a stone countertop with a 1/2” pane of glass on top, left in the sun, might work?! Never tried.

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Daniel Deathtide

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Squid

Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 1018
Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers
18 News Pins

Posted on Feb 07 2021 06:00 PM

Exposure to 140 degrees F or higher promotes vinyl warping. The melting point is about the boiling point of water (212 deg F).

The self-evident approach is to get a flat bottomed metal bucket with diameter larger than the vinyl record, put in the record, put a sheet of glass, metal or wood (a small pizza pan?) on top of the record, put weights on top of that, and pour in the water. Wait for it to cool down and see what you get. If this doesn't work raise the water temperature 5 degrees and try again.

Of course you may wish to protect the label. One way of doing this is removing the label first. It might work to soak the entire record in room temperature water, this may loosen the label from the record. Then after flattening glue it back on.

Warning: I haven't tried any of this, it's all theoretical. The virtue of this method is that it does not expose the record to uncontrolled temperature increase.

—

Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com

Last edited: Feb 07, 2021 18:01:53

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Daddy

Joined: Jan 24, 2020
Posts: 23
Chandler, AZ
United States

Posted on Feb 08 2021 09:29 AM

Off topic; I flattened a pickguard, placed on glass, another piece over it and put it in the sun , 90 degrees, for a couple of hours. Worked just fine.

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More Fun than Profit

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arny

Joined: Aug 22, 2010
Posts: 611
Netherlands, Europe

Posted on Feb 08 2021 09:46 AM

Looks like CD's are the real vintage music product! I recovered bursted CD's, scratched CD's and more...

I got a big vinyl collection, even buying some albums I've bought on CD and want a vinyl release. But I'm a freelance photographer and a graphic designer, so you want it big, bigger, biggest! But size don't matter (ehm, now it's getting personal)...

I really don't like LP's over CD's. It interrupts my home-working due to Covid. OK it is also a great way to reduce RSI problems when you have to get up every 20 minutes for flipping a record.

But I LOVE 7" singles and 4 songs EP's! You put them on when you really want to hear them and rediscover them every time. I know, I'm getting off-topic now....

Got some warped vinyl my self, mostly 80's stuff with very thin vinyl. So looking forward for solutions!

—

www.alohasluts.com
Aloha Sluts on BandCamp
www.arnyzona.com (my photography)
Aloha Fest on facebook

Last edited: Feb 08, 2021 09:47:42

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psychonaut

Joined: Dec 08, 2007
Posts: 1303
2 Download Pins

Posted on Feb 08 2021 04:43 PM

.

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https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger
http://coffindaggers.com/
http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com

Last edited: Feb 11, 2021 09:39:46

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pavlovsdog

Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
United States

Posted on Feb 08 2021 05:25 PM

Honestly, I took the record out of the cover, left it in the paper sleeve and put 4-5 heavy books that were wider than the record on top. Left it for a few weeks, and flipped it over and repeated the process. Fixed the warp and it plays/sounds fine.

I heard that leaving it in the paper when compressing the record will leave micro amounts of dirt in the grooves, but it was a sold out pre order. So it was a hail mary and it turned out fine.

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Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on Feb 09 2021 12:27 AM

-

Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:40

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ElMonstroPorFavor

Joined: Sep 01, 2006
Posts: 2716
New Orleans, LA
4 Contributor Pins

Posted on Feb 09 2021 07:25 AM

No need to do it while it's still in the sleeve. In fact if you've got a picture sleeve you're probably going to give it some ring wear.

—

Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio

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Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on Feb 09 2021 12:52 PM

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Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:30

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da-ron

Joined: Jan 02, 2009
Posts: 1305
The original Plymouth, UK.
United Kingdom

Posted on Feb 11 2021 03:36 AM

Would a trouser press work?

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http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/

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Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on Feb 11 2021 12:24 PM

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Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:17

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pavlovsdog

Joined: Nov 22, 2010
Posts: 288
United States

Posted on Feb 12 2021 10:59 PM

You might be over thinking this. Just compress the record on a clean, flat surface for X amount of time. It's just 7" of vinyl, and it already doesn't play, so what do you have to lose?

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Gilette

Joined: May 04, 2014
Posts: 734
Montserrat

Posted on May 15 2021 01:35 AM

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Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:43:32

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Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on Feb 07 2021 01:04 PM - Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:46:20 Top
SandBug Joined: Feb 22, 2016 Posts: 442 California	Posted on Feb 07 2021 01:15 PM https://magazine.vinylmeplease.com/magazine/guide-to-flattening-warped-vinyl-records/ I've never done it, but it sounds like a very scary process. Best of luck. Top
ElMonstroPorFavor Joined: Sep 01, 2006 Posts: 2716 New Orleans, LA	Posted on Feb 07 2021 01:58 PM Love that song, the vocal track is just as good. I've heard good things about this thing: https://www.vinylflat.com/vinylflatproducts.html Never tried it myself. I kinda think if there were a truly reliable method it would be pretty well-known by now since vinyl has been around for so long. — Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio Last edited: Feb 07, 2021 20:11:40 Top
Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on Feb 07 2021 02:19 PM - Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:58 Top
John Joined: Aug 23, 2007 Posts: 594 Monterey County, California	Posted on Feb 07 2021 04:25 PM This subject has been around a long time. There are no satisfactory answers. I've heard about sandwiching a record between two pieces of thick glass, securing with rubber bands, and setting it out in the sun for x hours. Also, doing a similar thing (w/o the rubber bands) in an oven (temp setting is at your discretion). The big issue is that, even if you get lucky and manage to flatten the record, it's possible you'd be left with tracking noise from groove damage. Thankfully, that Continental Cousins' record is not worth a lot of money on the collector's market...maybe $5-20, depending on condition...so, it's more easily replaceable than, say, a warped copy of "Wipe Out" on DFS. Band was from Belgium, BTW. — www.johnblair.us www.soundofthesurf.com Last edited: Feb 07, 2021 16:27:22 Top
DeathTide Joined: Apr 13, 2018 Posts: 1374 New Orleans	Posted on Feb 07 2021 05:05 PM Please update this thread with your results! I would think a stone countertop with a 1/2” pane of glass on top, left in the sun, might work?! Never tried. — Daniel Deathtide Top
Squid Joined: Aug 22, 2010 Posts: 1018 Portland, Oregon with Insanitizers	Posted on Feb 07 2021 06:00 PM Exposure to 140 degrees F or higher promotes vinyl warping. The melting point is about the boiling point of water (212 deg F). The self-evident approach is to get a flat bottomed metal bucket with diameter larger than the vinyl record, put in the record, put a sheet of glass, metal or wood (a small pizza pan?) on top of the record, put weights on top of that, and pour in the water. Wait for it to cool down and see what you get. If this doesn't work raise the water temperature 5 degrees and try again. Of course you may wish to protect the label. One way of doing this is removing the label first. It might work to soak the entire record in room temperature water, this may loosen the label from the record. Then after flattening glue it back on. Warning: I haven't tried any of this, it's all theoretical. The virtue of this method is that it does not expose the record to uncontrolled temperature increase. — Insanitizers! http://www.insanitizers.com Last edited: Feb 07, 2021 18:01:53 Top
Daddy Joined: Jan 24, 2020 Posts: 23 Chandler, AZ	Posted on Feb 08 2021 09:29 AM Off topic; I flattened a pickguard, placed on glass, another piece over it and put it in the sun , 90 degrees, for a couple of hours. Worked just fine. — `More Fun than Profit` Top
arny Joined: Aug 22, 2010 Posts: 611 Netherlands, Europe	Posted on Feb 08 2021 09:46 AM Looks like CD's are the real vintage music product! I recovered bursted CD's, scratched CD's and more... I got a big vinyl collection, even buying some albums I've bought on CD and want a vinyl release. But I'm a freelance photographer and a graphic designer, so you want it big, bigger, biggest! But size don't matter (ehm, now it's getting personal)... I really don't like LP's over CD's. It interrupts my home-working due to Covid. OK it is also a great way to reduce RSI problems when you have to get up every 20 minutes for flipping a record. But I LOVE 7" singles and 4 songs EP's! You put them on when you really want to hear them and rediscover them every time. I know, I'm getting off-topic now.... Got some warped vinyl my self, mostly 80's stuff with very thin vinyl. So looking forward for solutions! — www.alohasluts.com Aloha Sluts on BandCamp www.arnyzona.com (my photography) Aloha Fest on facebook Last edited: Feb 08, 2021 09:47:42 Top
psychonaut Joined: Dec 08, 2007 Posts: 1303	Posted on Feb 08 2021 04:43 PM . — https://www.facebook.com/coffindagger http://coffindaggers.com/ http://thecoffindaggers.bandcamp.com Last edited: Feb 11, 2021 09:39:46 Top
pavlovsdog Joined: Nov 22, 2010 Posts: 288	Posted on Feb 08 2021 05:25 PM Honestly, I took the record out of the cover, left it in the paper sleeve and put 4-5 heavy books that were wider than the record on top. Left it for a few weeks, and flipped it over and repeated the process. Fixed the warp and it plays/sounds fine. I heard that leaving it in the paper when compressing the record will leave micro amounts of dirt in the grooves, but it was a sold out pre order. So it was a hail mary and it turned out fine. Top
Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on Feb 09 2021 12:27 AM - Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:40 Top
ElMonstroPorFavor Joined: Sep 01, 2006 Posts: 2716 New Orleans, LA	Posted on Feb 09 2021 07:25 AM No need to do it while it's still in the sleeve. In fact if you've got a picture sleeve you're probably going to give it some ring wear. — Storm Surge of Reverb: Surf & Instro Radio Top
Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on Feb 09 2021 12:52 PM - Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:30 Top
da-ron Joined: Jan 02, 2009 Posts: 1305 The original Plymouth, UK.	Posted on Feb 11 2021 03:36 AM Would a trouser press work? — http://thewaterboarders.bandcamp.com/ Top
Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on Feb 11 2021 12:24 PM - Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:45:17 Top
pavlovsdog Joined: Nov 22, 2010 Posts: 288	Posted on Feb 12 2021 10:59 PM You might be over thinking this. Just compress the record on a clean, flat surface for X amount of time. It's just 7" of vinyl, and it already doesn't play, so what do you have to lose? Top
Gilette Joined: May 04, 2014 Posts: 734	Posted on May 15 2021 01:35 AM - Last edited: Mar 03, 2022 04:43:32 Top

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How to flatten a warped record?