How to flatten a warped vinyl record
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- čas přidán 6. 09. 2024
- How to flatten a warped vinyl record.
There a lot of videos on how to flatten a record, but most are hit or miss and leave out the details, and could ruin rather than restore.
Here I show a measured approach that will give you the best chance of restoring a treasured vinyl record
I tried this method with an old Bread album and it came out of the oven as Meatloaf
Hahaha
Put it in the fridge and make sandwiches tomorrow🥪🥪🥪👍
😂😂😂😂
Well at least it could have come out as Vanilla Fudge, or worse like some kind of weird Bananarama...
😊 good one
The best method I could find online.
The safest one as well
I have used 35x35 cm glass 6mm thick.
Heated to approximately 70 Cel. (Took me about 30min.)
I have used only the inner sleeve as a protective layer.
I have also added a 1.5kg weight to the top (center)
Cooled down to a room temperature in about two hours.
Record came out absolutely flat! with no sound difections whatsoever.
Thank you very much.
One 2 Many thanks for sharing
Wouldn't aluminium plate deform over time?
Daniel Johnson you are correct. Glass or ceramic will not warp or distort with the heat due to a very low expansion coefficient. Aluminum has a fairly high expansion coeficient, so the metal changes size as it heats and cools. The aluminum is a also better conductor of heat, which doesn’t mean it will transfer the heat more efficiently. It means aluminum will heat and cool more quickly than glass. The reason the glass works better is because it moves much more slowly and doesn’t change shape nearly as much, because it is an insulator.
If you were building a machine, like a press, to do this process by placing the record, closing the press, then heating and subsequently cooling the plates, then you would want to use aluminum, or even better, stainless steel.
(As for cookwear, look up pyrex. Hint: it’s not metal.)
Where can I get glass like that?
I made it, I flattened the first vinyl, but after I put a record to my turntable I found out cracking sound all over the vinyl, from both sides in each song... pff.. any thoughts why? To much heat on vinyl? Many thanks for the advice.
Absolutely the best flattening procedure that I have come across.
Excellent, thanx for this. I renewed my research due to a disappointing batch of warped (new) records. I've used a similar method before but following your procedure here ensures more consistent and reliable results in my opinion. To the poster below asking about oven times my advice is to invest in a modest temperature measurement device and remove the glass when the correct temperature has been reached. It is trial and error depending on the oven but the only thing to beware of is if the glass comes out of the oven above 65°C then just let it cool. (This is to avoid damaging the vinyl nothing to to do with hot glass). For reference I heated my 6mm glass plates up for 12mins in a 160°C oven set to top & bottom heating. I already have LP stiffeners for shipping my records so these are perfect to sandwich the LP in the inner sleeve. I did not need to make a 'second run' as the record was flat enough first time but bear in mind I use 6mm thick glass plates so there is quite a bit of weight pressing down. Again, thanx a lot for posting and Regards from Berlin (Radio Tower Records).
Hi from New Zealand. Finally managed to secure some glass and tried this over the weekend. (It seems the perecntage of records arriving in the post that are warped has risen significantly lately). It's working extremely well, thanks so much Nick. However, I had a bit of trial and error. (1) My oven doesn't have digital controls and I found I had to turn the manual setting on my oven up to about 75-80 C to get the glass hot enough to do anything significant. (2) The glass I'd been given was too thin/light to have much of an impact at first but luckily I had four sheets. Doubling them up (2 up, 2 down) worked brilliantly. And (3) don't be impatient - leave the glass for hours to do its work, even when it sems to have substantially cooled.
I didn’t have two pieces of glass so used two pizza stones instead. One square and one round but both slightly wider than 12”. Put in the oven at 65 degrees C for 45 mins and the took out and let cool under a 15kg weight. It’s worked a treat. Record now completely flat from being so warped it wouldn’t play the outer tracks.
I piled a bunch of books on a warped LP .. in my garage during a very hot weak. Worked perfect. Let the LP cool off overnight, and it was perfect
I try that method,iam not risking it in the oven mines not digital it's old,plus it doesn't have no marking temperatures either there worn off,mines slightly warped where I left my record in its cardboard sleeve etc,heating went on 😢
In 1984 or '85, I had the Guess Who's "Wheatfield Soul" album SO warped that I taped down the edges with packing tape, played it once,and digitally encoded it. This is far less painful and easier.
Brilliant, Nick! Great information clearly explained. Professional videography. Thanks.
At This Point you might as well use Spotify lol
@@Slothlodge Vinyl is way better, lol.
@@dennisthemenace3695 That def makes a lot of sense. Cheers bro!
@@dennisthemenace3695 What I like more about vinyl is the bass response. It sounds a lot deeper and fuller.
Why do you encode it from vinyl and not download it as a wav or flac file?
This is brilliant! One thing that would have been nice in the description: Glass thickness, which affect the temperature retention and pressure/weight.
Came for tips on fixing my Tiny Tim record, stayed for Jermaine Stewart. Thanks for reminding what record I needed to add to my collection!
the only method i have seen as practicle enough to try. thank you.
What a perfect explanation, thank you. Others dont mention anything about insulation or keeping the record in a sleeve. Cheers from Sydney.
Wow I'm almost threw out a couple of high dollar items. Thanks for this great video and comments, as well
Thank you so much, most helpful, thorough, and safe procedure I've seen online. Cheers!
Thank you for this save and terrific method
It works very good for light and middle deformations
Strong deformations can be restored up to a certain point, as you can see in the video
I heat the oven up to approximately 70 Cel very slow (I switch off the oven before it reaches temperature)
I take only one glass plate out of the oven
Then i put the record protected with the inner sleeve on top of the second glass plate which is still in the oven
After this I put the the first glass plate back into the oven above the record
The oven door stays fully opened
So the record sandwich is still in the oven in order to cool down very slow
The first method that actually makes sense to me...I will try it these days, thank you^^
Nick your a Legend Mate. Nobel prize for you for saving old records.
thank you, did this today and worked! I changed a couple of things... My oven is not digital, so I went 250 x 12mins. I used baking paper instead of the sleeve and used 4 x 1.25kg disks from the gym to apply weight, left it overnight and voila! perfectly acceptable much better than how it was. Did it twice on 4 different records.
Thank you Nick I checked to see what kind of youtuber you were and based on the quality of your tech style videos and how helpful you were with everyone on here with all their questions I decided to trust your expertise and patiently give it a try i gradually kept heating up the plates a little hotter each time to transfer the heat thru the pieces of card with weight on the top pane of glass and it worked! thank you so very much the record i had arrived warped in the mail and it was unplayable it tossed the needle now the record is as good as new plus the seller fully refunded me since it was warped and let me keep it and now it's fine so i got it for free, thank you so much a great skill to have for a serious vinyl collector such as myself (removing warps as necessary) i'm in this for life..... Vinyl is my format! i began building my collection in 2018 and i will continue for life , Again thank you so very much you are awesome!
That's great! So pleased you were able to fix your record. Sounds like a win win situation.
Finally someone who makes sense. It makes more sense to use paper between them. I had a recent order come in like this, I think the hot weather got to mine. may give it a go, Because it would be such a shame to throw away a few nice records. I really feel vinyl should be all 180gram minimum if the format was to continue a longer lifespan. I will always love vinyl over digital.
This is the most sensible method I've seen, thanks.
I just stand on end and place them in the middle of stacked records and let them sit in there for three or four months. That’s how I fixed my Long Run Album. Stacking flat will damage grooves, I desleeve then stack on edge sitting them on double thick corrugated cardboard in a rack or milk crate in plastic jackets rotating the records every month. This keeps them flat, less stressed and cleaner by keeping out the paper fibers.
This video saved my record collection. Thank you SO much!!! Finally a method that works!
That was brilliant. You some how come up in many of my peculiar searches.
Hi Tried the method on a few records now and it works really well.A little at a time and ended up with a slight dome which takes a little longer to remove but does eventually.Thankyou Nick
Hi
Good to know it worked for you.
Keep spinning.
Cheers Nick
I think probably putting a weight on top of the center or top glass piece around the label area should help stop dishing/concaved outcome
I was wallowing about not having glass and then saw all the pictures hanging on our walls! Perfect sized an different sized glass all through the house and in attic!
That was a great method,and very easy to follow instructions. I have a couple of warped records to try this method on..... Thanks!!!
Thanks for uploading this great video. I am happy to advise I was able to fix my very badly warped record, which now plays perfectly.
The best on you tube. Thank you. Good explanation. Great video
90% of videos on CZcams and advice from family and friends, have informed me not to put a warped vinyl record into a heated oven, pressed between two sheets of glass, BUT to rather to place the record with its inner sleeve wrapped in a new bin bag, sandwiched in between two heavy pieces of granite, with another heavy object on the top for more added weight and let gravity do its bit. Heat is by far, the worst solution for a warped record, due to the grooves containing the music, the signal and the quality of the recording, to get damaged !
Used this process many years ago. Worked great back in the day.
Back in the day we'd use a bunch of thick books to flatten out a warped lp. Interesting method!!!!
How long did you wait?
I really enjoyed your unwarping demonstration, Nick. Very informative and good to know. Keep up the good work!
Hi Gary. Thank you for supprt. Some don't like it, saying too long or boring. But if I help one person, then job done. All the best.
damn that is one clean stove, thanks for sharing this method
I used my record clamp and hairdryer. Worked perfectly.
This is the way. I was wary about baking the record lol.
This makes more sense than putting the record in the oven as I've also seen
Hi Gijs. Thanks for the feedback. I agree. Putting your record in the oven can result in a melted bit of plastic. All the best.
Well done
Here is a commercial product I can’t recommend highly enough. Vinyl Flat is the perfect record flattener. They also have a warming bag to warm it gently. Well worth the investment especially to save your cartridge. Well worth $150 of piece of mind you are not overdoing it on the grooves.
Hi Nick - thank you for a more professional way to show us how to handle wrapped records!
Hi Michael
Yes, it works very well.
I have just straightened a brand new Beatles "Eight days a Week" which was warped .
Rather than send it back , I straightened it perfectly.
Im working on a Jon Hendricks Record and 1. time around straightened it okay but now I take the second round just as you did and then I´ll see what the result will be :-)
Hi Michael
Yes, do it in stages, and 2 or 3 times and it will be flat.
The final time in just a thin paper sleeve.
Let me see the result.
Now I tried your way of flattering records on 2 diffrent records. FIRST record had to be run a second time with only the thin paper sleeve and that patient was fixed ;-) and the SECOND record was done and totally flat in one go.
Great job
Thanks. Worked for me. Wasn't keen on putting it directly on the glass like others show. I used parchment paper instead of a sleeve since it seemed clean and lint free. End result is I'm listening to a flat record that was unplayable on the first song and generally wavy throughout.
I've unwarped hundreds of records using this method for my friend's record shop. I have two 13" x 13" quarter-inch plate glass sides that I had a glass merchants cut for me some 20 years ago, with the edges soft rounded for ease with handling. Not very expensive and you need only buy them once.
Hi. Thanks for the feedback. Yes that glass is good, if you can get it cut and rounded. It is also heavy, which will help with pressure. All the best Nick
@@nickadams5411 Hi, you must tell me where you got that handy themometer from, or who makes it. I had a look at Amazon, but it all seems to be fancy hand-held stuff way above my needs. Cheers.
@@apollomemories7399 Hi. Unfortunately , that small thermometer is no longer available. Hoever there is a cheap one by Fastrax (in the UK)
demonpowerproducts.co.uk/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=4021
There are are others that are slightly more expensive, which should be avaialble in most Countries:
demonpowerproducts.co.uk/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=4837
demonpowerproducts.co.uk/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=10641
Did you try this on 78's?
@@andrewcampbell336 I'm afraid not. I'd imagine they might need a bit more weight to flatten them out.
excellent technique. thanks!!
Definitely seems like the best method of fixing a record with the lowest risk of ruining it.
A lot of people out here sticking vinyls in the oven like a Turkey dinner.
I wonder if leaving the gloves on top while cooling was the secret here. Thanks Nick
I use my Vinyl Flat + an external digital thermometer with a probe and my new LG electric oven with great success 👍🏻
Vinyls records cooked in the oven with potatos and chicken my favorite food .. Yammi Yammi
Hahaha...😹😹😹
jermaine stewart is back on the menu boys!
thats a brilliant way to flatten warped records, i'll be buying my chopping boards later today
I thank you very much for this tip, will definitely try it.
Good stuff man. Thanks!
As an added bonus, demo narrated by Ozzy Osbourne.
That was pretty darn good. Thank you! I have an ol T-Rex vinyl that must have sat up near a floor heater Hope it works on mine..
Congrats Nick! Good job!, i tried with heavier glass and it works.
A lot of effort, .......especially for a record you really do not want in the house! Thanks, may do this !
Add weight on top of the top glass sheet for better effect 1st time around
Old english bloke talking about records. Of course I trust this video!
Hopefully I won't have to use this when I dig out my records but just in case now I know and the results look very promising, great video!
Celsius X 1.8 add 32 = Farenheit. Fahrenheit minus 32 and divide by 1.8 = Celsius
When I saw him open the oven, I cringed and ran out of the house screaming !!!
I like to use a tiger torch myself ....
Nick......thank you soooo much for your video......you've saved some of my records
Seems like leaving the record in the sleeve and using cardboard buffers is the key, cant see why tiles would not work and possibly would hold the heat longer than glass?
Great vid. I tried this last night on a copy of Led Zeppelin 2. Has a bad warp at one edge, could just play one side but the record hit the Arm while trying to play the other side. 65 degrees was no good, didn’t do anything. Bumped it up to 80 degrees and I can now play both sides, still scrapes the arm on one side but plays good. Back in the oven now at 85 degrees for a second go. Maybe my oven temp is out of whack or the record thickness may make a difference. Either way really appreciate your video. Cheers.
Sir, you're a master THX
Impressive. I have a Doors, Strange Days mono, first pressing that won’t play because of the warp. I tried professionally to fix but no luck. Might try this method.
Well, it's not perfect but it is perfect for you... I guess. 😂
Sorry, I just had to make that joke.
Congratulations on the very detailed video, the method seems absolutely spot on and congratulations on choosing that Grace Jones song! I really like Grace Jones!
"we don't have to take our clothes off" 🎹 🎶 Good record to fix
9:36 More to the point, "we don't have to leave the... gloves on"
Incredibly helpful video! Thank-you for this.
I haven’t bought a new record in decades. If I got one that was warped I would send it back pronto! 👍👍👍
Oh hey! I think I just figured out a better way. To take the warp out of, vinyl records. To approach that from a different direction. And quite literally.
So here's my brainstorm for, warped records.
You need an, substantial, electric motor. With a (USA standard) 1/4 inch threaded shaft. A couple of metal, 2 inch metal washers. And a couple of as in two metal nuts. And you need to mount that motor. Capable of something like, 10,000 RPM. Mount the motor, parallel to the floor. And place the record on the shaft. Which is now perpendicular to the horizontal plane. And turn on the motor. Then. Take a nice hot, hair, blow dryer. And aim it at your record as its spinning. Let centrifugal force. Do the work for you. As you play with your hairdryer. Heating up the record enough. To make it semi-soft. And it will straighten itself out. But how could you think about that? If you're not straight yourself? As I am part of the LGBTQ, trans community. And you're not. I don't think? But I know a lot of you, British blokes, are gay. So why has no one thought about this, technique? I mean we don't know that you are wearing women's underwear so? Because we cannot see your panties on camera. And that's why you're using a couple of hot pieces of window panes. To try and flatten out a warped record.
So give my suggestion a try. Because I think I'm more right. I'm a real engineer. But an audio engineer. You see. No you can't see that I am an audio engineer. Because I am in print here. And a, expert technical maintenance, type,, also. Not just, an, Audio Engineer. As I know how to fix. The unfixable. By thinking outside the box. And fixing what no one else with, a college Edgemucation. Knows how to fix. As I have a college degree in, Marijuana. And that makes all the difference! In the world of audio, maintenance. Of expensive, hideously high-priced. Pro Audio Equipment. Like, old-fashioned, $36,000 US,, 24 track, tape recorders and $85,000, to, $350,000, audio consoles. Some of which I have designed and built,, from scratch. And that's no easy feat.. Especially without an actual, College, Edgemucation. As I only made it part of the way through, American high school. As, high school was stupid. And I was already working at, college radio stations. And multimillion dollar hit, Recording Studios. So, who needs, SKOOL? School is only for dummies. That need to be told what they should know. By thinking things through. Thinking is a brand-new concept! That no one knows anymore, how to do. Because we have CZcams. And no thought is ever actually needed again.
Or, better still. If they made a, 13 inch, square. Apple iPod. You could put the record, flat. On to the Apple iPod screen. And place another Apple iPod. On top. And that should heat up the record. Without the use of an oven. That would use far more energy. To do the same job. As we must lower our green footprint. On to the record. As with the high-speed motor. You would have to build a precise frame. To hold that motor. With enough clearance. To mount and spin the record. Over your kitchen floor. And you would have to know how to, weld. As a machinist. Even though we are not mechanical machines!
And so in a sense. I could just take one of my expensive professional, old analog, tape recorders. Mount it vertically in a metal rack cabinet. Sitting on the floor. And put the record onto one of the tape reel, platters. Hit fast forward or rewind. And grab that hairdryer. Et voilà! No actual mechanical construction, necessary. Now wasn't that easy?
I'm full of great ideas. Full of something for sure. Of a darker nature.
I'm edgemucated!
RemyRAD
Take the speed down a couple notches
Very good, excellant vid, will try that tomorrow. cheers
I tried this with a 45 and it came out flat, but shriveled. my oven only goes down to 175 degrees, and I put in in for 5 minutes. was it the temperature or did I put it in too long?
I am going to try right now I have a 7 inch record that I can replace I hope it will work thank you so much
I bought a Zeppelin IV album today and was warped, it even had a post it note on it that said "warped", which I didn't see in the store . I think I am gonna just return it. I had no idea they can warp...
TheZooman22 no idea that records warp?? REALLY???
Careful with the question marks, only 1 is needed. Sarcasm James...Sorry, I should have spelled it out in a much more expressive manner for the cheap seats.
@@TheZooman22 Yeah some people are just born ass holes They have Nothing better to do in life ..Its pretty sad
@@TheZooman22 Such clever use of sarcasm... please spell it out for us next time we are all hanging on your every word. Zeppelin IV LOL
I tried this method on several warped LPs, and although it definitely seems to make them flat again,
I found that some LPs became severely off centered causing the head moving erratically left and right inside the grooves
making unpleasant swooshing sound.
This might be caused by more heat being applied to areas with large bumps and remolding the symmetric shape of the record.
I am thinking that placing weight on the glass plates assists in the deformation of the record. Maybe it is better to follow the procedure in the video without using any extra weight on top.
I use 2 pieces of glass and just leave it in the sun
Very cool! An old tried n true method. What about 45 rpm’s. I never could get that right
If it does not affects the sound then this is awesome
What about 45’s ?? The same procedure?? Thank you
The cardboard pieces should have no ripple structure inside, they should have a flat homogenous consistent structure.
This is brilliant...So, cut out a center hole in the card board(has that been agreed on?) for the records label and put a, let's say, 2 pound weight on top of the glass?
you can also try your local thrift stores they usually have records .
in American numbers: 60-65 celcius = 140-145 degrees F.
Used the same method but not oven
I live in Australia which the hottest day in Summer can do the job less than 20 mins
During my lifetime I have found various ways to warp vinyl records....and various ways to attempt to un-warp them. The surviving Beatles may never forgive me for what I have done to an early pressing and release of The Beatles White Album. Hopefully this is the answer.
Thanks Nick .
play at double speed
Was very disappointed when my New Order single came in with a warp so bad that the stylus jumped to the next groove! Trying this method to see if it works
so it works?
What’s the purpose of the paper sleeve? Thanks
to protect the groves from distortion. this way of doing knows some risk of failure, if the record plays without skip and it's a rare vinyl dont try it :)
did this to 2 of my badly warped 33's and it helped warps but they still have bumps and are unplayable on most songs but I still have hope I can flatten these with a few more heat treatments
Hi Randy
Yes, a few more trys bit by bit.
Try adding some weight on the top.
But be careful not to flatten the bump grooves.
Nick Adams I'm on my 6th heat treatments and I placed heavy objects on glass last 3 trys and it's reduced the waves a little bit but record is still unplayable, I am on my last attempt and I'm gonna let it sit with the weight overnight and if it's still unplayable I am giving up on this method for now don't want to attempt on other bent records and make them worse
Hi Randy
Make sure the glass plates are hot enough. Increase oven temperature if necessary.
If the records are not being flattened by the weight of the glass, add more weight.
The record is not playable now, so it could not make it worse.
Thank you for a very helpful video.
Excellent Job well Done thank you
Thinking about using this method for straightening a warped pick guard from an old guitar. Any thoughts? Thanks again for an informative video.
That's a good method for saving a warped record. I am just glad my Flac files don't warp.
The time on the cooker when he first heated the glass was 15:00 - after the hour when he checked the time was 12:00?
First clean the record thoroughly...................don't use the carton ; only use a new/clean sleeve ( not the paper one but an anti static )
Heat the glass-plates somewhat hotter , up to 75-80°C instead of 60 and leave to cool down with a weight on the upper glass platter for at least more than one hour .( the outside glass may be at room temperature but the record inside is still warm !!! ), the record must be completely cooled before it is taken out !!!!!
Thank you so much Mr. Adams.
Sweet!!! Now I just need to get some glass.
Easy option. Glass Chopping boards record just about fits. Just.
@@garryburns0178 I'd like a 35cm x 35cm preferably if I could find it
Don't forget to add a bit of weight on top
Nick.,have u or any of ur prescribers have any suggestions for a stylus which will handle lp's well.,ie)specifically the ones which play over 35/40 mins per side.I currently use a Goldring E3 MM['Blue'] & its not effective eg)..tone arm will 'jump' & 'skip'. What triggered this post is seeing the NOW compilation u had out there at ur oven-side~ just awful!! and a shame. Will check back :~ thanks.
Couple of things. Have you done a 7” yet and would u just put it in an album cover and then 7” sleeve for the second heat? Also, what cleaner do u use? Your cooker top is spotless.
Hi Yogi. Yes, just some paper padding to distribute the load on any high spots.
I guess I only cook plastic. All the best. nick
Thank you for that tip!