Warped Record Fix

Was out at the garage sales this weekend and picked up a bunch of records. Some pretty nice Blues, Jazz and Rock. Problem is a lot of these are warped. To clarify the warping is "bowl" type, not wavy edges. I've cleaned an played a couple. They do play(thanks to my Shure V15 and light tonearm) but take my cartridge on quite a ride! I'm concerned that I may damage my cartridge's suspension or otherwise shorten it's lifespan.

Does anyone have a good method to take out warping? I've read about the "Oven Technique"-2 glass plattters @ 120-150 Degrees F. I would be most interested in a method that does not require the use of my oven.

Any and all help is appreciated in advance.

paul

 

"Dishing" as they call it isn't too bad. The problem with heating vinyl is, some compounds melt easier than others. When it's too hot, it's too late, and you have a scorched record. On playback, it will swish and "woosh". This isn't good.

At experiment, I would try sunlight and some weight, group 5 at a time with the sleeves on (paper) only. Really gradual, warm pressure. Books, heavy, with some 85 degree weather for 3-4 hours?

This is, of course, if it bugs you and there's no real investment.

 

I've experimented with this quite a bit....mostly using the "two pieces of glass, weights, and the sun" method. I've only been successful ONCE. The other times I've ruined the vinyl. The last time, I broke the glass. I've received records in the mail that are still hot from the sun and I IMMEDIATELY put them under a heavy stack of lps and they turn out fine. The key is, I guess, not to go too far with the heat. I don't know how this would be accomplished as far as dialing it to a science. Lots of spare vinyl and more experimentation, I presume.

 

Sckott, Prix,

Thanks for the tips. I like the idea of weight and "natures oven". Plus it's the right time of the year for this. Not a huge investment here so as good a time as any to do some experiments.

My thanks,
paul

 

I've had sucess with this method in the oven at a low temperature but with flat metal plates instead of glass. The problem is that I've also ruined some records this way. If I had a irreplaceable record to try this with, I'd probably do some practice runs first, not that that will necessarily help.

I can also possibly see getting the vinyl too hot and slightly melting the modulations, and possibly enough to just get the high frequencies but make it still playable.

In any event, having a warped record is a real bummer. Some turntable/arm/cartridge combinations can deal with them better than others.