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R/E/P => Mastering Dynamics => Topic started by: Thomas W. Bethel on August 30, 2012, 08:47:17 PM

Title: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on August 30, 2012, 08:47:17 PM
I had to do a transfer of three 78 RPM acetate records that had been wrapped in Saran Wrap for over 20 years. It was a royal pain to get the Saran Wrap off the records and in a lot of places the Saran Wrap had bonded to the record surfaces. I used triple filtered deionized water to try and get them "clean" but did not have much luck. I don't want to use any solvents for fear I will damage the acetate further. Any ideas of how to get this bonding undone? The client is giving CDs of these records to her nieces and nephews as a gift.

Thanks in advance for any and all help!!!

Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Allen Corneau on August 31, 2012, 10:09:42 AM
Can't say I've ever had that issue before so no suggestions here.

Good luck!
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: John Roberts {JR} on August 31, 2012, 11:07:29 AM
You may want to experiment with this on some loose saran wrap, but perhaps hot (warm) air might help help delaminate the saran wrap from the acetate. or not.

If the acetate recording is on a metal base, you might be able to keep the record cooler by heat sinking that to a larger mass.

Good luck, sounds like fun...

JR 
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Rick Sutton on August 31, 2012, 12:19:49 PM
You may want to experiment with this on some loose saran wrap, but perhaps hot (warm) air might help help delaminate the saran wrap from the acetate. or not.

If the acetate recording is on a metal base, you might be able to keep the record cooler by heat sinking that to a larger mass.

Good luck, sounds like fun...

JR
Be very careful with any method that involves temperature change. I've seen discs that have been stable for decades fracture into a jig-saw puzzle when they were subjected to temperature change. This was with lacquer on metal disc.
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on August 31, 2012, 07:01:45 PM
Be very careful with any method that involves temperature change. I've seen discs that have been stable for decades fracture into a jig-saw puzzle when they were subjected to temperature change. This was with lacquer on metal disc.

Same here and these are lacquer on aluminum. I did the transfers the best I could and gave them to the client. I will wait for her to get back to me and see how she feels about the transfer. These discs were recorded so low in level that there is more noise than signal on most of them. Thank God for RX2 Advanced. The client said her mother did the Saran Wrap thing to "protect the discs from dust" I would have preferred the dust the Saran Wrap sticking to the disc's surface. Oh well!
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Ed Littman on August 31, 2012, 07:15:14 PM
I've heard using wood glue can clean well. I have not tried it my self but I will soon.
Ed
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on August 31, 2012, 09:20:41 PM
I've heard using wood glue can clean well. I have not tried it my self but I will soon.
Ed

Like Elmer's Glue? How do you apply it and take it off? Seems like it might pull up the acetate.
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Hermetech Mastering on September 01, 2012, 06:39:36 AM
I've heard glue can be used for cleaning regular vinyl, but I'm not sure if it was recommended for acetates. Be careful!
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Ed Littman on September 01, 2012, 10:01:26 AM
True be careful. Yes Elmer's glue. I would practice with a light coat on something not so valuable.
Ed
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Greg Reierson on September 03, 2012, 10:36:13 AM
I think wood glue will stick to lacquer. Try on a trashed disk first.

Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Greg Reierson on September 03, 2012, 03:32:55 PM
I had a group of friends over and we compared cleaning vinyl with wood glue against my VPI. The VPI won by a small margin but wood glue followed by the VPI was really good. Too bad the glue takes so long...
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: djwaudio on September 03, 2012, 08:12:39 PM
What about good old mild dish detergent and warm water?
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on September 04, 2012, 05:33:49 AM
I tried using a mushroom brush and some deionized water without the dish washing liquid and it did not do anything. I think the Saran Wrap is chemically bonded to the acetate. I am afraid to use any kind of chemical or soap for fear it will lift the acetate from the substrate. Thanks for your input.
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Gold on September 05, 2012, 06:59:05 PM
I'd think a sharp 78 stylus would slice right through plastic wrap. I'd put the tone arm on the record and hand wind it. Then look at what happened under a microscope or magnifying glass. What you see will determine the next move.
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on September 06, 2012, 08:04:15 AM
I'd think a sharp 78 stylus would slice right through plastic wrap. I'd put the tone arm on the record and hand wind it. Then look at what happened under a microscope or magnifying glass. What you see will determine the next move.

Thanks! I will try it. I appreciate all the good ideas and suggestions!!!
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Treelady on September 10, 2012, 01:14:38 PM
Write back what happened.  This is a wild ride.
Title: Re: 78 RPM Acetate records wrapped in plastic wrap...YUCK!
Post by: Thomas W. Bethel on September 11, 2012, 09:57:54 AM
Write back what happened.  This is a wild ride.

The client had to go on a trip and we had to finish up the project before she left. I tried a couple of things but I was always afraid that I would lift the acetate. Once before I got in an acetate disk that was lifting up. It was a glass disk made during WWII. I was very careful with it but I could do nothing due to its condition. I was going to send it to Nashville, to a specialist there, to have it glued down and transferred but the glass disk broke in transit to him even though it was placed between two vinyl records and packed well. I also had a acetate disk that was lifting up that had an aluminum substrate and the aluminum must not have been thoroughly cleaned as one half of the acetate was lifting off while the other side was fine. I was able to tape the acetate down with masking tape on the edge and do the transfer but it was probably the last time that record could have been played. The real problem with these acetates, that were stored in Saran wrap, was that they were in pretty good shape if they had not been stored the way they were. The levels were also very very low and in most cases the noise was more than the signal.

Interesting project and I learned a lot from it. Thanks again for all the help and suggestion. It is what makes this forum so valuable.