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How To Flatten Warped Vinyl Records

Here are the general steps: Get two large panes of glass that will fit in your oven. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting. Put your vinyl & glass sandwich in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off. Let the record cool down to room temperature. Determine whether or not that fixed the warping.

Can you restore a warped vinyl?

To fix a warped vinyl record, sandwich the record between 2 heavy objects, like a couple large books, and let it sit for a few days or weeks until it’s not warped anymore. If you’re in a rush, you can quickly fix a warped vinyl record using an oven.

Is it OK to play warped records?

Playing a warped record may damage the record further if the warp causes the stylus to skip. A skipping stylus can scratch the record grooves causing irreparable damage. So, if you want to protect your records, don’t play them when warped.

Can vinyl records be bent?

Records are made from vinyl plastic and having sun and heat on them will almost guarantee they become warped over time. As the records heat up they become softer and because they are thin and soft already it will take very little pressure to warp them.

Why are new records warped?

Warped Records If your record wasn’t stored correctly during production or at the retail store, your new vinyl might arrive warped. Very minor warping is unlikely to cause much of problem. However, in extreme cases, a warped record may skip or produce tracking errors.

Do warped records damage the stylus?

Playing a warped record won’t damage the stylus or the player but it can damage the record. In the worst case scenario your stylus might not be able to stay in the grooves so it may skip a lot and damage the record even further.

At what temperature does vinyl warp?

Warping also has a different temperature than melting. Warping occurs at 140°F (60°C), while melting occurs at 212°F (100°C). Remember that once the record has melted, you cannot restore or reverse it. The heating process will completely ruin the record, and a new one will have to take its place.

How do you fix a repeating record?

The best solution is using warm water and a very soft cloth. Never use hot water as it will deform the record. Moisten the cloth with warm water and gently rub the cloth in the direction of the grooves. NEVER rub the cloth against the direction of the grooves.

Does warped vinyl affect sound?

As it is with most things, how warped a record is determines how jarring of a sound your record player produces. While many minor record warps go unreported, warps can be a significant issue. Mistracking, changes in tracking force, vertical tracking angle, and pitch and harmonic fluctuations can all be caused by warps.

Why are so many new vinyl records warped?

Re: Why Are So Many New Vinyl LP’s Warped It is because of the increased mass of the record. It requires a longer cooling time because the mass of the disc retains the heat for longer. The thicker the vinyl the longer cooling time and I don’t think they are getting it.

Is new vinyl as good as old vinyl?

Usually, if the master tapes are in good working order and have been looked after over the years, the best vinyl reissues will come from the original master recordings. These can sound just as good as the original pressings.

Should vinyl be perfectly flat?

Records shouldn’t be stored horizontally, or flat. As you will see, archival record boxes are designed for the records to be stood and stored vertically. Storing vinyl records flat can place too much pressure on the records lower in the stack causing damage over time.

Is it normal for records to wobble?

Record players are not designed to have any wobbling in the turntable at all. However in real life most every player will have some amount of wobbling in it. As long as the movement isn’t causing your record to jump or skip, the wobble really isn’t anything to worry about.

How should you store vinyl records?

You want to store vinyl records in a cool place—not too cold, but not too hot. If the vinyl is exposed to high heat for extended periods of time, it can lead to warping and other damaging effects. If you have a temperature-controlled attic or storage unit, that can be a great choice.

Do you need a record weight?

Placing additional weight on your record can provide a few benefits: Keeping records flat: New or old, few records are perfectly flat. Warping can make it harder for the stylus to track properly. If you have records that are slightly warped, then weighting the center may keep them flatter and improve trackability.

Why do my vinyls skip?

A common reason your records may skip is dust and dirt that gets into the grooves. While it may occur on old records due to storage, paper sleeves or dust in the environment, new records may also have dust or dirt. You want to remove any dust or dirt from the record before playing it to prevent skipping.

Can you fix a shattered record?

Working on a flat surface, push the record together as tightly as it will go and use a piece of electrical tape where the break is to stabilize the record while you work. Apply epoxy. Mix epoxy and then apply a very fine line to the broken area using a toothpick.

How long does it take for a record to warp in the sun?

The temperature has to be higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit before the record will begin to warp. Assuming that the outside temperature is above 100 degrees then it will only take a little over an hour before the record begins to warp if it is inside of a car.

Can you store vinyl records in a hot attic?

Store your records away from heat and direct light, which can cause warping or even melting. The ideal climate for vinyl record storage is 65° to 70° F and 45% to 50% humidity. This environment is easily maintained in a climate-controlled unit. Storing vinyl records is well worth the effort.

Can you store vinyl records in the garage?

The short answer to this question is no. Storing vinyl records in your garage will lead to unnecessary damage and could cost you an entire record collection.