The Vinyl Stack ULTRA...new way to ultrasonic clean vinyl

puroagave

puroagave

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Not exactly a new way to ultrasonic but another option to consider. I purchased the vinyl stack off ebay a few months ago and have been using it with the Trusonic cleaner. I'm very satisfied with the results, the apparatus itself is well thought out and crafted, its a 'finished' product. If you already have a wet-vac RCM it will augment perfectly with this unit and covers all the bases. The best part is cost, about $700 for the whole package. FWIW, this is what Harry Weisfeld currently uses at home.

Ultrasonic Vinyl Record Cleaning Kit "Vinyl Stack Ultra Sonic Spin Kit" | eBay

Amazon.com: Trusonik 2.5 Gallon (10L) Ultrasonic Cleaner: Health & Personal Care
 
Pretty cool price is right any problem with labels getting wet as it does not have wipers like the Audio desk . Also the Audio desk has fan cooling to dry the records but is also needed to cool off the generator for the ultra sonics . Does this unit need a cool down time the audio desk will burn out if you skip the fan time I am told.
 
Garth, this 'system' doesn't contact the playing surface of your records, it merely hangs them in a bath of cleaning solution while rotating a 1 RPM. The Vinyl Stack is height adjustable (on the fly) and it will dunk the vinyl to whatever depth you wish. It can't wet the label unless you intentionally do so. There is no 'drying' feature, other than drip drying on the stand (optional). The Trusonik is the same unit David uses for the v-8, the advantage over the AD and KL is the adjustable cavitation and heater.

I recently acquired the Loricraft which is a point nozzle type machine, so far I can say its leagues ahead of the tube/slot vac type machines I've used (VPI, Nitty Gritty, okki nokki, etc). I'll go on to say its deep clean capabilities have improved records previously cleaned on the KL and my own DIY ultrasonic.
 
puroagave said:
Garth, this 'system' doesn't contact the playing surface of your records, it merely hangs them in a bath of cleaning solution while rotating a 1 RPM. The Vinyl Stack is height adjustable (on the fly) and it will dunk the vinyl to whatever depth you wish. It can't wet the label unless you intentionally do so. There is no 'drying' feature, other than drip drying on the stand (optional). The Trusonik is the same unit David uses for the v-8, the advantage over the AD and KL is the adjustable cavitation and heater.

I recently acquired the Loricraft which is a point nozzle type machine, so far I can say its leagues ahead of the tube/slot vac type machines I've used (VPI, Nitty Gritty, okki nokki, etc). I'll go on to say its deep clean capabilities have improved records previously cleaned on the KL and my own DIY ultrasonic.
Click to expand...

Yay! I agree. The combination of point nozzle and ultrasonic is terrific. Have you tried the SRC (the "Syntax Reverse Clean," so named because it was inspired by a post from that indefatigable vinyl guy from Germany, Syntax?)
He had recommended cleaning in the ultrasonic and drying via point nozzle. It works great. Not recommended by KL- since they have informed me that you risk wetting the electronics inside the KL by lifting out a wet record (though the version of the machine I have allows for 'wash only'). Thus, use of a DIY ultrasonic makes even more sense, and is a bargain to boot! Good for you.
 
Hi Bill, I found another use for the vinyl stack, i use a square plastic tub under the 'stack' in place of the trusonic and thoroughly soak dirt dirty LPs in enzymatic solution for 30-mins at a time at 1 rpm. I read your mention of Syntax's methodology and the vinyl stack/trusonic combo is perfect for that. the Loricraft has been a revelation...like, where-have-you-been-all-my-record-collecting-life?
 
puroagave said:
Hi Bill, I found another use for the vinyl stack, i use a square plastic tub under the 'stack' in place of the trusonic and thoroughly soak dirt dirty LPs in enzymatic solution for 30-mins at a time at 1 rpm. I read your mention of Syntax's methodology and the vinyl stack/trusonic combo is perfect for that. the Loricraft has been a revelation...like, where-have-you-been-all-my-record-collecting-life?
Click to expand...

So, Rob do you rinse the records after the enzyme soak, before putting them into the ultrasonic? Or are you going to the Loricraft after the enzyme soak and then finishing in the ultrasonic?
This gives you a lot of options.
I do pre-clean any used record (and some new ones) before they go into the ultrasonic. I have reserved the SRC for the real 'problem children' but haven't really used the SRC method since getting KL's advice. I should probably buy the kit you are talking about to give me this additional flexibility. Then there's glue, which I haven't tried.
 
I am pretty happy with my VPI 17F / V8 combo for cleaning...but...I have been wondering if replacing the wand oriented VPI with one of the nozzle vacuum units on the market would yield better results. Does anyone know the least expensive way to get into one of the nozzle units, regardless of manufacturer? I don't see Loricraft or KM show up used. The new Pristine Vinyl machine looks good but is not imported to the US.

John

billhart said:
Yay! I agree. The combination of point nozzle and ultrasonic is terrific. Have you tried the SRC (the "Syntax Reverse Clean," so named because it was inspired by a post from that indefatigable vinyl guy from Germany, Syntax?)
He had recommended cleaning in the ultrasonic and drying via point nozzle. It works great. Not recommended by KL- since they have informed me that you risk wetting the electronics inside the KL by lifting out a wet record (though the version of the machine I have allows for 'wash only'). Thus, use of a DIY ultrasonic makes even more sense, and is a bargain to boot! Good for you.
Click to expand...
 
billhart said:
So, Rob do you rinse the records after the enzyme soak, before putting them into the ultrasonic? Or are you going to the Loricraft after the enzyme soak and then finishing in the ultrasonic?
This gives you a lot of options.
I do pre-clean any used record (and some new ones) before they go into the ultrasonic. I have reserved the SRC for the real 'problem children' but haven't really used the SRC method since getting KL's advice. I should probably buy the kit you are talking about to give me this additional flexibility. Then there's glue, which I haven't tried.
Click to expand...

yes, I swap out the tub for the ultrasonic tank and 'finish' with distilled h2o (or deionized when I can get it). the last step is a final clean on the PRC4.
 
allvinyl said:
I am pretty happy with my VPI 17F / V8 combo for cleaning...but...I have been wondering if replacing the wand oriented VPI with one of the nozzle vacuum units on the market would yield better results. Does anyone know the least expensive way to get into one of the nozzle units, regardless of manufacturer? I don't see Loricraft or KM show up used. The new Pristine Vinyl machine looks good but is not imported to the US.

John
Click to expand...

John: the biggest concern I would have about a used machine, Monks or Loricraft, is whether it has been abused or improperly set up. I think Loricraft in England offers factory specials but I'm not sure whether that carries over to the U.S. distributor. Monks also makes a smaller machine- I haven't tried it, my first impression was too much cost cutting, but after reading more, it might make sense. I think it uses the same German pump as the big Monks-- (can't remember if it is scaled down in power)-- and the turntable, which is a clone of older style japanese turntable, is not only supposed to be quieter than the big Monks (which isn't really very noisy) but offers additional options. Still not cheap, though. If you found a used one from an owner that knew what they were doing and hadn't abused the machine, set it up correctly, etc. you're golden. The other possibility is to check with some dealers in the States who handle Monks or Loricraft, and see if they have a machine that a known customer traded in on one of those new-fangled jobs. The main issue there would be whether the dealer is knowledgeable enough to back you up on some of the simple/stupid stuff. Once I learned my way around the Monks, it isn't all that complicated, but man, the instructions-- maybe I'm just getting old.
 
Rob,

Are you still loving the Loricraft record cleaner? Thoughts on it since you've had it?

I've been watching some of the videos on how it works and it looks really good with pretty low maintenance.

Thanks!



puroagave said:
Garth, this 'system' doesn't contact the playing surface of your records, it merely hangs them in a bath of cleaning solution while rotating a 1 RPM. The Vinyl Stack is height adjustable (on the fly) and it will dunk the vinyl to whatever depth you wish. It can't wet the label unless you intentionally do so. There is no 'drying' feature, other than drip drying on the stand (optional). The Trusonik is the same unit David uses for the v-8, the advantage over the AD and KL is the adjustable cavitation and heater.

I recently acquired the Loricraft which is a point nozzle type machine, so far I can say its leagues ahead of the tube/slot vac type machines I've used (VPI, Nitty Gritty, okki nokki, etc). I'll go on to say its deep clean capabilities have improved records previously cleaned on the KL and my own DIY ultrasonic.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
joeinid said:
Rob,

Are you still loving the Loricraft record cleaner? Thoughts on it since you've had it?

I've been watching some of the videos on how it works and it looks really good with pretty low maintenance.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi Joe, I acquired it as a "poor mans" Keith Monks RCM if $2400 can be called poor mans. I have the newer version with the stronger vacuum motor. It is more fiddly than a VPI or the like as you must level it and tweek it like a turntable for the arm to 'track' properly. Its advantage over slot-type vacuum RCMs like every other design is that it focuses the suction at one point and is more effective at sucking out loose grime.

I use the Lori in conjunction with the DIY Ultra Sonic machine at the final rinse. I allow the records to drip dry when I pull them out of the US machine. Instead of blow drying or vacuuming the record, my last step is to rehydrate the record on the Lori and 'suck dry' it for play/storage. another not insignificant advantage to the Lori is that it leaves the vinyl completely static-free, try that with the VPI, Nitty Gritty, et al.
 
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