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Durable record vacuum cleaner recommendation?

I am looking for a durable record vacuum machine. Any recommendations?

Ideally will also do 10" and 7", and be on the quieter side. Should be able to handle some volume without breaking.

Background: my Project VC-S is busted; vacuum motor got noisy to 95dB at 1 m, a bit much, IMHO. ~$250 motor part with no returns and no guaranteed compatibility is a non-starter. This is already a replacement unit for one with bad gears for the platter. So Pro-ject is out of the running.

In the last couple of months, I used the unit quite a bit (around 1K records vacuumed) as I got an ultrasonic and go through my entire collection.

Thanks for any leads and recommendations, particularly if you have run a few thousand records through your unit with no issues.

oberoniaomnia

Showing 3 responses by lewm

lewm
13,476 posts
 

What I do with the HW17, because I find that a distilled water rinse is worth the effort, is to wash with cleaning solution dispensed from the tank via the brush, scrub in both directions with brush, then vacuum, then rinse with distilled water from a squirt bottle, then vacuum again. A plastic squeeze bottle with a nozzle is cheap and easy to find, for the water rinse.

lewm
13,476 posts
 

 It is inevitable that the cork mat on the VPI HW17 will get a bit wet, but it's not a big deal, just incidental. You clean and vacuum one side at a time, so when you flip the LP to clean the other side, the side now facing the platter is dry.  You would not want to support the LP only by the label when dispensing cleaning solution or when vacuuming. I usually keep some Kimwipes handy to dry the edges of clean LPs where the vacuum may leave some drips.

lewm
13,476 posts
 

Ditto on the HW17. I've had mine since the early 90s. No problems ever except periodically replacing the wand that does the suction and the brushes.  Both of which are sold by VPI at very reasonable prices. It's not quiet, but I have never understood why that matters; I clean my LPs in my basement workshop.  I don't try to listen to music or TV or to my wife while I am cleaning LPs.

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