inexpensive record cleaner


I have recently set up a rig for playing vinyl and inherited most of my dads old records. What is the best way to properly clean these for optimal sound after they have been in storage for 10+ years? Also would this work for cleaning any used records i bought. I do not want to spend more than $100, but feel that a proper cleaning system would greaty improve my sound. Thanks, Carl
sailor720
Hi,
Want an inexpensive record cleaner? This is what I use. A 5 gal wet/dry vac. Take the head, with the rubber squeegie inside, and remove the rubber insert. Take a piece of foam, or sponge, large enough, to cover it, and come up the side, a little. Tape it with duct tape, so that the tape, does not get, into the area, that comes into contact, with the surface intended to be vacuumed. In other words, tape only the sides, of the head, to tape the foam, in place. Take a razor, or box cutter, and make a five inch slit, in the area of the foam, that is now in the area, that the rubber insert was.
I use a mixture of 1/4 Joy dishwashing liquid, to 3/4 distilled water, in a spray bottle. Do not spray, the label area. Use a stiff bristle brush, and scrub the record. A brush, is far less pressure, than a diamond, at 1 gram, running along the grooves. Use a folded towel, and wipe most of the liquid off. Use the vac, and vac the surface. It has enough suction, to pull the remaining water, right through the foam, and the slit, allows it to suck the record dry. I sold my cleaner, after using this contraption. It took me about 15 minutes, to cut the foam, and tape it to the head. It works.
I use a tv turntable, to turn the record, while I vac it. The record sits, on a old Kenwood platter, which sits on the tv turntable.
And best of all, if I spill something, I just remove the head, and presto, I have a wet/dry vac, again.
Disc Doctor (see discdoc.com--note there is no "www") has gotten very good reviews. It isn't cheap, but a starter system would run well under $100, and will work without a cleaning machine. It's also supposed to work well even on very dirty records. It does require distilled water, and sounds like a lot of work, however.
The Orbitrac works well and is cheap:

http://www.amusicdirect.com/products/detail.asp?sku=AALSO01
I hadn't seen that page before - it looks pretty slick. If I hadn't just bought a Nitty Gritty, I'd attempt this.
You could try making one, like this guy did:

http://www.teresaudio.com/haven/cleaner/cleaner.html