Record Cleaner Advice?

@jkmcc

How will you maintain the cleaned records?  I can understand the temptation to send some of my most cherished LP's for this treatment, but they still have to be cleaned as they're used at home.

Thanks for calling our attention to this service.

Thanks to all for the thorough and informative advice.
Knowing myself and my less-than-fastidious tendencies, I think I'll want a very convenient do-it-all unit for records that have already been thoroughly cleaned so I can pop them in, pull them out dry and play them.  I'll use the more manual deep-cleaning approach for older records that are really gunked up.
That said, which do-it-all unit do you think would work best as part of day-to day listening?

This has been quite a technical tour de force.  One surprise is the respect the old Nitty Gritty units still garner.

It has me wondering if I should do my deep cleaning with my old NG 1.5 (using Tergitol or distilled water) and acquire a VPI 16.5 or 17 for pre-listening treatments.  (I don't care about noise during cleaning.)

None of this would be ultrasonic, but would it do the job?  Also, would I still need an anti-static brush?

Neil, many many thanks for all the time you spent getting me on the right road (not to mention your amazing treatise from last May that explains everything so well).  Thanks again to the other posters as well.

I now have the entire process planned out, including chemicals, materials, tools and dilution amounts.  I plan to purchase a VPI and in fact have already picked out a handy spot on my kitchen counter to become the cleaning center.

One question left: do you use the VPI for every step of the cleaning?  That seems extremely convenient to me, but I don't want to mess up the machine any more than necessary.

@pryso 

The information we've been given here represents thousands of hours of scientific research and experimentation.  I appreciate you including me in your thanks, but it's undeserved.  I was simply looking for updated advice since my Nitty Gritty 1.5 purchase years ago, so I posed a question.  Enter the brain trust.

These gentlemen (Bill S., Whart & Neil) have graciously and patiently re-explained their findings that, had we done the digging, were already there.  Folks like this are the backbone of these forums, and I sincerely revere their efforts to help us better enjoy the music we love.

@antinn

Neil, I have all the goodies, except the VPI itself, which should be here in a week.  I found a pretty pristine HW-17.

Question: for the really dirty records, is it ok to scrub with the Liquinox solution right on the VPI while it's turning?  This would be handy for me but I don't want to do things that are going to damage the machine over the long run.  Would it be better to remove the record and rinse it with tap water instead of using the vacuum to suck up the Liquinox solution?

I'm not as concerned about the Tergitol 15-S-9 solution because it seems the milder of the two.  BTW, I even bought one of those cool Ronxs lighters to keep right next to the table and figure I'll just zap the blank vinyl near the label before lowering the stylus.  What could beat a last-second anti-static zap?

One last thing: A guy on a Steve Hoffman forum recommended this as a perfect drying rack.  A Hamilton Beach 6600x bread slicing guide.  I ordered a used one but it's still gonna set you back over $20 with shipping:

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pAAAAOSwfRZfIvNw/s-l300.jpg

This version will hold 17 records - sort of overkill - but there's a similar unit out there that would hold 6.

@antinn

Neil, do you know of any videos or can you describe the best technique for using the Ronxs arc lighter (or any similar unit) once the record is spinning on the platter?  I did see one warning about keeping it away from the cartridge, which is sort of a no-brainer.  What would you think about moving it back and forth between the label and record edge for a couple revolutions?  How close to the record surface does it need to be to be effective?

Update: I have my Liquinox and Tergitol mixtures ready.  Waiting on the HW-17, drying rack and MOFI inner sleeves.  (I went for a used HW-17 because of the vacuum power and the fact that I can just move the built-in cleaning wand aside when I'm manually scrubbing, then employ if for a final rinse.)

Thanks again for your tireless guidance.  Your willingness to help the rest of the community by sharing your extensive knowledge is admirable and greatly appreciated.

They're molded plastic, and I plan to cover the upper ends with those soft usb covers.   All will be fine.

Re: bread rack.

After looking into different materials that are available, I decided to cover every upright on the bread rack with 1/2" ID thin-wall PVC tubing.  The tubing is pulled down over the entire length of each upright (it is a rather snug fit, which is perfect).  Snip the tubing at the top of the post and move on to the next one.  There will be nothing for the record surfaces to touch except for soft PVC.

I doubt I'll ever have 17 LPs in it at once, but it seems better than being limited to 6.

I'm seeking advice from anyone who wants to weigh in on the value of a working but cosmetically busted VPI HW-17 record cleaning.

As I previously posted, I bought one used.  It was delivered, but the packaging was inadequate.  The frame has two broken areas and is slightly racked (the twisting creates a 1" gap between the lid and the front left side).  It's a shame, because this unit was mint and barely used.

It still works fine, but I'm planning to sell it for parts/repair.  Maybe someone has a dead unit and needs a working version.  The lid seems fine, as are the switches and any other parts other than the MDF frame.  If anyone would like pics, please contact me.

Any opinions on its value?

VPI has no parts left (a reproduction left side panel would help) and actually recommended a cabinet maker to fix the frame.

All, as I mentioned a month ago, the VPI HW-17 I bought online arrived with a damaged MDF frame.  It's working perfectly.  It's a shame, really.  It had been pristine before the seller (a grand daughter who inherited it) did a poor packing job.

I'm ready to sell it here on AG (once I can figure out the clumsy listing system).

If I were going to use it in a garage or basement, I wouldn't be bothered by the busted frame.  But I want to set it up in my kitchen, so I've already purchased another HW-17  that was delivered 2 days ago (MillerCarbon's subtle advice notwithstanding).

Any further advice?

Finally listed the busted-MDF HW-17F machine I received last month.  It was barely used and poorly packed by the inheriting granddaughter.  Working perfectly.  It's sad this is my first Audiogon listing, but an inexpensive alternative for garage or basement (or parts). 

My new record-cleaning spot is my kitchen, and I don't want this one on display, even if patched up.