Judasmac,
I use a Sears 2.75hp vac and it has more than enough power. Don't forget, a shop vac is also useful for many more things than a record cleaning machine - just try cleaning the garage with your Loricraft! (LOL)
Anyhow this is the way to go for cheap. The Loricraft, however, does demonstrate one important principal that you should incorporate into your DIY cleaner. This is the fact that greater suction per square inch can be achieved with a smaller opening. When you make your tool for suctioning off the fluid, make just a narrow slit, the width of the vinyl. I recommend using a crevice tool (regular small vac size) and cutting a slit on the narrow side (or wide side if you prefer), I used a roto tool for this. On either side of the cut I use double stick tape and felt which can be easily and frequently replaced. The end of the crevice tool is closed off with a piece of plastic glued to the end. The tool is connected to the vac with a smaller gauge hose that you can buy which is typically used to connect your shop vac to the dust port of small tools like sanders (another use for your shop vac!) I clean records buy placing them on a clean plastic sheet on top of a felt surface. I apply the record cleaner (AIVS) and brush it with a Last Record cleaning brush. I then vac it off by vacuming about 15 degrees and then picking up the crevice tool (the record remains attached by suction) and turning it 15 degrees to make my way around the record. With AIVS I get outstanding results and when you consider the many other applications for your vac - the record cleaner is essentially free!!!
I use a Sears 2.75hp vac and it has more than enough power. Don't forget, a shop vac is also useful for many more things than a record cleaning machine - just try cleaning the garage with your Loricraft! (LOL)
Anyhow this is the way to go for cheap. The Loricraft, however, does demonstrate one important principal that you should incorporate into your DIY cleaner. This is the fact that greater suction per square inch can be achieved with a smaller opening. When you make your tool for suctioning off the fluid, make just a narrow slit, the width of the vinyl. I recommend using a crevice tool (regular small vac size) and cutting a slit on the narrow side (or wide side if you prefer), I used a roto tool for this. On either side of the cut I use double stick tape and felt which can be easily and frequently replaced. The end of the crevice tool is closed off with a piece of plastic glued to the end. The tool is connected to the vac with a smaller gauge hose that you can buy which is typically used to connect your shop vac to the dust port of small tools like sanders (another use for your shop vac!) I clean records buy placing them on a clean plastic sheet on top of a felt surface. I apply the record cleaner (AIVS) and brush it with a Last Record cleaning brush. I then vac it off by vacuming about 15 degrees and then picking up the crevice tool (the record remains attached by suction) and turning it 15 degrees to make my way around the record. With AIVS I get outstanding results and when you consider the many other applications for your vac - the record cleaner is essentially free!!!