Vinyl Flat - Does This Work ?

[Soulgirl85]

Hi , After recieving yet another warped 45 in the post today , i have been looking all over for methods of flattening / anti warping just so i could do something about it , i have heard about the method with 2 peices of glass in the oven , but it just sounds too risky ! however after searching i have found a device called vinyl flat , it looks the part , but does it really work and is it safe ? this device also needs to be heated up in the oven , so its not without its dangers . i was wondering if anyone on here has actually got one of these and can give any feedback as to how things worked out after using it , did it do the trick and flatten out the vinyl ? or did you destroy many in the process ? Any info would be great

Cheers :o)

https://vinylflat.com/vinylflatinstructions.html

Edited September 27, 2012 by soulgirl85

[Guest dundeedavie]

I personally would rather buy a tune warped than buy one knowing it had been flattened, unless you don't plan on telling people it's been flattened

[Modernsoulsucks]

I once ironed a copy of Guy Darrell on CBS demo back in '72. Obv put a damp cloth over it. Im not stupid!

Didn't turn out well so I'd avoid that method.

ROD

[Gene-r]

Personally, I wouldn't bother taking the risk of flattening records, by whatever means - it's all touch and go. Even a small amount of heat can cause permanent damage.

My policy is if it's warped and playable, fine. If it's warped and unplayable, forget it.

Edited September 27, 2012 by Gene-R

[Soulgirl85]

I personally would rather buy a tune warped than buy one knowing it had been flattened, unless you don't plan on telling people it's been flattened

It dont need the machine to flattn records to sell on , its just the fact that i have a few that have tiny warps , but when i know they are there it bugs me m especially if the tone arm keeps moving up and down

[Barry]

Half the posters on here have a slight warp and you wouldn't want to change them now would you!?

[Guest 1969reggae]

i use a hairdrier and a large stack of very heavy books !

[Ady Of Newark]

Hiya

Tried this having left Brian Auger - Black Cat on the turntable in direct sunlight. I preheated the oven to the required temperature & inserted the disk between 2 plates of glass - absolute disaster. Yes, the record flattened but was still unplayable not least because the grooves on the 'peaks' were flattened, but also because the record did not return to a completely flat state, more rippled.

It's now a clock in my kitchen, lol

Adrian

[Guest 1969reggae]

i use a hairdrier and a large stack of very heavy books !

dont get too close or hot and keep it under books as long as can and it works !

[Kris Holmes]

if the record plays through without a problem then just leave it. if not, then please tell us who you are buying 45s from so we can avoid them.

[Greg Belson]

A friend of mine bought the vinyl flat and he's tried it out on a few LP's and a coupla 45's....so far, he's had a 100% success rate.

The key is to follow the instructions where you don't put the vinyl flat into the oven. You can buy a bag which can be plugged into the mains, and heats up much more gradually....more like an electric blanket. It's maximum temperature is less and nowhere near as direct as an oven.

So his recommendation is, yes it works........don't follow the oven instructions.....purchase the thermal heating bag and leave it pretty much over night. Then allow it to cool to room temperature before you remove the disc from the vinyl flat. It's a fairly heavy piece of kit, but it seems to do the trick.

Edited September 28, 2012 by Greg Belson

[boba]

i bought one a month or two ago but haven't had a chance to try it out yet (haven't even opened the mail packaging). will report back in this thread when i have some results. I also bought the heating bag, my oven is barely a safe place to put food, much less records.

[Soulgirl85]

A friend of mine bought the vinyl flat and he's tried it out on a few LP's and a coupla 45's....so far, he's had a 100% success rate.

The key is to follow the instructions where you don't put the vinyl flat into the oven. You can buy a bag which can be plugged into the mains, and heats up much more gradually....more like an electric blanket. It's maximum temperature is less and nowhere near as direct as an oven.

So his recommendation is, yes it works........don't follow the oven instructions.....purchase the thermal heating bag and leave it pretty much over night. Then allow it to cool to room temperature before you remove the disc from the vinyl flat. It's a fairly heavy piece of kit, but it seems to do the trick.

Great , thats just the answer i was looking for ! i didnt think putting something in the oven would be safe ...... so if it works i think $99 would be a good investment

[Soulgirl85]

if the record plays through without a problem then just leave it. if not, then please tell us who you are buying 45s from so we can avoid them.

the vinyls play fine , but i havent bought them from one seller , they are just things that ive had over the years that ive had from different places ...... i prob have about 10 with mild warping , they play but i do notice the arm moving up and down quite a bit , sellers should definately list that a 45 has a warp , as i have bought records in the past listed as ex+ , but are warped

[Smudger]

Extract from the instructions

The Vinyl Flat Record Flattener furnishes the required amount of pressure (on

precise areas of the record using vinyl-safe materials). The other elements - heat

and time - are furnished by you.

For a heat source, we suggest our optional Groovy Pouch. You may also use a

standard kitchen oven or a small convection toaster oven. With that in mind, the

two most important rules to follow when repairing vinyl records with an oven as

the heat source are "LOW"Â and "SLOW"Â.

Love the idea of putting a 7" in the toaster!!!! NOT i

[Tiberius]

i bought one a month or two ago but haven't had a chance to try it out yet (haven't even opened the mail packaging). will report back in this thread when i have some results. I also bought the heating bag, my oven is barely a safe place to put food, much less records.

The sooner the better please! Considered buying this kit myself but would like to hear more reviews first. I have a few records which would otherwise be nice Ex/M-, & play through without jumping, but the fidelity is badly affected as the tonearm rises/falls.

[boba]

The sooner the better please! Considered buying this kit myself but would like to hear more reviews first. I have a few records which would otherwise be nice Ex/M-, & play through without jumping, but the fidelity is badly affected as the tonearm rises/falls.

I bought it after reading positive comments from people who used it with the heating bag. However, I'm guessing that if your stereo is sensitive enough to pick up fidelity changes from a light warp, that after flattening the original fidelity issue or some new issue would remain.

[Barry]

I was going to suggest that someone who owns one of these contraptions offer a service of squaring a record up for a small fee but I don't think I'd like the responsibility of playing about with someone elses vinyl.

[boba]

I was going to suggest that someone who owns one of these contraptions offer a service of squaring a record up for a small fee but I don't think I'd like the responsibility of playing about with someone elses vinyl.

If you're going to pay someone to flatten vinyl, you should contact a record store that has a real expensive vinyl flattening machine rather than someone who has a dinky $99 record clamp and heating bag. The machine is the safest thing. However, there are definitely cases where you can still render a warped record unplayable by flattening it (usually when flattening a very sharp warp -- it will cause the needle to jerk back and forth rather than up and down, and that may be too much for your turntable and might skip).

[Guest Luath]

Used the hairdryer method one myself.....worked to a certain degree.

[KevH]

Hiya

Tried this having left Brian Auger - Black Cat on the turntable in direct sunlight. I preheated the oven to the required temperature & inserted the disk between 2 plates of glass - absolute disaster. Yes, the record flattened but was still unplayable not least because the grooves on the 'peaks' were flattened, but also because the record did not return to a completely flat state, more rippled.

It's now a clock in my kitchen, lol

Adrian

Should have put a nice pasta bake in with it as well.!!! I put 2 Chairmen of the Board discs in the oven,gas 5,about 3 mins.

Came out as 2 lovely peanut dishes.

As for warped records,been said,if they play ok leave em.!!

[Modernsoulsucks]

i bought one a month or two ago but haven't had a chance to try it out yet (haven't even opened the mail packaging). will report back in this thread when i have some results. I also bought the heating bag, my oven is barely a safe place to put food, much less records.

I bet you've never cleaned your oven and it's as messy as your bedroom and you've never had sex.

ROD

PS Clean oven v sex. Give me Mr Muscle every time. Not in a homo-erotic way obviously.

[Tiberius]

I bought it after reading positive comments from people who used it with the heating bag. However, I'm guessing that if your stereo is sensitive enough to pick up fidelity changes from a light warp, that after flattening the original fidelity issue or some new issue would remain.

Sorry not a light warp, I mean serious warpage. I guess, from a non aesthetic point of view, this topic also depends on the turntable being used for playback as each warped record is unique so as to if, or how, it will play (or not) is down to the equipment/set up being used. Anyway, if you do get chance to experiment please do post your findings.

[boba]

I bet you've never cleaned your oven and it's as messy as your bedroom and you've never had sex.

ROD

PS Clean oven v sex. Give Mr Muscle every time. Not in a homo-erotic way obviously.

fyi, there are other people's houses as well as public places

[Modernsoulsucks]

I once put a warped copy of Stylistics "Sing baby sing" between two books and after just an hour it was a perfectly flat copy of the Del-Larks "Job Opening"

Had to sacrifice my youngest child and pledge my soul to Lucifer though.

Again I think on the whole another method to be avoided.

ROD

[Barry]

Is that a Soulboy version of Superman's coal to diamond trick?

*flippant remark, ain't drawing any musical conclusions between Russell Thompkins and Sam Campbell

Edited September 28, 2012 by Barry

[Guest dundeedavie]

I had a similarly warped record a few years back and to get round the problem I made a weight in work that sits over the 45 adapter and applies weight to the edge of the label thus making it flat for playing it is made out of stainless steel with copper so is reassuringly weighty

[Guest Brett F]

My turntable has a large adapter that virtually screws the record down, the plate of it virtually covers the label, i don't normally use it but found it helps on anything with a serious warp.

[KevH]

I had a warped life once.Climbed in the oven,gas mark 6...Still have a warped life.