How To Fix A Warped Record: A Guide Through All Your Options
- Place your record, while still in its inner sleeve, between two heavy books that are the same size as the records and leave for at least a week.
- Purchase a record flattener.
- Pay a place with a flattening service. Here is the short and skinny of the whole thing: unless you are willing to pay a lot for a good record flattener ...
How do you fix Warped Vinyl Records?
Method 2 Method 2 of 3: Using Heat and Pressure
- Place the record between two sheets of glass. Center the record atop the first pane of glass. ...
- Preheat the oven to about 175 °F (79 °C) and place the record inside. Depending on your oven, preheating should take between 10-15 minutes.
- Let the record sit in the oven for no longer than 3 minutes. ...
- Remove the glass and record from the oven. ...
How can a warped record be repaired?
Things You'll Need
- Two (2) sheets of glass at least 20" X 20" square
- One (1) warped vinyl record
- Up to two (2) heavy flat objects
- One (1) large oven
- Pair of oven mitts
Can you fix Warped Vinyl Records?
To fix a warped vinyl record, sandwich the record between 2 heavy objects, like a couple large books, and let it sit for a few days or weeks until it's not warped anymore. If you're in a rush, you can quickly fix a warped vinyl record using an oven.
How to fix a Warped Vinyl record?
"Nothing fixes a scratch. There are all kinds of homespun remedies—rub at it with a toothpick, press down on the stylus while it plays, press down on the stylus while playing it backwards—but they're all whistling in the wind," he says.
Can warped records be fixed?
Fortunately, warped records can often be fixed, so you can be back to rockin' and rollin' in no time. You'll need two sheets of glass larger than your album, but small enough to fit in your oven. Heavier or thicker glass tends to work best.
How do you flatten warped albums?
Here are the general steps:Get two large panes of glass that will fit in your oven.Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature setting.Put your vinyl & glass sandwich in the oven for 30 minutes.Turn the heat off.Let the record cool down to room temperature.Determine whether or not that fixed the warping.
Is it OK if a record is slightly warped?
Playing a warped record may damage the record further if the warp causes the stylus to skip. A skipping stylus can scratch the record grooves causing irreparable damage. So, if you want to protect your records, don't play them when warped.
Are warped records worth anything?
Question posed was - "Does warped vinyl reduce resale value?" Answer is simple - Yes.
How do you fix a warped vinyl without an oven?
4:196:45How to fix a warped vinyl record - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTurn their plot now bumping down a flat surface this will be quite hot the very moment it's justMoreTurn their plot now bumping down a flat surface this will be quite hot the very moment it's just about touchable. So now they take big block of wood.
What causes vinyl to warp?
Vinyl is also very sensitive to heat — in fact, heat and pressure are how records are made. A little too much of either of those and the grooves that make your music sound so sweet will soften and bend, which causes warping.
Does a warped record sound different?
However, when vinyl is warped too much, there is always a chance that the stylus will not track the record's grooves properly. This means that the tonearm and the needle could bounce, which affects the overall sound quality that you hear when playing the vinyl.
Why does my vinyl record look wavy?
As the turntable spins it could have a miniscule variance in the production process that causes the platter to move slightly every time that it turns around. This wobble probably won't hurt anything including the record or the player but it is still there.
Why are so many new records warped?
Warped Records If your record wasn't stored correctly during production or at the retail store, your new vinyl might arrive warped. Very minor warping is unlikely to cause much of problem. However, in extreme cases, a warped record may skip or produce tracking errors.
How do you tell if a record is warped?
0:495:47How to tell if your vinyl records are warped with sight and light - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you can see that it's this unwarped record is for the most part pretty flat across - then itMoreAnd you can see that it's this unwarped record is for the most part pretty flat across - then it turns a little bittle as you turn the pencil.
How do you fix a warped record on Reddit?
From what I've read, people have had mostly good results from putting the record between 2 13" panes of glass in the oven at 150° F for an hour and then letting it cool in the oven before taking it out.
Does vinyl flat work?
The Vinyl Flat is a great way to fixed warped records, as long as you use it correctly. There are more expen$ive record flatteners available. They may be better, but for the price, this one is a deal! There are plenty more tips and reviews on Discogs and other forums.
How to keep a record from getting dusty?
Make sure to clean it first. Then leave the record in the inner sleeve when placing it between the books. This should help prevent the build-up of dust on any part that is uncovered.
Is it safe to put vinyl on a delivery truck?
For a short amount of time, like when it is still on the delivery truck on the way to your home, it is fine. However, direct sunlight and heat over an extended amount of time are actually threatening to your vinyl’s life.
Can you stack vinyl records?
Similarly, you do not want to stack your vinyl records like an expensive deck of cars. Stacking them horizontally, the vinyl record on top would probably be okay. However, for that miserable vinyl record below would be not so good. This is especially true if you have a stack that is too high or left it for too long.
Does heat help warped records?
You will see later that the introduction of heat can help (potentially) tame your warped record.
Does clamping a record work?
You might see videos of people clamping their records while playing them. However, that does not work for all turntable and they do not actually help fix a warped record. What it does is softening the effects by smashing the record down during playback.
Can you roast a record first?
But, if you insist that you got the luck and want to roast your prized record, then consider taking the time to try it first with some regular vinyls first.
Can you put vinyl records on a shelf?
First off, never place your vinyl records on a shelf with too many records leaning on that one unfortunate record at the end.
Why do vinyl records warp?
Several things can cause your records to warp. One of the most common issues with vinyl records that cause warping is improper storage . We would highly suggest you read this related article about record storage. If you do not store records properly, then add direct sunlight and/or heat into the equation, and you have a recipe for disaster.
How much does it cost to replace a record?
That may not be a bad deal if your record is worth more than $20 to replace.
How much does an orb disc flattener cost?
Orb Disc Flattener – This one is more difficult to find but it is what the record flattening service companies use. These can cost between $1000 – $2000.
What happens if you don't clean your record?
If you do not clean your record first, you can deeply scratch your record with the dust or dirt on the record. Seriously, even if it just looks clean, clean it anyway. There is nothing worse than thinking you have fixed your warped record to now find a gauge in the record and have it popping or worse skipping.
How big should a record be?
Place your record between 2 panes of glass at least 12 inches by 12 inches (probably best to have larger like 15 inches by 15 inches).
Can you play warped albums on a turntable?
The other question we commonly get with this question is will it damage your turntable or stylus. We are happy to say playing warped albums that are still playable, or slightly warped, will not damage your stylus or turntable. This does not mean you should just that you can. If your record is extremely damaged it can, however, damage your stylus by forcing the stylus to jump and pop around.
Can you play a vinyl record that has been warped?
This greatly depends on exactly how warped your vinyl record has become. You obviously can not play a record that has turned into a salad bowl! However, if your record is mostly flat and just wobbles a bit, you can absolutely still play them. The only problem you may run into is the sound may not sound perfect within the dips and rise of the wobble.
How long to warm up a record?
If you smell anything funny or hear any strange noises, remove your record from the oven. Warm your record in the oven for 2 or 3 minutes. Leaving your record in the oven for longer may melt your record.
Where to place clean record?
Place your clean record in the center of one of the glass panels.
How to store vinyl after repair?
Once you've finished your repair, be sure to store your vinyl properly, vertically and out of the heat, to prevent any future warping.
How long to leave a record under the weight of the glass?
Leave the record under the weight of the glass and books until it cools completely.
What to do if you smell a record?
Stay with your record and watch it. If you smell anything funny or hear any strange noises, remove your record from the oven.
Can you fix a warped vinyl record?
Warped vinyl can lead to a wobbly sounding rendition of your favorite song. Fortunately, warped records can often be fixed, so you can be back to rockin' and rollin' in no time. You'll need two sheets of glass larger than your album, but small enough to fit in your oven. Heavier or thicker glass tends to work best.
Necessary supplies
Besides a warped record itself, you will need two glass sheets larger than your record, a weight, and an oven. You can get glass sheets in your local hardware shop. As for the oven, the one in your kitchen will work fine as long as it can maintain a constant temperature.
Repair procedure
First of all, get rid of the dust on your records surfaces, and clean them with record cleaner. Next, clean the surfaces of the glass sheets that will touch your record in the same way. Place your warped record between the glass sheets, preheat your oven to 175°F (80°C), then put the ‘sandwich’ in the oven.
Cheaper alternative
You can also try to place your record on a flat surface and some big heavy books on top of it and leave it this way for a couple of weeks. Depending on the initial degree of warping, it can also help, although it usually does not guarantee the perfect flatness of your record after the repair. But if the record plays fine, you can consider it fixed.
High-end solution
If you have a lot of warped records that are really valuable for you, you might benefit from buying a warped record flattening machine. It works on the same principle as heating in an oven, but it is more precise and safer in terms of possible damage to records.
How to get warped vinyl?
For this, you just require to take two heavy objects, but make sure the objects must have certain weight and pressure plus they can cover the whole record under, by making a smooth structure.
What to do before placing a record?
Before placing the record, clean it completely and make it free of dust, as it can cause scratch otherwise.
Why are records so precious?
That’s why they are precious to them (obviously). Finding certain damage or warp in their shape can be a sad thing as it’s not always a condition to buy a new one.
What is the best object pair for a record?
Two heavy-sized books can be the best object pair for placing a record under. As they can create a certain level of pressure but can’t damage the actual structure of the record. Also, books can create a perfectly smooth surface.
How many books to cover a record?
Take two large, heavy, and wide enough books, to make the proper area, put some pressure, and cover the whole record under, respectively.
Does constant pressure make the record smooth?
Under such time, constant pressure will make the surface of the record perfectly smooth.
Guide to Flattening Warped Vinyl Records
Short of buying a replacement copy of your prized records, there really isn’t a quick and easy way to alleviate the pain of having a bent or warped record on your hands, and buying new isn’t always an option.
Prevention
First, don’t put your records on a shelf with too many records leaning on one unfortunate record on the end. On an overflowing shelf that lacks support dividers, the weight of each record adds up quickly, and you don’t want the records on one end to be supporting the weight of your entire collection.
Method 1: Pressure And Time
This is essentially the leave-it-between-two-large-books-for-a-long-time-and-hope-that-fixes-it way. If you have some large and heavy books to cover the record you’re trying to flatten (like that Dust & Grooves coffee table book you asked your mom to buy you last year), this method will serve you well.
Method 2: Pressure And Heat
I’m not even going to link to some of the how-to websites that will teach you ways to fix a warped record by putting it between two large panes of glass and putting it in the oven. If you pay attention to all the warnings in the sidebars, you’d have a clear picture in your mind of how wrong this could go.
Method 3: A Machine, Heat And Pressure
If someone has told you that there are machines you can buy that are specifically made to flatten out vinyl records, they were right, but you’ve been set up for disappointment. Generally speaking, they do exist, however they are not only disproportionately overpriced for their value but also nearly impossible to find.
Final Thoughts
Whichever way you decide to go, just remember that a slightly warped record that plays is better than one that looks like a salad bowl because you accidentally overheated it in your oven. If you have a warped record, give Method 1 a try before you embark on an unnecessary and possibly dangerous quest.
