Welcome, Newbies! Say Hi in this thread!

[chrix]

Hi!

Chrix here, lathe noob. bought a used Vinyl recorder t650 from a friend who hadn't even fired it up since he got it used 10 yrs ago.

today i finally put it all together and tried a few cuts! two actually... i managed to burn out the vacuum so got another one now let's see if it survives!

any tips on cooled vacuums in europe?

cheers!
/Chrix

[farmersplow]

Hello Chris,

First of all I would like to say welcome to the cutters. You took over a great system from your friend.
Where do you come from?
Regarding the suction, I would like to inform you that I am also working on the problem, because the household vacuum cleaner has proven to be of little use. (Mine has an overload protection so it won't burn out but will shut off after a short while).
That's why I've now bought a side channel blower. It has an even airflow, is quieter than the vacuum cleaner and keeps going. I bought a voltage converter to control the speed. (Therefore I asked where you are from. 230V). Unfortunately, I only got the devices yesterday and first have to build a box (with soundproofing mats) and pack everything in there.
In addition, I'm building a controller (but I only need it for myself and my development) so that I can remotely switch on/off and regulate the voltage, as well as display the power consumption and the vacuum.

The side channel blower looks like this:

Seitenkanalverdichter.jpg

(with silencer)

mit Schalldämpfer.jpg

and so the voltage converter like this:

Spannungswandler.jpg

Together like this (with 12" record because of the proportions):

alles zusammen.jpg

Greetings from Austria
Thomas

[chrix]

Oooooh Thomas! That is neat! Looks Perfect!!!

I’m in Sweden and Also on 230v and in the EU so that would be Perfect for me too!!!

I saw on the vinylrecorder homepage he sells something similar, would this be equivalent or even better?

Come to think of it, i have something in the shed that might work for this, a ventilation exhaust fan with speed controller…
The vacuum came back alive, so was just overheated:)

My next steps:
Remote controlled power switch for vacuum
Longer hose
Digital needle scale
New drive belt for the auxillary motor
Digital microscope

See ya soon!
Chrix

[Rosewind]

Hi all.
Just last week I got the crazy idea to look into establishing a small cutting and pressing outfit in my hometown of Aaarhus, Denmark. I thought that I could just buy a small record cutting lathe and a similarly small vinyl press to produce small runs of vinyl records for local bands at first. 20-200 copies or so. I had no idea that all vinyl presses are quite big and requires steam, water, cooling towers and what not. I thought I could set up shop near a busy high street and show people what vinyl pressing is like in order to get customers that way. Was I wrong!
So, I clearly needed a reality check, and now this is but a pipe dream as I have nowhere near the €500,000 funds available. Instead a small vinyl cutting set-up with the smalll cutting lathe is more viable although I won't be producing more than a few handfuls of cuts every day.
The question is why no one has ever designed a small vinyl press meant for small runs of 20-100 vinyl records, and why no one has looked into another way of creating stampers other than through DMM (which would be nice - but this formast is almost extinct these days) and the overly complicated lacquer + galvannics stamper process.
It is about time that someone lasercut a vinyl stamper isn't it?
Oh, well. I'll slowly educate myself out of this wild idea.
Kind regards,
Peter (HIFI nerd and poet, well-known on the British hifi forum Pink Fish Media).

[PMST]

Hi all.
Just last week I got the crazy idea to look into establishing a small cutting and pressing outfit in my hometown of Aaarhus, Denmark. I thought that I could just buy a small record cutting lathe and a similarly small vinyl press to produce small runs of vinyl records for local bands at first. 20-200 copies or so. I had no idea that all vinyl presses are quite big and requires steam, water, cooling towers and what not. I thought I could set up shop near a busy high street and show people what vinyl pressing is like in order to get customers that way. Was I wrong!
So, I clearly needed a reality check, and now this is but a pipe dream as I have nowhere near the €500,000 funds available. Instead a small vinyl cutting set-up with the smalll cutting lathe is more viable although I won't be producing more than a few handfuls of cuts every day.
The question is why no one has ever designed a small vinyl press meant for small runs of 20-100 vinyl records, and why no one has looked into another way of creating stampers other than through DMM (which would be nice - but this formast is almost extinct these days) and the overly complicated lacquer + galvannics stamper process.
It is about time that someone lasercut a vinyl stamper isn't it?
Oh, well. I'll slowly educate myself out of this wild idea.
Kind regards,
Peter (HIFI nerd and poet, well-known on the British hifi forum Pink Fish Media).

Most of these areas are being explored, for example, laser cut: https://hdvinyl.org

Loads of info on this site, get searching

[Rosewind]

Thanks. Thought HD vinyl was a different format.

OK. Production not started yet, I see. When will equipment be available ... ?

[Taxidriver]

Hi! Very very new to all of this here. Very interested in cutting my own records hopefully one day soon but for now I have absolutely no idea about any of this stuff lol. I run my own record label so I just wanna get into this stuff to branch my business out. I’ve just moved to Melbourne, Australia from Brisbane so if any Melbourne people are on here I’d love to chat!

Cheers

[ddamico361]

Hello. My name is David Damico. I am here by following several pathways online, primarily a fellow who experiments and records onto Dictation cylinders. My background is in the graphic design profession where I am now a teacher at a career and technical school in upstate NY (commonly referred to as a trade school). Many things interest me, of which sound recording is one. I sing tenor in a barbershop quartet and dream of one day, recording my quartet on a wax cylinder. I have all the necessary hardware as of my latest purchase of a 30in Edison paneled horn. Where this interest goes from here is anyone's guess. I own a 1906 Edison Standard, Model B, a VV-IX and a VV-4-40. I need to familiarize myself with this site to get the most out of it. Thanks for including me.

[FilmMaker1963]

Greetings Expert Record Cutters:
I am a newbie here to learn. I have many questions. In recent weeks I have been kicking around the internet trying to glean as much information as I can pick up to help educate myself on this fascinating and intriguing art & science of quality master record cutting. Thus far, there is little to no information (especially in video on Youtube) of the specific details of record cutting technology and practices. What video I have seen has been rather short in duration and lacking in specifics as to this mysterious art. I am looking to understand exactly what the difference is between (Embossing) and (Cutting) a record ? I am also somewhat generally confused about all of the different disc cutting media now being used, as I have seen everything from brass metal drum kit cymbals to plexiglass, cut out red plastic plates you buy at the grocery store in packets of 50, to quality pvc blanks, and traditional black lacquor media used to cut records on all kinds of different lathe cutting equipment. Records are making a significant comeback in general popularity these days. Frankly, there's something about the warmth of the sound quality which can come from a properly pressed record being played on a properly setup turntable put through a quality tube amplifier that sounds far superior to my ear than the stuff coming off of very loud compact digital discs these days. What may have been an incredibly niche set of near obselete skills only a few years ago, are rapidly become relevant once again. I have seen a steadily increasing amount of small cottage industry, "boutique" custom record cutting operations emerge which specialize in short runs of custom records cut straight from record cutting lathes. Many of these operators are using old, but re-vamped Rek-O-Kut and PRESTO lathe cutting machines. I have noticed these machines can be everything from mono to stereo, and, even though many of them are 55 to 70 years old, are often capable of producing short runs of custom cut record masters of high quality. I noticed some of the older Rek-O-Kut machines can produce that great old DECCA RECORDS classic monophonic mid-fi sound. I hope to be able to acquire my own record cutting lathe, and eventually learn how to make my own records which sound good. I want to see where this can go.

Sincerely,

Mark Job
Alert Bay, BC, Canada

[kbanfield]

I'm helping Burntable.com assemble a vinyl compilation (LP) for use in turntable/cartridge/phono stage reviews on youtube so reviewers can avoid copyright strikes. As with everyone in the BT community, we're obsessed with vinyl mastering and thanks for letting me be on this forum!

[Mart]

hello all,

Some time ago, while I was a designing a mixer, a friend of mine gave me a beaten and battered STUDER B37 mono Tape machine. And then I had an idea:

What if I build that mixing desk , convert that STUDER to 4 tracks, build a few compressors and a record cutter, make it all as portable as possible, and call it a Mobile 7" Record Cutting Plant (picture 1). People can call me, ask if I can show up with a all that old-fashioned gear and then cut a 7" record of a live venue. I like that.

It is a slow but deeply satisfying journey. The STUDER and mixer come along nicely, but the Cutter is behind on schedule, and in oder to pick up speed, I became a member of the Secret Society of the Lathe Trolls, and reading and learning here already helped a lot. Electronics and head will be along the lines of Kaufmann's Caruso design, the traverse is of my own design, as are platter and motor area. Still lots of un-engineered stuff.

regards,

Mart

note to self: understand how I can post pictures on this forum

[IBuildScaleModels]

Hey all. I'm a machinist and scale model builder. I recently bought a gakken toy record player and was looking for modifications I could do for it. This in turn lead me to here on lathe trolls. If anyone is interested in helping out, I would be more than willing to accept the help. And if anyone is looking for parts to be made just let me know and we can work something out. Cheers ~Justin

[Rad]

Hello, Radomir from Krakatoa here... Long, long, long time lurker, now, finally, posting... My brother and me got the plating setup from David (Salnikov) this winter, all is mostly set up already, testing done, ready to do some galvanoforming . We are located in Europe, east coast of Spain, a couple of streets up from Krakatoa Records... Sun Stampers is the business!!!

[feralcuts]

Hi all,

My name is Richard, musician and visual artists from Vancouver, BC. I've been lurking here for years, but only registered the other day (thanks for activating my account, Steve!).
I have a micro-label and been planning on getting into cutting our own records for years. For a long time I haven't had the budget, then I tried to buy a T560, but it turned out to be a dead-end. I've been in touch with Mike from PIAPTK lately and he's been an enormous help already. I'm hoping to buy a mid-level machine soon and join the record-cutting community. Thanks and have a great day, everyone!

[adrian.m.mendoza]

Been trolling and learning a lot on here since 2016 and I don’t think I’ve ever said hello.

Hello

I appreciate the knowledge you all share on here and hope to do the same.

[Lacquer_Dr]

Hi all,

This is Mohammad, I am a chemist and a material scientist. I am working with a company from France and we are trying to develop and produce lacquers. We already have a lab formula that was tested but need a little improvment, which we believe will come from optimizing the industrialization and production side. Thank you and hope you all a nice day.

[nikkigracetoronto]

Good evening, trolls!

My name is Nicole, I’m from Toronto, Canada; and I am a vinyl enthusiast who is taking her first, fortunately guided; steps into the esoteric art of vinyl manufacturing.

After many years of casual interest, I’ve finally landed the financial means to invest in what I hope will become a long-term career for me, and I’m sincerely hoping I can find some good guidance. This is certainly a thing of passion; and I’m looking forward to connecting with other passionate individuals as well.

[Doug10457]

Greetings from the wilds of Northern Wisconsin - USA.

I recently acquired what I believe is vintage record cutter with a wind-up (crank) platter and a battery powered amp. The seller had it advertised as an antique record player. I restore vintage turntables and this looks nothing like anything I’ve ever seen. It was manufactured by Sound Systems, Inc of Cleveland, OH. It has an Audax arm and cutter head. There is no playback arm. The unit is mounted in a large wooden box with a large battery compartment and transformer.

I hope to get this unit refurbished and operational. I’ll be seeking advice on this forum.

Doug

[markrob]

Hi and welcome!

Can you upload a few photos?

Mark

[djantix1200]

Hello Trolls,
I've been collecting records and djing for almost 30 yrs. I have had acetate dubplates cut of a few of my own tunes. I have even pressed up a small run of 10" vinyl of some of my own material. I produce as Antix1200 on my own grass roots record label call Sluglyfe Records. I have always been interested in how records were made and the various gear and technics (pun intended) involved.
Mainly wanting a set-up like the now unobtanium Kingston Dubplate Cutter. Now looking at the T560. Something that I can attach to my Technics SL-1200MK2.
I definitely want to yield a stereo recording at the end of the day. I'm in Portland, OR currently.
Nice to meet you all!
Cheers,
Matt D
antix1200