Record Cleaning: L'Art Du Son vs Homebrew IPA solutions
- Thread starter foxwelljsly
- Start date
Just like water, IPA and surfactant then.
foxwelljsly
Me too, I ate one sour too.
What I have discovered today is that 5ml of washing up liquid in 5l of IPA/H2O mix is a far more effective wetting agent than 20ml of ilfotol.
The former stays wetter for far longer without beading than the latter.
The former stays wetter for far longer without beading than the latter.
Detergents and surfactants
I don't mean that they are one and the same, but that I'm unaware of any surfactant that doesn't have at least some detergent activity and vice versa. Within a low tech activity like cleaning a record surfactant activity and detergency will both have a function and a component can wear both hats. Unless I have this wrong?
Mike Reed
pfm Member
But its bid DISadvantage is that the IPA mix evaporates quickly after vacuuming, leaving the record ready for the sleeve that much quicker.
wylton
Naim and Mana member
The Loricraft pretty much gulps it all down,leaving the record dry. I leave the record out on a little strand while I clean the next record, as a precaution. The point I was making earlier, was that L'art doesn't evaporate quickly, so you can leave it to soak for up to 2 minutes, and the rcord will still be wet. I get it that other folks have different methods, and that's great, but for my part, Loricraft/L'art works for me.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
This thread is a little tenuous, so I'm amazed that a strand can support the record.
. It doesn't matter which vacuum method is used (and the suction created by the Loricraft is probably better), vacuuming alone cannot dry a record, so a short period for evaporation should be allowed for (as you do, but more in the interests of productivity ). I leave mine on the platter for anything from 15 seconds to a minute, depending on ambient temperature.As I've mentioned, an IPA mix speeds this process up quite a bit. Soaking with an IPA mix does need to be watched, admittedly, and I've needed to add more fluid and spread again on occasion when pfm absorbs my attention; no big deal, though, when an IPA mix is just so much cheaper. My RCM in on my landing next to the office with its inherent distractions !
wylton
Naim and Mana member
...I'm amazed that a strand can support the record.
LOL; the perils of being on pfm, when you are meant to be working! For strand, insert stand
foxwelljsly
Me too, I ate one sour too.
For info: I recently added 10 drops each of of Tergitol 15-S-9 and 15-S-3 to 5 litres of my usual homebrew RCF (1:3 IPA:deionised water with a dash of washing up liquid) that I use in conjunction with a vacuum RCM.
This seems to be the only thing to completely remove dirt based bacground noise and dislodge/dissolve the weird crud that was gunking up my stylus on some records after even ultrasonic cleaning. It may be the magic ingredient. Anyone else used this stuff?
Info here
This seems to be the only thing to completely remove dirt based bacground noise and dislodge/dissolve the weird crud that was gunking up my stylus on some records after even ultrasonic cleaning. It may be the magic ingredient. Anyone else used this stuff?
Info here
I.D.C.
pfm Member
Have had a few bottles L'Art Du Sol can confirm its does mould.
Mike Reed
pfm Member
Think you'd have to be using a hell of a lot. I've used non-perfumed (quality) washing-up liquid with my IPA/water mix for over a decade and 1500 records. There've been no negative consequences whatsoever. Yes, photographic surfactant and maybe the one linked above might be advantageous, but they're surfactants, added to aid mixing and esp. penetration etc. and also added in minute quantities.
If gunk still collects on the stylus after a thorough and efficient RCM clean, there's another cause.
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
This may be bollox.... just "something I recall hearing somewhere" but IIRC an issue with washing up liquid that can effect it's suitability for some detergent tasks is the inclusion of salt... if a vague recollection about why there are specialist cleaning detergents for car bodywork etc is in anyway true that is!
I doubt that there is any salt in modern washing-up liquid - it would have to be added as it wouldn't be a by-product of the anionic and non-ionic surfactants used today.
In the past, perhaps they added washing soda, to reduce/eliminate scum formation???? Today they just add tiny amount of chelating agents, if anything, plus disinfectants.
In the past, perhaps they added washing soda, to reduce/eliminate scum formation???? Today they just add tiny amount of chelating agents, if anything, plus disinfectants.
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
I'm not a chemist.. dunno... Just recall reading on some motoring forum that "car shampoo" is not merely a con to sell you repackaged "washing up liquid" with different scent added but that, apart from other things, the biggy was salt in washing up liquid. Several people who appeared in the know seemed to agree*... must have been 6 years+ ago and could be mis-remembering.
* As we know all too well from hi fi forums, just because 30 people all say the same thing does not mean it is even possible within the laws of physics!
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
OK curiosity got the better of me and I googled it... My memory works fine.. (this time anyway!), yes it's loaded with salt.
Just Fairy Liquid here and it is not on the ingredients list. Salt also interferes with srufactant action - which is why you need special soap to wash in sea water.
I shall evaporate some down now - what sort of quantity is supposed to be in it?
Arkless Electronics
Trade: Amp design and repairs.
Just "lots" according to interweb.... one mans lots is 2% and anothers' 20%. Some mention of it being used to help make it more viscous....
I quickly came across an article from someone like Greenpeace where they got Fairy Liquid to provide a more detailed list of the ingredients and there it was... sodium chloride...