The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello,
I had great success using this method to flatten out badly warped Victor discs. You need a nice hot sunny day. I put a large flat piece of ¾ " Particle board in the sun. I lay the record on it and then placed on top a heavy piece of glass. The glass came from a round side table. As the record heats up and soften the heavy glass fattens it out. I then remove the glass and take the particle board with record into my shop. In my shop where it is cold I have another piece of particle board. I slide transfer the hot record onto the cool piece of particle board and leave it there until it has hardened up. I did about 20 records this afternoon.
Pete

This is a variation of the venerable glass-record-glass sandwich. I'd be concerned that the "particle board" (what, exactly? there are several kinds: so-called flakeboard, OSB (oriented strand board), Masonite ('hardboard"). I would have no qualms about using oil-tempered Masonite, as it has a hard surface that can be scrupulously cleaned and free of little pieces of fiber, etc., which of course you don't want to have in contact with a softened record surface! However, I prefer the glass-record-glass method.

I second the all-glass method...

One of the quirks of "manufactured wood products" such as MDF, and its cousins, as that it has little stiffness, and tends to bow very easily.

If you backed the mdf up with some stable hard-wood runners, that might alleviate the tendency...


I have about five albums- worth of "dished" 78's that came from a friend - they were from his grandmother's Victrola.

My hope is to someday get them flattened, and transcribe them all onto CD / digital files, and give the digi-versions to my friend...


The first record I found in the albums was a Victor Blue-label, Fanny Brice singing "Second-hand Rose" ...

I have used the plate glass sandwich method successfully, but everything needs to be scrupulously clean. Any debris such as dust or pet hair will be permanently embedded in the record surface as it softens.

I've honestly never had a 78 record worth all the trouble. But then again, I am an Edison man.

Amberola wrote:I've honestly never had a 78 record worth all the trouble. But then again, I am an Edison man.

Me neither, but then I don't have all that many 78s. On the other hand, 33-⅓ LPs are another matter altogether, and I've straightened a handful of those by the heated glass sandwich method.Toward the end of the Lp era, I believe the manufacturers were deliberately lowering quality control standards to encourage consumer acceptance of CDs.and a lot of product came out of the wrappers warped. The vinyl was thinner, too, and maybe not of the highest quality.

Hi,

I've used the all glass method until one day I was a given about 50 78's all warped so decided an alternative was needed. Now I use the flat surface of the glass cover of our cooker hob ( no the cooker is not on, just use the cover as it is a perfectly flat surface.) I place the record on the cover and heat the record as uniformly as possible with a hair dryer for approx two minutes flipping occasionally. The record becomes pliable and you can actually see the warp "drop" out. Finally having tested that the record is sitting nice a flat on the glass by pressing round the edges and centre hole I either leave it to cool or, if I'm in a hurry, place a glossy magazine onto the record to take some of the heat out of it and slide onto a flat kitchen work surface. Each record takes about 3 minutes.

I have found by experience that the best way forward is to use glass to support the record. I have used a composite blockboard , but found that it takes longer to heat up than glass , also the heat from the sun's rays may not be distributed that evenly throughout , which glass as a support medium certainly does provide. I have also found that it is not really necessary to place glass ON TOP of the record , as gravity itself provides enough downward force to flatten your disc. A few weeks ago I successfully flattened out FOUR Pathé 20 inch diameter discs which stupid auction rooms staff had left on a sunny window shelf for prospective bidders to view before the sale , resulting in warped discs by the time I went to collect them ! However I was not that concerned as I had previously " operated " on another 20 inch Pathé record some years ago with total success. As they play at speeds of revolution approaching 130 rpm , they need to be absolutely flat if the sound-box is going to stay in the groove ! Choose a nice hot sunny day with no cloud to do your flattening !! Dulcetto

I've used the glass record sandwich with great results. I place them in the oven that has been preheated to 170 and then turned off. After 45 min to 1 hr I take them out to cool. If the glass is clean, you'll have a perfectly flattened and playable record once it cools.