Acetate Plates VS PVC Plates

[Soniphone Records]

So I've seen that a lot of folks who are cutting now use the PVC plates that you can get through MyShank. I see that the benefits of using the PVC plates are that you can buy them in bulk and that they are more consumer grade then acetate.

It looks like in order to cut onto PVC plates you need a diamond stylus and you need to heat the PVC plate to a certain temperature before cutting.

I am getting my hands on an Ampex 350 and a Presto K11 and I'm looking at pressing old school 1950s styled vinyl in a similar work flow to how they did back then. This will allow us to create a very special and unique environment for modern musicians to reach back in time and provide a special gift to their fans in very limited quantities.

Questions for folks that are utilizing the PVC:

What kind of lamp do you recommend?

What temperature do you warm your PVC plate to?

You heat directly on the metal platter correct?

Is there a standard tool that you use to check PVC plate heat to see when ready to cut?

Has anyone used a diamond stylus with a Presto unit? I saw from MyShank I can get the exact short shank unit to fit my machine.

Are there benefits to cutting to Acetate other then the extra costs and tools needed to cut PVC?

Is there an Acetate provider that sells bulk like Myshank does PVC? I saw Apollo in US does single side acetate is there a double sided acetate?

Thank you for your time

[mischmerz]

I am cutting PVC with a Rek-O-Kut / Garmpian. I am using a regular heat lamp to heat the blank to around 100 F - measured with a touch less digital thermometer. You have to heat the blank while spinning, otherwise it will warp. The biggest difference is the swarf (chip / thread) in combination with the static. Be very careful with static as it tends to glue the thread to the blank, the stylus and everything else.

mm.

[piaptk]

Apollo doesn't sell single sided lacquers. With masters only one side is GUARANTEED, and with dubs neither side is guaranteed, but they are all perfectly fine for cutting one offs, just not perfectly flawless for mastering and then plating.

I would not use a k11 to cut with diamonds. The adjustments are very blunt, you can't use a vacuum or heated stylus, there is not a dashpot, etc. diamonds are too expensive to risk on a home unit like that.

[crowesBR]

I am cutting PVC with a Rek-O-Kut / Garmpian. I am using a regular heat lamp to heat the blank to around 100 F - measured with a touch less digital thermometer. You have to heat the blank while spinning, otherwise it will warp. The biggest difference is the swarf (chip / thread) in combination with the static. Be very careful with static as it tends to glue the thread to the blank, the stylus and everything else.

mm.

What kind of stylus are you using mischmerz?

[mischmerz]

What kind of stylus are you using mischmerz?

myShank long shank "Presto" style diamond.

m.

[crowesBR]

What kind of stylus are you using mischmerz?

myShank long shank "Presto" style diamond.

m.

Cool. Thanks.
And how many cuts can you have with that stylus? More or less.