"vinylike" polycarbonate blanks & vinylium sty

[flozki]

hello.
hmm my records are mostly totally flat. at least from the supplier we get them from.
i tried different sources. and if you buy lexan..its always quite good quality. with protection on both sides... very accurate....
so maybe a bad batch , different brand?

also i experimented with different sheets for the last 15 years.
the most problems i had with pressed records.
when the quality of the pressing is not top then i had not good surfaces..but event that was never a big problem...

any other experiences with diy lexan plates?

[cymbalism]

my stylus from vinylium should be here in the next week or so as it's already been dispatched and i'm ordering some lexan from a local supplier here, cut to 11 7/8" circles punched in the center 1mm thick for a VERY low cost - so low i'm getting probably around 150 blanks upfront for way way less than 25 acetates from apollo.

as soon as i get em and get the adapter from flo and the stylus from vinylium i'll give her a test run and report back with some mp3age.

i'm a bit concerned as i've spoken to other trolls about cutting with them and i really dont feel like ruining my $300 stylus out the box. some people were saying they only got thru 50 before it died which i find incredibly strange considering diamond is extremely hard and its only cutting plastic. i plan on using a lamp to heat up the poly while it's on the platter but is there a possibility to wind some ni around the diamond for heat to save it from dying young flo?

[flozki]

my stylii died to 99 percent of manipulation errors , or when i didnt had propper dampening. if you have no dampening dash pot.
it will work but you have to be really carefull.
when lowering the head always watch carefully the first two rounds.
sometimes the head starts oscillating up and down and then that means. soon dead stylus.....
you can easy break the tip. diamond is hard but very fragile to break.
so this is the most difficult part of the process.
it sounds a little frighening. but in practice it is not. just keep it in mind and with practice it gets really simple..its just the way you lower the head.

of cours try to make 60-70 um groove with. the deeper the more troubles.
but i did a few weeks ago a 78rpm 120-140 um groove with stylus and it was no problem.

heating , maybe it helps. i dont think so. and for me it works best without.

[cymbalism]

i'm using the grampian magnetic head and there is no dampener on the lathe next to it but so far i havent had any issues whatsoever. i had one ruby on there which was given to me with the 6n and it was a bit older but it cut fine, i only recently switched it to a brand new ruby stylus about three weeks ago and i honestly cant tell the difference sound wise between the used one and the new one.

i have successfully cut around 20 acetates and the sound keeps getting better with every adjustment made. i treat the lowering mechanism with extreme care when dropping the stylus and i've never seen it move up and down like you mentioned so hopefully using the diamond on the poly will be just as easy to use as a ruby. as long as it's used and not abused, would you imagine it would last thru more than 50 plates? the person i spoke to said he was close to his 300th plate with the same stylus so i'm hoping i can get even close to that without having to shell out another 3 bills.

[Hamilton]

So di you start cutting those discs Hamilton?

Yes I started cutting Lexan and the problem with the waves was caused for the bad poly now I got a new one and is perfect,I have to teach the way to heat a Diamond Styli
Take Care.

Hamilton

[potholeskinny]

Is http://vinylike.com/ going to open? I sent an email, but no response. Would love to buy some of those lexan blanks!

[piaptk]

Is http://vinylike.com/ going to open? I sent an email, but no response. Would love to buy some of those lexan blanks!

You should just look on the internet for a plastics company around you. There are 3 of them just in Tacoma, WA alone, so there have to be saome in the nearest big city to you. In Tacoma I can get a 4'x8' sheet for $65 for 1/16" thiock, and $38 for 1/32" thick. That will make a LOT of records. 32 Lps or a ton of 8"s. You can probably have them cut it for you if you want for a little extra $$$.

[potholeskinny]

Thanks! yeah, I have been trying that approach. I live in NJ. I found one shop, and they were very expensive for custom cuts in the rage of 50 - 100 pieces.
Still looking!

[Aussie0zborn]

For polycarbonate blanks in sizes 7", 10" and 12" with centre hole, click here : https://lathetrolls.com/viewtopic.php?t=1726&mforum=lathetrolls