cleaning off old acetates
Moderators: piaptk, tragwag, Steve E., Aussie0zborn
cleaning off old acetates
question for everyone
i buy old recorded acetates at thrift stores or garage sales all the time just to check out what people have recorded from the past and sometimes i run into some that have almost like a waxy film on them.
anyone know how to get this off to preserve the grooves so you can actually listen to them without surface noise overload?
any advice is appreciated, i have a bunch i've never been able to actually listen to because of the wax build up culprit
i buy old recorded acetates at thrift stores or garage sales all the time just to check out what people have recorded from the past and sometimes i run into some that have almost like a waxy film on them.
anyone know how to get this off to preserve the grooves so you can actually listen to them without surface noise overload?
any advice is appreciated, i have a bunch i've never been able to actually listen to because of the wax build up culprit
all the best!
- tommie 'plan 9' emmi
poly-cut lathe cuts / cymbalism recordings
- tommie 'plan 9' emmi
poly-cut lathe cuts / cymbalism recordings
I've done archival work with old lacquer discs and the white substance is palmitic acid separating from the coating. Don't use alcohol for cleaning lacquers. Use a mild ammonia solution preferrably made with household ammonia and distilled water; a 10% solution is sufficient. You can also use a small amount of a commercial agent called Tergitol in addition to the ammonia, but the ammonia is a palmitic acid solvent which will not attack the lacquer coating. It minimizes the amount of rubbing or brushing needed to remove the deposits. You will be able to get rid of the palmitic to do a transfer, but in a short amount of time (days, weeks or a few months depending on the age and condition of the lacquer disc) it will return. You can clean it again, but since the coating has started to break down it will continue to return. Proper storage may in some cases deter the palmitic separation.
Some people have used Windex to remove palmitic, but Windex contains a slurry of other chemicals that can cause problems. Plain household ammonia like the Bo Peep brand (or other) and distilled water is the best bet. Hope this helps.
Some people have used Windex to remove palmitic, but Windex contains a slurry of other chemicals that can cause problems. Plain household ammonia like the Bo Peep brand (or other) and distilled water is the best bet. Hope this helps.