5 in blank discs?

[zackyzam1]

Hello! This is my first post in this forum!

I recently bought the Gakken Toy Maker lathe, which has been a lot of fun. However, I have ran out of the included blank discs that came with it. Is there anywhere I can get 5 inch discs online for a reasonable price? I can get 5 official Gakken blanks for 10$ but the shipping usually makes it not worth it. Thanks!

[dubcutter89]

Don't know exactly what stuff the original blanks are, but a lot of people here are using CDs (the plastic side not the aluminum coating) for cutting small records.
But you need an adapter to fit the big center hole onto the turntable..

Have fun!

[PMST]

MyShank does 5" blanks, no idea if they fit this Gakken but worth checking out

[Jccc]

This place sells the blanks for your lathe:

https://www.turntablelab.com/products/gakken-replacement-vinyl-for-easy-record-maker-3-pack-black

[zackyzam1]

Yes! I have been trying to create an account but MyShank still needs to activate my account.

[Jccc]

the link i provided is not Myshank its Turntable lab based out of New York.

They sell the blanks for your lathe that are made for your cutter.
The myshank ones probably wont work on your cutter.
As i noticed the Gakken ones are a harder plastic

[nick3906]

Blanqrecords.com sells 5 inch blanks for $1 each.

[ilovedrums247]

the link i provided is not Myshank its Turntable lab based out of New York.

They sell the blanks for your lathe that are made for your cutter.
The myshank ones probably wont work on your cutter.
As i noticed the Gakken ones are a harder plastic

excuse my naivety, but i'm curious why the myshank wouldn't work if they're softer?

im considering buying the gakken and already have some 5" from myshank, so would be an easy to experiment...

[ta2ando]

I advise you to purchase at turntablelab coz they are selling legit Gakken's Blank discs.
And if your try on myshank didn't work out and if it made your cutting needle to be broken,
they even have the replacement needles for sale.
https://www.turntablelab.com/products/gakken-replacement-stylus-needle-for-gakken-easy-record-maker-toy

[CutR]

Don't know exactly what stuff the original blanks are, but a lot of people here are using CDs (the plastic side not the aluminum coating) for cutting small records.
But you need an adapter to fit the big center hole onto the turntable..

Have fun!

When you say plastic side are you talking about the top side of the cd with the brand logo and such?

[dubcutter89]

No, the flip side (the side that is facing to the laser)!
The side with printing (brand logo and such) is aluminum coated and printed and NOT really suitable for cutting.
I have not tested this with a japanese toy recorder but if you search the forum you'll find a lot of posting cutting and embossing on CDs with other machines.
BTW, CDs are played back from the inside out, while the phonograph recording usually is from outside in so it is possible to have a "vinyl record" on the the outside diameter while having digital playback of music still working!

Lukas

[dreadyc]

Has anyone tried available third party blanks for the Gakken Toy Record Maker? I have one too, and since i am curious about blanks i tried different things:

CDs - i had really bad results with lots of noise. BUT if you turn the cutting needle 180° you can emboss a groove, with surprisingly good results. In adition to reverse-RIAA it requires a heavy EQ Setting (Low Cut, Hi Boost), much more than when cutting. Also i heated the disc with a lamp, and used lighter fluid.

CD-Covers - Jewel-cases should be the same material (PS) as the original blank disks, so i tried and cut out a blank from a cd-cover. Worked pretty good while cutting, not so good with embossing.

Overhead Slides worked pretty good for embossing too, not so for cutting (surface noise, a lot!).

[CutR]

dreadyc, what temps do you heat the CD up too?

How long is your spring loaded screw on the cutter arm?

On Youtube some guy is getting good results setting the screw to about 1.1cm

[dreadyc]

Hi CutR,
I did not measure the temperature, it was kind of trial and error. But not too warm, since i was getting more wow+flutter if so (at least while cutting this was my experience, and also i am afraid to soften the whole machine since it is all plastic )

I saw the recomendation on youtube too, and i can confirm this is a good starting point. While cutting with a new stylus you can screw in a bit more, when worn out, screw it out. Also depends on the dynamic of the song - in fact cutting dynamic songs is really hard on the toy recorder, so i always limit a lot

[CutR]

Hi CutR,
I did not measure the temperature, it was kind of trial and error. But not too warm, since i was getting more wow+flutter if so (at least while cutting this was my experience, and also i am afraid to soften the whole machine since it is all plastic )

I saw the recomendation on youtube too, and i can confirm this is a good starting point. While cutting with a new stylus you can screw in a bit more, when worn out, screw it out. Also depends on the dynamic of the song - in fact cutting dynamic songs is really hard on the toy recorder, so i always limit a lot

I've just started out trying to apply some heat, using CD's only for now as i don't want to waste a blank yet:? I have a small table lamp rated @ 20W which get quite hot when left on for a bit. Yesterday i got the CD up to around 35C bit still getting loads of surface noise. I've yet to try and lubricates like lighter fluid, turtle wax or furniture polish.

How do you use lighter fluid and heat, does the lighter fluid not dry up before you can cut the disc ?

[dreadyc]

I aply the Lighter Fluid shortly before cutting with a cloth, on the warmed up disked. When cutting Cds i also got a load of surface noise, no mather what i tried, also the mentioned youtuber said it wears out the needle more than the blanks. I do not know for sure, since i tried both from beginning, but with the stylus reversed i got good results.

[CutR]

I aply the Lighter Fluid shortly before cutting with a cloth, on the warmed up disked. When cutting Cds i also got a load of surface noise, no mather what i tried, also the mentioned youtuber said it wears out the needle more than the blanks. I do not know for sure, since i tried both from beginning, but with the stylus reversed i got good results.

I see thank you. Gonna try it out with the reversed stylus as-well and see what results it can yield.

[Dadboltz]

Thanks everyone. First post, been lurking hard for a couple of month since I put my Gakken together.
First cut sounded was better than I expected, but it's all been downhill from then :/

Skipping, gouging, hearing, lighter fluid, none have been as good as they first cut. In fact, most have been complete throwaways.

I ordered a bunch of Blanq's and will also confirm they have way more surface noise and will annihilate the supplied cutting stylus. I managed to get it to cut by weighting the cutter down, but it was very hit and miss. I've ruined both and awaiting new ones, and new Blanq's.

Just read this thread and tries turning the cutter 180, to emboss. Much improved, actually listenable but much quieter.

Thanks for everyone's inputs and advice so far, and to my experienced cutter friend who provided great advice. I'm kind of hooked on improving the output from this toy, even though I've sworn a thousand times since getting it.

[Johnny vibes]

I got this cutter been cutting still have some surface noise as far as watts and eq I cut straight off a mixing board so I can either use the RIAA curve from the website(I use the pop
One more)or I can use the eq from my board cutt off the lows and boost up the highs a bit as far as the disks I’ve only used the Gakken so far with some
Lighter fluid still some surface noise but bass is there maybe I need cut it less deep any updates on the results for anyone?

[Tim w]

This may sound off the wall. The lids from butter tubs and similar packaging can work. I used them when I started experimenting. I don't remember if I cut or embossed but it came out with hardly anybsurfafe noise. And this was with lo fi equipment. Ask at a deli in a store. The stuff they put out comes in large tubs and they might be getting rid of some that day.