Is it possible to fix warped records

However, if your only option is to throw away the record because it will not play, then what do you really have to lose?

If you can fix it for little to no money, it may be worth a shot. Just keep in mind that in the search for a fix you could cause severe irreversible damage to the records which makes the album worse. We have seen several methods mentioned on the internet, in forums, in shops, and around circles.

We will however give a brief explanation and overview of the method and then discuss the cons each pose. This method combines weight and even heat at the same time which is the right idea but it is not full-proof. This is not really a method and is more of a thing you would have to buy to try and flatten your record. Record flatteners have mixed reviews of success on the low end of the pricing scale, and the ones that work the best are very expensive. Even if you found a rare gem the ability to flatten by purchasing one of these devices would not be cost-effective.

This is the best trade-off on getting your records flattened and not either ruining them or spending a small fortune. This is probably your safest option.

While still not guaranteed to give you a perfect record back, it is still your safest option. Some services have limits on the number you can mail them at once and others do not. Sometimes your local record shop guys have a flattening service offered as well that you may want to look into. Services we have seen vary in price, have varying wait times, and obviously shipping cost if you are mailing them away. Some services come with new inner and outer poly sleeves and cleaning which we really like!

We have seen local guys offering these services at varying prices, and we have found online companies also. We suggest calling them to learn more or visit their website. There are some safer methods out of the ones mentioned in this article and those are generally the ones we would try first. We have our preferred methods that we think could work best and risk the least. Probably not. Also, are you willing to put your most treasured record with a slight warp under stress and potentially damage it more?

Sometimes just buying a new record is what you have to do. This is a topic that is approached often, and everyone has their favorite storage method and their preferences. However, we aim to guide you through the definitive methods around storing your vinyl records the proper way. As long as we follow some general guidelines your records will be kept safely regardless of what brand shelf…. Vinyl records represent timeless music and a different listening experience than other audio formats.

Unfortunately, there is no way of returning these stretched records to their original shape. The good news is that most warped records are in the first group. When laid on a flat surface, the outer edge of these records does not contact the surface completely due to warping. It makes sense that you can fix warped records by putting a whole lot of heavy things on top of it. Putting it at the bottom of your pile of vinyl records is not the right thing to do, as they should be stored vertically, not horizontally, so as to avoid this very situation!

There are a number of important things to consider when wanting to fix warped records using this cheap and simple method. Firstly, the surfaces on either side of the vinyl record must be flat.

The under surface needs to be hard and flat, so that usually means marble, vinyl or floorboards if on the ground, or else a flat desk.

Resting on top should be a flat surface such as a cardboard box with a flat bottom. The warped records need to be under there for a good while, at least a few days, in order to bend back in to shape. This is not ideal for people that live in small units or flats, since floor space can be hard to come by, nor is it ideal for record store owners who wish to quickly un-warp records in their new stock before putting it on the floor to be sold.

In this case, the following tricks may be more useful. For the next tips, we start to use heat, which speeds up the process significantly. Yes, really. What warps records in the first place is a combination of uneven physical pressure and heat.

People have reported that even consistently high room temperatures have contributed to warped music. Far easier to bend things than to straighten them. It would have been far more a impressive and b useful had he turned his all-powerful mind to the issue of warped vinyl, but I guess there are some things that outstretch even the greatest heroes of our age.

If you do have a particularly treasured but warped LP you want to fix, you want odds a little more certain than those of you baking a perfectly risen Victoria sponge at a first attempt.

The other method you hear about is taking the record, inserting it between sheets of glass, and then exposing it to the sun in a warm room. The risk anyone takes using these methods is if the heat necessary to flatten the vinyl goes on to damage the grooves. Apply too little heat, the warp remains. Apply too much and you mush the grooves and ruin the sound.

The answer here is not to start up your own Heston Blumenthal-style vinyl chemistry lab. All you need is a tennis racquet, a postage stamp, two bits of card, a record mailer, some bubble wrap and a biro.

But there is some science here. Rather than rushing in to an uncontrolled, random level of heat generated by something that just cooked a stew, the process is slow: it takes four hours; two to heat up and two to cool down. The machine heats only the outer edge and centre of the record. The grooves are untouched, and this reduces potential damage. You should wash your mouth out with soap. Because there are people out there who have one, and having fixed their warped records, they are realising having an expensive bit of kit out there is a bit of a folly.

So, I put it to the test. You can find these services on eBay and through analogueseduction. When I got it home I realised why it had been priced that way. One of the LPs was warped. If it worked, it was a no-brainer. In conclusion, there is no easy, safe way to rectify a warped record without being able to methodically control temperatures and where the heat is applied, as our iron-wielding YouTuber has demonstrated.

Good luck! And please share your tales of vinyl flattening — successful and unsuccessful in the comments section. Was this post helpful? You can buy the book by clicking this link to the online store. Categories: Music , Vinyl. Tags: fix a warped record , fix warped vinyl , flattening , orb , Record , record flattening machine , Vinyl , warp , warped.