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Q: Old vinyl records. Has anyone got a method of "un-warping" vinyl recordings (other than placing between heavy books and waiting several months)? -- Douglas M Kenyon, Reply  (Ref:0137)

A: Sandwich the record between 2 pieces of glass and bake in about 200 degree oven for a 1/2 hour or so. Let cool under heavy weight. Have heard mixed results. 

I have found that due to the raised center of the record where the label is, the record will not become perfectlyt flat again. You may get the record so it will play without the cartridge bottoming out, yet the it will still be wavy to some degree. 

Another point... If the warp was caused by heat damage, and the edge gets a curved lip, you have to check the grooves at the beginning of the record. 

They can become deformed and nothing will get them back to their original state. Heat damaged records are trash, unless the warp did not affect the grooves. 

Compression warp is a different story, and I would not let it bake out in the sun. Some records get bowed. If it is not serious they will still play. 

Yet you can attempt to reverse the bow in the record by placing it carefully between two books, parted so that the label can be seen on the bottom and the top. Then add a little weight to the top. Allow the record to bend so that the bottom is not lowered in the opposite direction. This will take a long time. Perhaps check it after a week. See if the record is becoming flat. Vinyl is durable, very flexible. Styrene is harder and more brittle. 

If Styrene becomes warped, is most likely to be heat warp. They don't get warped easily from compression. They would crack before they bend to far. So warped Styrene is practically useless to attempt to fix. 

Tim (Back-Trac Records) Owner of Back-Trac Records (815) 965-2008 
Store location Rockford, IL If you use any of these hint you take responsibility for any results that you receive. Submitted by Joshua Frattarola Comment


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