Gotta warp, these members can help. [Vinyl Flat]

Having a lot more success these days, but I am having to cook for longer than most here. Maybe my pouch just doesn't have the fine temperature control, but I have to keep it on low to maintain temps below 140.

I've been finding the 180g vinyl needs about 3 hours to fully flatten and less heavy weights still took about 2:30. Tried my first transparent vinyl at 2 hours overnight and I'll crack it open later to see how that reacted.

Overall, feeling more and more confident.
 
when I first got my VF I was having a hard time getting noticeable results. I was scared of using the medium setting and melting something but low didn’t seem to be doing the trick. I moved earlier in n the year and basically this thing has just been sitting around. Finally pulled it back out and continued using the low setting a few time with nothing noticeable even after like 4 hours. Anyway, the other day I decided fuck it and flipped it on before leaving for work and turned it off when I got home and let it cool overnight. Record was flat. Play tested it and no problems. Did it again the next day with a different record. Perfectly flat again and no playback issues. Tomorrow morning I’m hoping to find a third perfectly flattened record. I’m sure if I played around with medium heat I could find a much quicker way to do this, but so far this has worked for me. All three record were standard black vinyl, newer releases, with dish warps. I might not rush into using this method with clear or colored vinyl but so far so good. Any reason a long low cook is a bad idea?
 
dirty hands said:
when I first got my VF I was having a hard time getting noticeable results. I was scared of using the medium setting and melting something but low didn’t seem to be doing the trick. I moved earlier in n the year and basically this thing has just been sitting around. Finally pulled it back out and continued using the low setting a few time with nothing noticeable even after like 4 hours. Anyway, the other day I decided fuck it and flipped it on before leaving for work and turned it off when I got home and let it cool overnight. Record was flat. Play tested it and no problems. Did it again the next day with a different record. Perfectly flat again and no playback issues. Tomorrow morning I’m hoping to find a third perfectly flattened record. I’m sure if I played around with medium heat I could find a much quicker way to do this, but so far this has worked for me. All three record were standard black vinyl, newer releases, with dish warps. I might not rush into using this method with clear or colored vinyl but so far so good. Any reason a long low cook is a bad idea?
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You'll lbe fine using medium heat, I've had no problems what so ever. But, unless I'm reading your post wrong, I would get a wall timer so you can "set it and forget it", but there's nothing wrong with low and slow..................I'd still be nervous just leaving it on unattended without a timer to turn it off.
 
Been on a VMP flattening spree recently after a long period of non-use:
Some notes for my future self (& maybe others)
Medium Heat - assuming medium thickness (if superthick tack 30 mins to any of these, if a thin vinyl, maybe subtract 30 mins)
Solid Black - 3 Hrs
Solids colors - 2.5 Hrs
Translucent color - 1.5 Hrs
If doesn't work, slowly increase time. If it's hot or cold out, decrease or increase time accordingly.

Seems to do the trick. I was starting on 2.25 but I've had some gnarly warps that took 2.5 to smooth out.
 
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zomgbear said:
Been on a VMP flattening spree recently after a long period of non-use:
Some notes for my future self (& maybe others)
Medium
Solids colors - 2.5 Hrs
Translucent color - 1.5 Hrs
Seems to do the trick. I was starting on 2.25 but I've had some gnarly warps that took 2.5 to smooth out.
Click to expand...
This is exactly why I came back to this thread. I have my VF but haven't used it in a year. Just got a Humminguru and wanted to smooth out some of my newly squeaky clean records.

IIRC, I found that the cooling time is equally as important. Some of this is coming back to me now:
  • Generally Medium setting, so long as Medium gets you a steady 150 degrees
  • Get a wall timer. Get a wall timer. GET A WALL TIMER.
  • I completely melted a colored record at 90 minutes before, so I've been gun shy. I would start at 90 or 120 minutes to test a solid record
  • I try to let a record cool for 12 hours+ if possible for best results...
 
MacDonals said:
This is exactly why I came back to this thread. I have my VF but haven't used it in a year. Just got a Humminguru and wanted to smooth out some of my newly squeaky clean records.

IIRC, I found that the cooling time is equally as important. Some of this is coming back to me now:
  • Generally Medium setting, so long as Medium gets you a steady 150 degrees
  • Get a wall timer. Get a wall timer. GET A WALL TIMER.
  • I completely melted a colored record at 90 minutes before, so I've been gun shy. I would start at 90 or 120 minutes to test a solid record
  • I try to let a record cool for 12 hours+ if possible for best results...
Click to expand...
150 is really high. My RecordPi holds 126 degrees and works a treat.
 
I am having a hard making this black 180g dish flat. On medium, my pouch is getting to about 127 degrees F. I put the record in for 4 hours yesterday, let it cool overnight and there was zero change. Would you go up by 15 or 30 minute increments for one like this?
 
MacDonals said:
I am having a hard making this black 180g dish flat. On medium, my pouch is getting to about 127 degrees F. I put the record in for 4 hours yesterday, let it cool overnight and there was zero change. Would you go up by 15 or 30 minute increments for one like this?
Click to expand...
4 hours and it did nothing?
 
Nothing noticeable, no. The only thing I can think is that I added some velcro wraps around the protruding notches to try to keep the VinylFlat tightly closed. I wonder if these are having a counter effect.
 
What does your high register as for temp? 127 seems low for medium. Mine usually floats on the upper 130s
 
It seems to fluctuate actually. I'm testing with the thermometer that came with it, inserted into the fold and High is reading 130 only. Not sure the sleeve is working well...
 
Hi all,

I got some 180g albums on Sunday, all have wave warps. I’m in PA 18011, would anyone like to try a couple? Curious about Vinyl Flat vs. the new Pi device.

some will probably end up in the PIF thread.

thanks!


IMG_2558.jpegIMG_2557.jpeg
 
djdavedk said:
Hi all,

I got some 180g albums on Sunday, all have wave warps. I’m in PA 18011, would anyone like to try a couple? Curious about Vinyl Flat vs. the new Pi device.

some will probably end up in the PIF thread.

thanks!


View attachment 188881View attachment 188882
Click to expand...
I've been on a flattening spree and getting good at it. If you'd like to put them in the white stripes pif I got from you, I can give them a whirl
 
Except for a few finicky edge warps that I‘m not sure any flattener could solve, I’ve had good success with VF generally. But, today, I had my greatest success with the Mobley - “Caddy for Daddy“ Tone Poet. But for the spindle hole, I could have served soup in side 2. It was comically warped.

I think my VF is on the lower end of their temp variation, so 2.5 hours on medium with a blanket over the VF for additional insulation worked like a charm. Barely a hint of any curvature and plays beautifully. I don’t usually cook for that long, but TP’s are thicc!
 
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