Record Restoration

No matter how diligently you work to prevent damage to your records, some of them might already be warped.

What do you do if you have a warped record that you'd really like to play? You can try to salvage a piece of warped vinyl, but beware: attempt this only at your own risk. It's easy to warp vinyl, but very difficult to un-warp. Restoration attempts may warp your LPs further or even destroy thembut they have also been known to work.

Un-warping methods:

• Put the warped record between two pieces of glass to form a glass sandwich. Apply gentle heat by placing the sandwich in the oven under low heat (no more than 150 F). If it's a nice, warm day, you can also place it outside, in the sunlight.
• If you can find two pieces of clean, non-stick, smooth metal, try placing the record between them and ironing at a low setting.

Playing Warped Records

You can find devices that will allow you to play warped records, but bear in mind that nothing can fix a bell-shaped record! And even a slightly warped record will sound slurred.

Some suggestions:

• Disc clamps push the record against the turntable platter, forcing the LP to flatten (and subsequently play). Because they work with gravity, though, they place stress on the turntable and may damage it.
• Spindle clamps lock over the spindle and are far less damaging.
• Air pumps, generally found on high-end turntables, create suction that pulls the record flat onto the turntable's platter, but they are costly.

Use caution when attempting to fix or play your warped records.