How to pirate a vinyl record
Here’s a great DIY method to copy a vinyl record, making a copy that you can actually play on a turntable. The German website Zeit.de had this article up in German, however it’s now unavailable, and only available via archive.org.
Here it is in it’s full form, translated into English:
Step 1
Nail together four 36.5cm-pieces of wood to create a frame and put it on a glass plate. Seal off the edges using caulking, and make sure everything is completely airtight.
Step 2
Take the record that you want to copy and put it into the box, making sure that the side that you want to copy is facing upwards. Squeeze in some caulking or insert a dowel to mark where the hole in the record is.
Step 3
Mix silicone rubber (Smooth On OOMOO 30 or OOMOO 25) for about 3 minutes..
Step 4
Pour the silicone rubber mixture into the mold. start from one corner, and fill the mold until it is about 5mm deep. Make sure the that surface is even, and let it dry overnight.
Step 5
Peel off the silicone from the cast and cut off the excess.
Step 6
Pour on some casting resin (eg Smooth On Task #4) on top of the silicone cast.
Step 7
Make sure that you don’t have anything spill over the round form. You can also brush off any air bubbles that might occur.
Step 8
Carefully loosen the plate from the silicone form. Using a drill press, bore a hole through the center of the plate (this doesn’t need to be done if you used the appropriate sized dowel).
Finished.
You can keep using the silicone form and make multiple copies. Definitely a darn fun DIY project.
via just about everywhere.
sweet!!
HOME VINYL COPYING IS KILLING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY!!
ha ha
No, this is pretty cool..
This is awesome but will it effect the original record at all?
Is there a casting that’s oven bake-able to create a more durable Bakelite/shellac type copy and how about gluing both album sides of the castings together?
By American law this isn’t pirating if you are doing it to make a single backup copy for yourself. By law it is legal to make a backup copy of music you already own legally and there is no restriction as to what form or how you make your one backup copy under the Fair Use Act and the Audio Home Recording Act of 1992.
DIY – that’s real right there. lol.
I can’t see this affecting the fidelity of the original record in the the grove section. Silicone is much softer than vinyl and peels off completely without leaving any residue. If it did leave any residue a diamond needle would surely remove it on play. It’s possible that some of the liquid silicone may soak into the paper label and darken it slightly but this would likely protect and preserve it.
great way to copy rare 78s no longer available..
Long live DIY !!!
You did not mention the basic fact that each generation copy
you make effects the sound quality due to the incremental
groove space expansion when you make a copy.
It’s no big concern really, just a fact.
I just wonder about the real world numbers, like are you going
to lose -2db a copy, and how does it affect the frequency range
and variables? and with that material you use too, since it’s
not virgin vinyl. I also suspect that is a very soft
material you use, and does it wear down fast? How many plays
you get out , or is it just meant as a master to make a stamper
with?
Great Idea… and it seems to be legal !! But where do I get some “Smooth On Task #4″?
Would the silicone not get stuck in the grooves?
Also, has anyone actually tried it?… does it damage the record? I want to post a link to here from my blog but I don’t want to go telling people to try it, then gets lots of angry complaints if the original is unplayable!
Vinyl Record Shop