How Vinyl Records Are Made: From Pressed to Played

Vinyl records are a wonderful and versatile medium for music. They’re also surprisingly complicated to make! The vinyl is pressed in large rolls, then cut into individual vinyl discs called “singles.” Next, the vinyls are coated with a special material that helps them move smoothly over the record player needle. Finally, songs can be recorded onto vinyl by cutting grooves deep enough to pick up vibrations from an analog audio signal. This article will explore how vinyl records are made – from press to play!

How vinyl records changed the music industry?

Vinyl records are one of the most popular ways to listen to music. They were first introduced in 1948 and have been a favorite ever since vinyl became available on the market again in 2009.

Vinyl records changed the music industry and were seen as a way to preserve music before the digital era. They also helped musicians get their music out there without being censored by radio stations or television networks.

When vinyl records first came on the scene, they cost about 45 dollars per album and only stores in major cities would sell them. Now vinyls are more affordable with most albums costing an average of $4.80.

When did the first vinyl record come out?

Vinyl records were invented in  1948 by Alan Blumlein. Vinyls were first sold commercially to the public on October 16, 1948 with a live broadcast of José Carreras and Arturo Toscanini’s NBC Symphony Orchestra concert from Carnegie Hall being one of the test products shipped that day during Woolworth department store sale at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The first vinyl was 12 inches wide, playing at a speed of 33 1/3 RPM.

Alan Dower Blumlin is credited for vinyl discs invention which he patented in 1935 as “The Gramophone” or “Record Player.” He was awarded British patent No: 41709. The vinyl disc cutting process was developed by Emil Berliner who also had been working on idea since 1886.

Vinyl records press

So how does a vinyl record get made?

Vinyl records are made of poly vinyl chloride (PVC) material. Once vinyl has been cut, a lacquer coated aluminum disc is created. After it’s made the vinyl record goes into an oven for baking which can take up to 24 hours. The vinyl records are prepared in a hot press where they’re pressed with heated plates and then cooled by circulating cold water around them before being packaged

Manufacturing the Master Disc

The vinyl master disc is the “original” vinyl record, it’s also known as the “mother”. The vinyl master discs are created by a process called etching. This is where grooves in material like glass or metal have specific depth and width cut into them for recording sound waves on to vinyl records.

How are songs recorded on vinyl?

You might probably think, how are songs record on vinyl record. We all know vinyl records are made from vinyl. Vinyl is non-magnetic material, so sound waves have to be recorded magnetically. Recorded songs go through a machine called an audio mastering lathe which cuts the grooves into vinyl and makes sure they line up on each side of disc correctly.

How to make a vinyl record at home?

You might be wondering, is it possible to make a vinyl by yourself? Yes, vinyl records can be made on a home vinyl record press. Good news is that you don’t need to have any equipment or experience before doing it at all! All you’ll need for the job are vinyl LP, vinyl pressing kit and glue gun (if available).

Pressure is applied by hand with both hands on the outer edge of the disc while rotating in one direction and then in another on each side. The pressure must be even throughout from inner grooves to outer groove so not too much air gets trapped under hot vinyl when they’re pressed together during manufacturing process.

A thick coat of petroleum jelly also needs to be applied evenly around the circumference of two 12-inch discs as well as down their center margins.

This will take some time, but definitely, it’s possible to make your own vinyl record.

How vinyl records are pressed

Vinyl pressing is very interesting process. One vinyl record is made up of two 12-inch, heavy vinyl discs. One side has to be heated and the other one must remain cool before pressing can commence.

At first vinyls are pressed with a hydraulic machine that squeezes them together until they produce an inch long seam on each edge called “biscuit”. Biscuits are then trimmed away from vinyl records by hand or cutting machines. What remains is now ready for play and listening pleasure!

Also in this process impurities could get caught on bottom surface of vinyl which creates bubbles when vinyl gets played – it’s best to remove all these bubbles because you don’t want your listeners having any trouble understanding what song you’re playing.

What is a vinyl record stamper?

A vinyl record stamper is a machine for manufacturing vinyl records. They are made in large numbers by pressing vinyl sheets, heated to around 170 degrees Celsius. The vinyl sheet gets pressed between two flat surfaces which creates the grooves on the vinyl that will carry sound when it’s played. These machines are very precise and can produce tens of thousands of discs per day with great accuracy – just imagine how many albums you would need to buy if they were not mass-produced!

The process has been called “the most complicated man/machine interface ever devised.” It starts out as melted polyvinyl chloride pellets at 245°C (473°F) under high pressure before being converted into highly viscous liquid PVC through an extrusion.

Vinyl Pressing Stamp

Stampers are pretty expensive devices. They can cost you anywhere from $50,000 to $150,000. The vinyl is then pressed into a hot stamper which will leave an impression of it on the vinyl blank (a heated metal plate), and this imprint creates what we know as music grooves.

The vinyl disc is then cooled down in a turntable-like apparatus that features spinning brushes composed of nylon bristles or sheep wool. These brushes take off excess PVC, leaving just enough so there are no “dust balls” when you play the record! The vinyl moves under rollers with rubberized nubs before being cut into individual records by sharp knives guided by lasers for precision cutting at 45 RPMs.

Record pressing – what is that?

This brings us to vinyl pressing – it’s a process that begins as soon as the vinyl is cut. The vinyl disc moves under rollers with rubberized nubs before being pushed into an injection molding machine, which injects molten PVC pellets at high pressure in intervals along the groove paths defined by the stamper.

Can you put your own music on a vinyl record?

Yes, you can! You can record your own vinyls using vinyl records equipment and vinyl-cutting software. It requires some investment but if you are a true music lover, you will like this idea. You can easily record your own music to a vinyl record and play vinyl records at home.

You will need these tools to make your record: vinyl records cutter, vinyl or acetate sheets and vinyl-cutting software. You can buy vinyl record cutting kits from Amazon that contain all the tools you need to make your own vinyl records.

what is a lacquer disc?

Lacquer discs are vinyl records that have been coated with a protective layer of lacquer. After the vinyl is created, it will be put into a vinyl-coating machine and then dipped in a pool containing liquid lacquer for about five to ten seconds. This process helps protect the record from scratches while also giving it an attractive glossy look.

What is a pressing plant?

Vinyl record pressing plant is a factory that manufactures vinyl records. To create a vinyl record, it starts with a large metal form called the “stamper,” which is used to cut out circles of vinyl in different sizes for each side of the LP.

In conclusion

If you are an audiophile and want to try making your own vinyl, we’ve got the process down for you. It may not be easy but it is worth a shot if you love records as much as we do. We have provided all of the information in this blog post on how to make a record at home so that even beginners can get started with some DIY projects today! If you would like us to take care of this project for you or give feedback about what does or doesn’t work well in our process, please contact us below-we’d love hear from you!

Leave a Comment