Why no unbreakable vinyl?

[papomaster]

Why can't we make some musical pressings out of a more solid material, lets say some kind of plastic composite or even plexiglass, that wouldn't pop, crack or break as easily as our vinyl babies?

 

[nikongod]

you have BROKEN one of your vinyldiscs? theoretically other materials could be used, but i dont think they are practical.

i have gotten a few broken 78's in big lots, but they were stored in attics and garages. not to mention the likelihood that they were dropped...

 

[britishbane]

The first thing that comes to my mind is stylus wear. The harder the material the faster the stylus would wear out.

 

[jp11801]

as I understand it the beauty of vinyl is its ability to hold it's shape. When the needle for that split second is going over that area of the groove that is playing the music it creates incredible heat and pressure for a split second. The magic of vinyl is the ability to bounce back.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I've never been able to break a vinyl record. I've melted a few that were scratched beyond repair, but they rarely break. 78s will, and I've seen wax cylinders crumble.

But vinyl is an excellent compromise for durability, cost, ease of pressing, and stylus wear.

 

[derekbmn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif as I understand it the beauty of vinyl is its ability to hold it's shape. When the needle for that split second is going over that area of the groove that is playing the music it creates incredible heat and pressure for a split second. The magic of vinyl is the ability to bounce back.

This pretty much nails it. It is called a "plastics memory" and vinyl has it in spades. (I work in the plastics industry)

Several record companies (Decca and Columbia) both marketed "Unbreakable Records" many years ago. I have not tried to test any of mine to see if they are or not.

 

[bigshot]

I once dropped a 50s pressing and had it break on me. The plasticizers go bad eventually and the vinyl becomes brittle. It might be more of a problem in Southern California than elsewhere.

See ya
Steve

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekbmn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Several record companies (Decca and Columbia) both marketed "Unbreakable Records" many years ago. I have not tried to test any of mine to see if they are or not.

Yes I found one of these in a recent hunt to find disks with "RIAA" logos on. It was an original 50s pressing of Symphony for the New World conducted by Arturo Toscanini.

 

[ADD]

I have never understood this "superheating" of vinyl as the stylus makes it's way through the grooves. I would have thought if things got that hot it would be setting fire to all the little dust particles that are impossible to completely get rid of.

 

[memepool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADD /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have never understood this "superheating" of vinyl as the stylus makes it's way through the grooves. I would have thought if things got that hot it would be setting fire to all the little dust particles that are impossible to completely get rid of.

If you look at the end of your stylus under a magnifier, after a while you'll see it gets a layer of dirt stuck on it which is a result of exactly what you describe.

 

[Baines93]

You must love your "vynil babies" so much; you don't even know how to spell it properly.

Vinyl.

I don't mean to be rude, it is just kind of ironic!

The rest of your grammar is perfect though!

Matt

 

[grawk]

I was just gonna post how that typo bugs me more than most too

 

[gyrodec]

The main thing that makes vinyl great for records is that it can be pressed and it will flow into even the smallest parts of the groove, and all this at high production speeds. It will even pop out of the stamper and be perfectly stable after only a matter of seconds.

Most of the less breakable materials would have to be injection moulded instead of pressed, and it is simply not possible to injection mould a shape that wide and thin without significant issues and defects. (In a former life I worked with an injection mould maker for a produc that never happened, and there are many many restrictions on hapes you can IM if you want it to come out well.)

The rest of the points raised about stability, groove noise, cost etc are obviously also major reasons why we use vinyl, but its pressing abilities are also key.

 

[grawk]

And this all misses the biggest reason why records can be broken. The visceral thrill that comes from slamming a record down on the corner of the dj desk when you're sick of hearing the song that gets overplayed by the other djs at the station.

Take this job and shove it - SMASH.

 

[shallbehealed]

Quote:

Originally Posted by memepool /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you look at the end of your stylus under a magnifier, after a while you'll see it gets a layer of dirt stuck on it which is a result of exactly what you describe.

The glass transition temperature of vinyl is 87C. BS is called in "melting dust".

PS. Tm= 212 C, certainly not enough to melt dust... what temperature does human skin melt at anyhow?