Vinyl’s comeback is one of the most intriguing things we’ve seen over the last decade. In the US, over 27 million LP records were sold in 2020, a 46% rise compared to numbers from 2019, but cutting vinyl is expensive if you’re a musician without a record-label or a music lover without a lot of money to spare. Fortunately, it’s possible to make a vinyl record at home.
To make a vinyl record at home, the first step is to get some empty discs from your local store or cast a few. Once you have the discs, you can use any of the various record cutters in the market that match the size to record tracks you can play on any vinyl players.
This article will look at everything you should know about making a vinyl record at home, from casting your own discs to adding tracks to them.
What Is a Vinyl Record?
A vinyl record is an analog format of an album. It is named after the material it is mostly printed on, which is made of polyvinyl chloride. The discs were first made from shellac before the switch to polyvinyl in the 1940s. Think of vinyl as a one-to-one translation of a recorded song, unlike digital tracks where the sound has been converted for electronic storage. You need a vinyl record player or a vinyl turntable to play one of these.
The first step to making your vinyl record at home is to get the dub-plate. This is similar to regular vinyl records, but it is an acetate disc that contains grooves cut from a lathe onto the material in real-time. In standard vinyl records, the grooves are stamp-pressed. You can find a dub-plate in any record store for less than $10.
Once you’ve bought one, follow the steps below to make your own discs in the future.
Create a Mold
Making a mold is one of the most important parts of making your vinyl records at home.
After you’ve sorted the mold, you can continue to create new records indefinitely. The mold is very important, so you have to take good care of it. Ensure it is protected from dings, and creases, scratches, and protect it against dust when you’re not using it. The mold will wear down over time (due to the nature of the resin), but you should get a good run out of it before you need a new one.
To get the mold base, you’ll need a tray. The tray size should be enough to make a mold for a 7” or 12” disc. You need to ensure the depth is no more than 2 cm. You’ll have to fill up the tray with silicone, which will get wasted if your tray is too wide.
Also, deeper trays will make heavier dub-plates that may be too heavy for your vinyl player. If you can only get a big tray, use some tape to make a partition on it.
Get the dub-plate and use some sticky dual-sided tape on the part without grooves to hold it down centrally on the tray. Make sure the grooves are facing upwards. Use some tape to hold the record so that you won’t have a lot of silicon seeping underneath.
Add Some Texture
You shouldn’t touch the grooves on the plate. However, you can add some texture to the disc’s middle part, which will typically hold labels. This will give it an interesting appearance.
You can draw on some aluminum tape and stick it on or use some label marker for text. You can also use some glue or paint to create textures that appeal to you.
If you’re making records for yourself, this part probably doesn’t matter, and you’re better off making the mold simple. If you intend to gift loved ones the records, you’ll likely want to make them look good.
Pour the Silicone
You can get the silicone rubber used in mold-making as a mix in two parts. The material is a favorite for many people because it is super easy to manipulate—even if it’s slightly expensive.
You should only use the expensive mix if you’re sure of completing the mold in two attempts max. However, if you’ll do lots of experimenting, you should consider going with a cheaper silicone mix, such as those containing a catalyst.
The mixing instructions will come with the package, so you need some plastic pipettes and a calculator on hand for accurate mixing.
You’ll have to come up with a rough estimate of how much rubber you have to mix for the mold. A pint of silicone (two-part mix or silicone and catalyst) is usually enough to make one mold. Mix everything thoroughly, taking proper care to avoid ruining the blend with lots of air bubbles.
A good tip to avoid air bubbles is to apply a coat first before pouring the rest of your silicone. Here’s what to do:
- Pour out a small portion of the mixed silicone across your dubplate’s grooves.
- Cover the grooves in a layer of a thin first coat using a brush.
- Check for air bubbles.
- Pour the remaining silicone when you’re sure there’s no air bubble.
You need to allow the silicone to cure and dry for at least 24 hours. Keep it on a completely level surface to ensure there are no irregularities when it has dried.
If you’re unsure how to level the surface, you can confirm with a spirit-level. Any tiny air bubbles you find after pouring in the silicone will disappear when the mold properly sets. If you find any large bubbles, use the mixing stick to pop them. Don’t use your finger.
Once the silicone is dry (usually takes a day), peel it away from the mold. This part is always dicey, so you have to do it carefully to avoid tearing your mold.
With the mold set, you can always make new dub-plates on your own with some silicone mix. If this process doesn’t appeal to you, you can skip it by buying some empty dub-plates or blank vinyl records.
You may have to look long and hard to find empty vinyl records for use, though. When you do find one, it can cost up to $50. So, weigh your options and choose what works for you.
Once you have dubplates sorted, the next step is to start recording your vinyl. To do this, you have to use any of the vinyl cutting machines in the market (that matches your plates’ size). Some of the best you can find today are covered below.
Top Vinyl Record Cutters You Can Buy for Your Home
The Mini Record Cutter
This product is the result of a partnership between musician Yuri Suzuki and Japanese company Gakken. It is a mini record cutting machine designed to cut five-inch vinyl records in less than five minutes. The device is USB-powered.
To cut a record with this machine, you need to put your blank silicon disc from the mold above or a fresh blank disc on it, and then plug in the music source (your iPod or smartphone).
Place the cutting arm on the disc, and the cutting will begin. This machine also doubles as a record player, so after four minutes of recording on the disc, you can switch to play mode.
The tonearm, ceramic cartridge, and integrated speakers mean you have everything to cut and play your records.
However, remember that the machine can only work with five-inch discs and can only record for four minutes or less. Still, this small device offers an excellent method of cutting vinyl at home. With prices starting at $80, it’s a nice little addition to your toolbox as a music lover.
Phonocut Vinyl Presser
Don’t like the 5-inch limitation on the Gakken design above? The Phonocut Vinyl Presser might be the best for you. It works like the mini cutter but works with 10-inch discs.
The product is made by a Vienna-based company looking to deliver a powerful solution in the “home vinyl records” niche.
The product uses a diamond stylus to etch soundwaves to the surface of a blank disc in real-time. The company designed a machine that can allow quick and simple record production. To make records with it, there are three steps to follow:
- Place your empty disk on the platter
- Connect and play a stereo audio source and connect with a chord
- Hit the start button for the machine to start processing
However, this option isn’t for everyone as the price (over $2,500 at the time of writing) is a steep investment. You can’t find used or refurbished ones around either, as the product is still relatively new in the market.
Still, if you’re committed to making your own vinyl records at home, it is a powerful investment you should consider.
Tips To Keep in Mind When Building Your Homemade Vinyl Collection
Don’t Break Copyright Laws
Please note that the tips contained here are for making vinyl records of your work and for your consumption. Many record labels probably won’t bother you if you convert some cassettes or CDs to vinyl for your use or if it’s a one-off gift to a loved one.
However, when you mass-produce them, you could attract some legal problems. It’s illegal to reproduce works from other artists for sale, and some places might even have laws against converting digital tracks to vinyl records for your personal use. So, be sure you’re not breaking any laws by cutting vinyl at home.
Homemade Vinyl Records Are Not for Everyone
As you’ve seen above, the process of making your own discs and cutting the vinyl is a lengthy one that only true enthusiasts will get involved with.
Unless you’re dealing with a super-rare record, there is a high chance that you can buy the record at your local store or online instead of spending time and energy on making the record on your own.
This is especially true if the record you’re looking for was released before the Compact Disc boom of the late 90s and early 2000s. Look around first before you get to work.
Select Your Tracks Carefully
A 10-12 inch vinyl record will only take around 18 minutes of music. You need to be careful with your track selection when cutting your vinyl at home.
If you’re making a vinyl record of your favorite oldie album, it may be best to choose your favorites before adding any other tracks.
Converting a Digital Track to a Vinyl Record Won’t Make It Sound Better
There are lots of factors that determine the quality of a track. However, once it’s been digitized, you won’t quite get the raw sound that original sounds are known for.
Depending on the vinyl player you’re using, you’ll get some old-timey vinyl effects between tracks or even while it plays, but that’s just surface additions you’ll hear on any other record played on the same device.
Some people erroneously feel vinyl should sound better, but even with an original vinyl record and a high-quality digital file, the difference in sound quality is very negligible—assuming you’re listening on the same speakers.
The bottom line: sound quality shouldn’t be your reason for making vinyl records at home.
Belt Drive Players Deliver Better Sound
When buying the record player for your homemade vinyl collection, you’ll find some of the models defined as “direct drive” or “belt drive” turntables.
Turntables with the belt drive feature come with a platter (the vinyl disc holder) controlled by an independent motor, while direct drive turntables don’t.
The latter works better if you intend to do some DJ work with it from time to time. However, for record playing without lots of vibration and excess outside noise, belt drive record players are better.
See our recommendations for the Best Turntables Under $200.
Be Careful When Buying Old Vinyl Records
When you can’t make a vinyl record at home (perhaps for lack of time or other constraints), you may want to buy it outside. Pay attention to avoid buying illegal prints.
Most albums produced around the CD boom of the 90s and 2000s had a very small number of vinyl records printed. So, unless you’re buying a used record, there is a high chance you’re getting an illegal copy.
The used records can also cost a lot, especially if the record is in high demand. So, when in this situation, it’s best to jump on your homemade vinyl desk and get to work instead of contributing to the spread of pirated content.
Store Your Vinyl Records Carefully
Once you’ve built a decent collection of homemade vinyl records, you need to ensure they are stored properly. You should have them standing vertically, in a cool and dry place. Stacking them on top of themselves increases your chances of warping. Once a record is warped, the sound is distorted.
Conclusion
Cutting your own vinyl at home is a great way to roll back the years while enjoying quality music. The process is a bit daunting if you have to make a mold to cast discs, but it’s a lot more straightforward if you have a source for empty discs.
With the discs sorted, all you need is a vinyl cutting machine like Phonocut to start producing your own records at home. Remember to check copyright laws in your area before you reproduce other people’s work—even for personal consumption.