Properly Caring for Vinyl Records

Timothy Hoger is a longtime Wisconsin entrepreneur who guides a company that provides plastics design, machining, and distribution services. An audiophile and musician, Timothy Hoger has a passion for vinyl records and has created The Levitator tone arm auto lifter as an asset for turntables without auto-return features.

When it comes to safely storing records so that they last for decades, it is essential to clean the disc before it’s slipped back into the jacket. The best method is with a record cleaning brush designed to remove dust while the record slowly revolves. A couple of times per year, also spray on some vinyl-cleaning solution and wipe the record with a microfiber cloth.

Another important aspect of vinyl care is storing albums in an upright position that prevents the type of warping that can occur when uneven pressure is placed on them over an extended period of time. Crates with semi-rigid dividers work best for ensuring such an upright position. Also, never stack records on top of each other. The weight of the records can cause warping, as well as scuff marks and cracking. In addition, the jackets are more likely to experience wear and tear.

The High-Volume Plastic Extrusion

Based in Neenah, Timothy Hoger offers client-specific machining and fabricating solutions as head of Wisconsin Plastics Supply. Timothy Hoger has extensive experience in and knowledge about the plastics industry.

One manufacturing process that delivers high-volume production is plastic extrusion. Within a continuous system, an enriched polymer material is melted and formed to the desired specification. This type of system begins with polymer granulates being gravity fed into a hopper. Dropping onto a rotating screw, the granulates are forced through a heated barrel. The thread, or channel, of the screw becomes narrower as the plastic is pushed through the barrel, which compresses it.

The plastic melts by the end of its journey through the barrel and is finally pushed through a screen pack. The screen serves to filter out contaminates and eliminate the plastic melt’s rotational memory.

This filtered melt can now be pushed through a die that provides its dimension and size. The plastic extrudate leaves the extruder and is pulled and cooled, with the specifics of this latter stage depending on the final shape and profile of the desired plastic product.