Unfortunately, when a vinyl record is exposed to ultraviolet radiation or excessive heat, it tends to wobble. According to the severity of the phenomenon, there are some countermeasures that can be taken to restore your beloved plastic relic to optimal conditions.
Steps
Step 1. Go to the hardware store and buy two glass panels
It will be enough to get the smallest piece available (at least 50, 8x50, 8). Also, the thicker the glass the better.
Step 2. Get the following items before starting work:
a pair of oven mitts, the vinyl record to be restored, a heavy flat-surfaced object such as a hardcover book or briefcase.
Step 3. Preheat the oven to 80-90 ° C for 10-15 minutes
Step 4. While waiting for the oven to heat up, place the glass on a table, letting one of the corners protrude slightly from the surface of the table
This will make the glass easier to lift in the next steps.
Step 5. Place the vinyl disc in the center of the glass panel
Step 6. Place the other glass panel on the disc aligning it with the bottom panel
Step 7. Take oven mitts (possibly cheap gloves that you can safely discard or reuse to restore other discs) to lift the glass panes containing the disc off the table and place them carefully in the oven
Arrange them on the central shelf, being careful not to insert the glass panels too deep to avoid having to insert the arm into the hot oven to take them back.
Step 8. Let the disc rest between the glass panels for a couple of minutes, always keeping an eye on the disc to make sure nothing strange happens
Step 9. Remove the glass panels from the oven and immediately place them on the table, with a heavy object on top
Step 10. Let the glass cool before touching it and removing the weight
Step 11. Take the disc and inspect it
If you notice that it is still very wavy, repeat steps 4 to 11.
Step 12. A gradual flattening process is always preferable to fast recovery as it helps preserve the grooves of the disc
When you're happy with the result, play the record and make sure it's not completely ruined!
