Can’t imagine it matters too much. But being an engineer, I like to reference the standard at some point!
My handy tool for the too tight-fit LP on the spindle dilemma is an ex-wine bottle stopper.
Rather dubious as a bottle stopper however the chrome has very conveniently corroded up into a perfect textured finish for LP hole reaming adjustment. 
Salute!
11 Likes
Debs, what have you been drinking…?!
3 Likes
I’ve been using a Biro to drive into the undersized hole. Been using this technique since the 1970’s.
1 Like
BBC canteen scissors - just right.
This is an interesting thread thank you. Personally, I have never had a tight fitting LP, but sometimes I’ve noticed one that seems to be a looser fit. I just dug out my old engineer’s Micrometer and measured the diameter of a 1973 Linn LP12 spindle at 7.120 mm. In comparison the spindle on my Garrard 401 is 7.185 mm. So, 15 microns is not a lot, but would be enough to feel tighter when placing a disc with a hole that is out of tolerance. This raises the question, if different manufactures spindle diameters vary a little, how much do vinyl record producers holes vary?. For instance, Is there a difference between say, older RCA, Columbia, etc with modern vinyl. Does the record industry recognise a standard hole diameter (Metric or Imperial) ? . . . Anyway, as a short anecdote, an old radio D.J. acquaintance of mine in Suffolk who is sadly not with us anymore, used to occasionally use a pair of kitchen scissors to ream out tight holes in records. He said he borrowed them from the BBC canteen one day and forgot to give them back because they were “just right”.
1 Like
No point measuring in metric, it’s an imperial sized shaft!
The BBC scissors were obviously imperial ones then.
I settled on 7.3mm because that was the measurement provided on the product page for the Clearaudio LP Drill.
I’m no engineer and ask out of curiosity - would a German manufacturer like Clearaudio use imperial measurements?
I suspect the metric size is convenient for the hole. Doubt that is the original standard.
The accessories pack for the Solstice Special Edition has one of these tools.
1 Like
I was thinking more of the spindle size on their turntables to be honest.
At least with a tool like this you can’t take too much material away …
I’m new to collecting and can confirm new pressings have the most occurrence of spindle hole issues. Lots of my records pressed in the last 5 years need more spindle drilling than I care to admit.
I’ve just returned my fourth copy of Heaven Up Here. Two were scratched so not played and two had excessive noise. Both had undersized holes.
How a shrink wrapped LP with no damage to the cover is scratched is a mystery to me. QC must be non existent.
Very nice shelves for your lps!
1 out of 5 new ones that I buy are undersized Graham. I use a scapel and twist it a few turns, works a treat.
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.