Playing lathes back is not like playing a regular factory-pressed record, this is mostly because the run-in groove is not deep and it can be difficult to settle the needle on your record player.

The input level of the audio track into the lathe peaks between -3 and -1 on the VU meter of the lathe.Īny more than this will result in wider grooves and distortion on the final cut. At home, you could use a budget convertor like an M-Box - the important thing to keep in check is the output level to your machine. Our machines are fed via our ProTools rig, running through digital-analogue converters that we use for our studio desk. We acknowledge these attributes when mastering the audio and use a mix of equalisation and light compression to balance these sonic elements. Our cutting head has a frequency range of roughly 60hz to 8kHz and the needle we have chosen has a resonant peak between 1kHz and 2kHz. Beware of guitars panned hard left and right! We analyse the frequency content of the track. Occasionally, clients provide us with a mono-mix, which is ideal. WAV file for mastering the track, usually at a sample rate of The cutting head on an Atom A is mono-only. This softens the polycarbonate allowing the needle to easily glide around the surface of the record. To prepare the disc, spray the side you want to cut until it has received even coverage. This particular needle allows us to cut approximately sides before beginning to show effects of degeneration.īefore cutting a record it is important to use a suitable lubricant in order to soften the surface of the polycarbonate disc as well as to prevent friction during the cutting process.

We experimented with a number of different needles: cone shaped, triangle shaped, crystal needles as well as the ever so fancy and expensive sapphire cutters. At this depth the records are more durable and less prone to warping or environmental damage. The discs are thicker than standard records, approximately 3mm thick. Our lathe cuts are etched into transparent polycarbonate discs. Records are cut by hand and in real-time, so every project we work on is a real labour of love. Wanting a solution for short run records for our own bands led us on a journey to buy lathes and to DIY our own runs.Ī hunt through eBay will reveal lathes of all shapes and sizes and various project rigs, The Secret Society of Lathe Trolls message board is a great place to start your search. Lathe-cutting recordings has been around for a very long time, as long as the format itself.

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