How to press vinyl records

From master to lacquer to stamper

A pressed record does not start as vinyl. First the audio is prepared for the format by a mastering engineer, who adjusts levels, bass and stereo content so the needle can follow the groove. Then a cutting lathe engraves that audio as a spiral groove into a lacquer disc, a metal disc coated with a soft lacquer layer.

The lacquer cannot be played many times, so a metal copy is made from it by electroplating. Further plating steps produce a stamper, a metal plate with the groove pattern reversed. Each side of the record needs its own stamper. The stampers are mounted in a press, a puck of heated vinyl compound is placed between them with the paper labels, and the press squeezes it into a disc. The edges are trimmed and the record cools.

Pressing versus lathe cutting

The method above is pressing, and it suits runs of a hundred copies or more because the cost per copy drops as the number grows. Lathe cutting is different: each copy is engraved directly, one at a time, on a lathe. It makes sense for a single test copy or a very small run, and people who search for vinyl pressing of one copy usually mean this. Lathe cuts generally have shorter playing time and different sound characteristics than pressed records, so they are best seen as a separate product.

Dance records often come as 12-inch singles played at 45 rpm, which allows wider grooves and a louder, fuller sound than an album side at 33 and a third rpm. A common rule of thumb is that a full-bandwidth, loud side works best at around 20 minutes or less, so the track list shapes the format.

Small runs and what they cost

Prices depend on the plant, the number of copies, the weight of the vinyl, the colour, the jacket and the type of print. Most plants quote after you give the format, quantity and extras, and many have a minimum order, so request quotes from several and compare what each one includes. Do not trust a single number found in a forum thread, because costs and lead times change.

Plan for waiting. Plants often work to a queue, and lead times can be measured in months rather than weeks, which is why a release date should come after the plant confirms its schedule. Ask whether a test pressing is included, since it is the one moment you can hear the real record before the full run is made.

Can you press vinyl at home

Small desktop machines for making records exist, and some hobbyists use them, but they are a niche tool and the results and running costs vary widely. For a label that wants to sell to the public, a plant or a professional lathe-cut service is the safer choice. If you want to experiment, treat it as a craft project, not as a production method.

Planning a first vinyl release

Work backwards from the date. Finish the master, then book the plant and the artwork, then agree on how many copies you can afford to sell. Smaller runs are less risky, and you can press more after the first sells. Keep the digital release separate so the music is heard while the records are being made.

Selling the records is the next question. The guide to distribution for independent labels covers how shops and online stores get stock, and the page on starting a label covers the costs and agreements that decide whether a vinyl release makes sense.