New life for old vinyl
They're new, they're fascinating, they're useful, they're green - and they'll strike a chord for anyone who has a soft spot for the glory days of vinyl albums.
A married couple in Kansas have found a brilliant way to recycle much-loved albums, in a way that brings them back into the centre of the household. They turn them into table coasters.
View some sample coaster sets and the manufacturing process
The process involves taking the album cover, gluing it to wooden boards, then cutting and finishing into nine square coasters, which can even be presented in the album the cover used to contain.
Mary and Terry McCoy conceived the idea one summer evening in 2008. Struggling to clear out their home after their kids had grown up and moved out, they found themselves with 100 vinyl albums in such poor condition they couldn't sell.
Mary, who worked in radio in the 1970s and has a passion for the art of vinyl, refused to let the remaining collection collect dust in a corner - and that's when Terry's career as a master furniture maker came into play.
Mary says: "I researched it on the Internet - nope, no one was selling anything like this. And bingo! The Recycled Album Art Coasters were conceived.
"Establishing the process was relatively simple. We've had mishaps in cutting and applying the finish. At first I was using a sanding sealer but the fumes were horrendous. We looked for eco-friendly products throughout the process, right down to the glue and felt pads."
The couple run their business, INOUDID's Attic ("I Know You Did") from their customised basement, and plan to extend the range from rock albums to other genres. They're also looking at wall art and even recycling warped laser discs.
Mary says: "We've created a way to preserve the memories people associate with music. It's like a snapshot of yesteryear.
"We've had some great feedback from customers. People say it's the best present they've ever received. Someone commented: 'To buyers - if you're wondering if the music lover in your life would like one of these bad boys, the simple answer is: totally!'"
Mary believes some covers convert into coasters better than others, citing the example of simple portrait photographs lacking creativity. But they sell well, so Mary and Terry keep making them. She explains the ink used in early 1960s albums make them difficult to convert, although they've found a solution to the problem, and earlier vinyl warps better than the more modern, thinner material.
She says: "I think it's fantastic we found a way to help others bring back those memories. Recently, Hubby rescued some albums from a collector who was thinning out his collection - and the collector ended up ordering three coaster sets."
Coasters are laminated with a moisture-resistant finish and completed with felt feet, and measure around 10cm square by a half-inch deep. They can be presented in the album they used to contain, heat-warped into a basket shape, which can also be used to hold keys, mail or a decorative centrepiece for a desk or table. Alternative options are a birch caddy or birch nest.
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