Turning the tables on vinyl records

May 19, 2012 (WPVI) -- Remember records? Those vinyl discs that we used to play on things called record players? Your old vinyl is making a surprising come back.

Some people use them for Frisbees, some save them, waiting for the time when they will be priceless antiques.

You may be helping out the environment and not even know it, especially if you come from the days when vinyl was the way to listen to music.

Now there's a way to put a new spin on an old time favorite.

Some might remember grabbing their favorite record, placing it on the turntable and letting the needle lead you to that old school jam.

These days, Jeff Davis is literally spinning vinyl in a whole new direction.

"It's not so much as records that play music, but looking at old records as obsolete sheets of plastic," said Jeff.

As the creator of Vinylux, Davis transforms vinyl records into something new.

His products are just one of more than 500 you will find on Hipcycle.com, an e-commerce site for merchandise that is upcycled; it is a growing movement that is a little different than recycling.

"Upcycling is the process of taking materials that would otherwise go to landfills and turning them into new and amazing products," said Andrew Sell, Hipcycle.com.

Products that are repurposed but still remain in their original form. In Davis' case, he will take the round LPs and make everything from coasters, clocks, picture frames, mirrors to decorative bowls.

Melissa Magee decided to get to work making a bowl of her own.

Grabbing a record, she placed a few protective layers around the label and hands it to the pro.

He securely locks down the record, slides it into an oven, and seconds later the record comes out and onto a custom built frame, and we've got a piece of music history.

"There's a great nostalgia and affection for vinyl, and people of a certain age really connect on an emotional and personal level with our products, because they remember their favorite records," said Davis.

Places to purchase Jeff Davis' Vinyl products from Vinylux.net:
1. El Quetzal in Chestnut Hill. http://el-quetzal.com/
2. Busybee Homestore http://busybeephilly.com/

Links:
http://hipcycle.com/
http://www.vinylux.net/Vinylux/Vinylux_Homepage.html

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philadelphia, local/state, melissa magee

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