I'm old enough to remember when owning record players was the norm, but I don't remember anyone pirating anything - they weren't considered expensive. Cassette piracy in the 80s and early 90s - now that I do remember.

However, it certainly was a thing. In the USSR they figured out how to do it on discarded x-rays - which, I have to admit, is the most punk thing ever.

Yes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribs_(recordings)

Bootleg records were a thing in Europe in the days of reel to reel tape as the only alternative. It wasn't so much that people did it privately but people would try to make a buck through re-sale and especially on flea markets where oversight by the law was virtually nonexistent. Rare records have always been a thing. Bootleggers tried to profit off it.

I was bequeathed my parents' record collection of about 200 LPs. One was a bootleg they kept, some rare Beatles stuff. Other ones were thrown away because the quality was bad or would have been deteriorating to a point where it became unlistenable.

I doubt that process would've been cheaper than buying discs unless you were distributing. Very time consuming too.

Even today LPs aren't that expensive if it's not a rare release. ~20€ is a very reasonable price for an album, especially if it's an independent release or a small label. And you can find a ton of good condition second-hand discs for 5-10€

Absolutely, just search for "vinyl" in the music section of any major torrent site.

The Teenage Engineering vinyl cutter goes for something like $150 for a little portable home machine that makes 5" discs.

A friend in college bought a vinyl lathe. It is difficult and you will get poor results without precise instruments.

Glue method was a thing