Fidelity Research FR-54 Tonearm. ANTI-SKATE???

Exactly. Make that lighter weight and see how it tracks the run out area between grooves. It should just barely drift towards the spindle. 

I’ve never seen an FR 54, so I have no comment on its particular AS mechanism. My only point was that because the anti-skate weight itself weighs 2.5 g is not sufficient data to conclude it is putting 2.5 g of anti-skate force on your tone arm.  The net anti skating force might will be less than 1.5 g which is your VTF right now.  I suggest you examine the tonearm more closely. Maybe there is a way of changing the angle of the string, which also would change the anti-skating force. Also I would check the manual that was once provided with the tonearm. If there indeed were various anti-skating weights for different VTFs (something I’ve never heard of), it should show up in the manual. If it does not show up, I think you are just missing something . I am actually surprised that by now some other owner of an FR 54 hasn’t chimed in to explain what’s going on. Perhaps you can find the manual on vinyl engine, if you don’t already have one.

I did some research for you.  The manual IS available on Vinyl Engine but only in Japanese.  However, there are several older threads on this tonearm that are also mostly to be found on VE.  The consensus seems to be that your impression is correct; AS is not adjustable.  On the other hand, several persons agreed that the single weight provided gives approximately correct AS for a VTF = 1.5g.  So, you should be fine.  In future, you might check VE for answers to questions like this one. I found no evidence that FR ever provided a set of weights to accommodate different VTF values.  Apparently, Mr Ikeda was not obsessed with AS.

lewm,

thanks.

I go to Vinylengine frequently. Google will translate, I have that manual translated, it does not address Anti-Skate at all.

One photo showed two holes in the side of the pivot, where the wire goes into the pivot. I thought, ok, two choices. My arm only has one hole.

I have a hard time believing 2.5g weight is giving only 1.5g outside force, especially as it attaches 1/2" forward of the pivot.

Tomorrow, I am going to put on a Stereo Headshell, 1.5g down. Listen to 3 guitarists, (always my final AS test), and see if it seems to emphasize outer side of groove, effect balance.

After learning something, back to Mono cartridge 1.5g, leave weight alone, mess with it, or make a lighter one.

I like the fishing lead sinker idea, lots of sinkers/line downstairs, but ......

"I have a hard time believing 2.5g weight is giving only 1.5g outside force, especially as it attaches 1/2" forward of the pivot."
Please consult the Wikipedia page on levers.  The 2.5g weight is going to provide much less than 2.5g of side force precisely BECAUSE it attaches to the arm wand so close to the pivot. We are concerned with the force generated at the other end of the arm wand (the lever), at the stylus tip.  Work is Force (F) acting over a distance (s).  W = F*s. According to laws of conservation of Work, the Work done by the dropping 2.5g weight must equal the Work done on the stylus tip (with minor losses due to friction).  So, notice that the length of the arc traversed by the arm wand at its attachment to the string, as the string and weight drop, is much, much shorter than the length of the arc traversed by the stylus tip as it goes across the LP surface.  Call the two distances s for the AS device and S' for the stylus tip.  Because Work or Energy is conserved, F*s = F'(the AS force on the stylus tip)*S'. Because s<<S', then F'<<F.  The force at the stylus tip must be much lower than 2.5g.