Anti skate question for Rega P8/RB 880 arm

After many years, I started using an lp with a smooth surface, no grooves, like this

https://recordblanks.com/product/anti-skate-calibration-record-pre-order-calibration-records-will-ship-july-6th/

you may have all this done, if not, for others following

get needed tools, you can learn to do this yourself if you don’t have the skills yet:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07794JXYZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HF9PEA4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N9TRSPC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-8501-Featherweight-Mirror/dp/B000RZQI68/ref=sr_1_17?dchild=1&keywords=small+mirror&qid=1598463376&sr=8-17
https://www.amazon.com/Hudson-Hi-Fi-Azimuth-Protractor-Bundle/dp/B07S3Y7FXS/ref=sr_1_21?dchild=1&keywords=tonearm+alignment&qid=1598463969&sr=8-21

I have one of these specific for my tonearm, but there are enough marks for any tonearm
https://www.amazon.com/Zripool-Turntable-Tachometer-Calibration-Stroboscope/dp/B07QNVF74Y/ref=sr_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=lp+strobe&qid=1598464313&sr=8-13

If you have OCD, you can buy fancier stuff, but those will get you there.

1. zero anti-skate for everything, anti-skate last

2. after very careful alignment of

overhang, distance stylus tip past the spindle (specific for each tonearm)
two null points, horizontal alignment in arm/headshell, view from top
azimuth, vertical alignment down into the groove, view from front
VTA, vertical tracking angle, cartridge maker specifies, view from side
SRA, Stylus Rake Angle is what you are really going for when getting vta correct
VTA/SRA involves precise adjustment of height of tonearm

3.. tracking force, use digital scale

4. finally/last: anti-skate
add amount equaling the tracking force, just to see if your arm anti-skate is accurate, as will be revealed by:

place stylus tip in center of smooth lp, spin by hand, see if moving out/in/ stays essentially where it was.
refine adjust for 2 movements
a. place tip near where inner grooves typically are. manually spin. in a bit is ok, out, lessen as till in a bit.
b. then double check action when stylus starts from where center of grooves are, not out, not in too quickly.

5. test record if you must,

6. I prefer this LP for final verificarion

https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/5862108?ev=rb&sort=condition%2Cdesc

side two, tracks 2 and 3, all 3 guitarists play, you know and can try/make AS adjustments listening to the imaging, if right you will hear john in the middle with greater clarity/separation from paco to left, al to right. listen not only to paco and al for volume and imaging,also listen to the audience for general wall of sound.
.................................
if you have room to place this between your arm and edge of platter, this is terrific end of play lifter.  it fit for my main 12.5" arm, no room for my 9" arm, base too close to platter.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HKX6WL7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this weight is reasonably priced

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT618A-AT618a-Disc-Stabilizer/dp/B07HB2LDYT/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=audio+technica+weight&qid=1598464704&sr=8-1

Oy.

Elliott- are you kidding me? No dealer I know goes to that level of insanity. I think you do have OCD even if you don't go down to the second level of your instructions.

I just had a simple question - the tracking was set up by someone at VPI (Van den hul's new US distributor - who were all very nice despite seeing an archival's product invade their facility - one guy even said he thought my table was very cool - not sure if he still is employed there) who builds their tables who used a digital scale - I guess done to your step 3. All I want to know is in general guidelines for anti skate because of all the conflicting information. If you look at the anti skate mechanism for the RB 880, it is a very imprecise slider - can't be exactly sure where you are between 0 and 1. It's not a knob with tiny gradations like tucking force.

In your vast experience after doing all of your steps above in many scenarios, where do you see the best level for anti-skate ending up? A Rega answer would be most helpful, but all your testing end results (not process) would be nice to hear. A percentage of tracking force, an absolute number, start with zero....? I will not be changing it once I have it set to adjust for specific albums, types of music, etc. I am not a tweaker - I like to set it and forget it.

sokogear OP

I would like to provide you with a few links that discuss everything you ever wanted to know about skating force. It is an easy read and has some very informative videos along with it. The best information I have ever read on the subject.

https://www.wallyanalog.com/post/skating-anti-skating-the-basics

https://www.wallyanalog.com/post/skating-force-offset-angle-part-1-of-2

Sounds like they are trying to sell some kind of product, but the bottom line is they are closer to what the tru lift guy is saying versus what Rega is saying. Since seeing a gradation of even 10% on the slider is tough, I'll keep it around .3-.4 or so, in line with what Van den Hul recommends.