Do you have ways to ease use of vinyl?


The reason for this post is to help some of the older guys here who recently said they gave up on vinyl because of its physical challenges. And at 66, I could not agree more. I used to have a two shelves rack for my turntable, which placed the top of the platter above knee height, at 25". To flip vinyl was either bend over and hurt my back, or doing it and one knee and hurt those.
Well, NO MORE.
Late last year I purchased a 4 shelves rack which puts the top of the platter at my belly button height, 40". Btw, I am of average height, 5'10".
What a difference! My back and knees will be forever thankful.
Here is another thing that greatly eased my vinyl experience.
I use an outer ring, center weight and brush my vinyl for each play. This was the process it entailed: Put on the center weight before brushing because I play my vinyl on a bare aluminum platter. Wait until the brushing was done before putting on the outer ring because I brushed the conventional way, finishing by dragging the brush outward to get rid of the dust. Once brushed, removed the center weight so I could install the outer ring and then reinstall the center weight and I finally could drop the needle. Ouf!
NO MORE!
Now I put on the outer ring first, then brush the record taking the brush INWARD instead, leaving the minute dust on the label (and I found out it does a much better job of brushing since the brush moves in the direction of the grooves, inward). Once brushed, simply put on the center weight and drop the needle. Voila!
Easier ten fold.
Another important pointer, the center weight, brush AND OUTER RING must be near the TT and at the SAME HEIGHT. Your back will thank you.
Those changes took me over 50 years to figure out and they have literally made my listening to vinyl experience a dream instead of dreading to flip those vinyl. 
Please share any tip you may have to ease up the physical burden that some older folks here may have about using vinyl. Thanks.

128x128baylinor
@skyscraper
Audio TTW extreme V2 outer ring, about 2/3 of the cost of the VPI and maybe better.
@noromance
Resonance.
Like hobo1452, I sold my vinyl over 30 years ago or rather traded them all in for cd's. About a year ago I decided to get back into vinyl. I had already built a rack and there was this very convenient place on top for a turntable. Of course that led to going mono amps and more rack system and on and on. At 72 though, I am having a blast searching for the vinyl I gave up and adding to the rack. My vinyl flipper though refuses to work as she thinks I am crazy. 
"Audio TTW extreme V2 outer ring, about 2/3 of the cost of the VPI and maybe better"

Thanks baylinor. I’ll look that up today.

I did some research on tonearm pickup devices last night following mwinks suggestion and found a couple of promising choices; the "Little Fwend" coming in first, and the "IntegrityHiFi Trulift" automatic tonearm lifter second thus far.

Mike
@skyscraper,

I don't know what I can tell you without seeing your set-up.  Mine is an older but simple VPI arm base.  The ring slips over the end of the lift.  The actual ring I used was in a small package of assorted O-rings I got in an auto supply store.

The EXACT placement of the ring must be done VERY carefully by trial and error.  It will take several tries.  But once done, the placement of the stylus on the lead-in groove is easy and repeatable.

@baylinor,

Mine is also a TT Weights ring.  They are not the thinnest made.  But ANY ring can ruin a stylus.  That's a chance I would rather not take with  a $1k stylus.
I have a $3,800 Lyra Kleos. The reason I never have any issues dropping it in the right spot is if I have one too many beers I switch to my CD player 😉