Periphery outer ring thoughts ?

My ring is 2.5 pounds; it shouldn't cause problems for a competent bearing.   It works fine even on warped records.  So what if the electric motor works harder to get to speed?

Obviously vacuum hold down will accomplish a similar result.  But it seems that they are complicated and tend to break down.  Reflex clamps are a PITA, more so than a ring IMO.  I used one for many years before the ring.

As for an auto lifter, it may or may not fit.  It would fit on my TT.  But when I want to sleep to music I go digital.

I use a TTWeights ring on my older acrylic-lead VPI TNT platter that is unfit for the VPI ring,  I wouldn't be without one.  It flattens all disks, including those you don't think need flattening, and adds flywheel, which is always helpful.  It's also quicker to place than a VPI screw.  If I didn't have the TTW ring I would buy one from Waynes Audio, the only one currently at a reasonable price.  No connection.

By the way, I solved @slaw "snag a cantilever" problem by placing a small O ring on the arm lift and placing the arm just to the left of it.  I can put down the stylus with my eyes closed,  Would use it even without a ring. 

@jbrrp1 

My clamp is a 2.5 lb sandwich of plated copper with a sliver of some sort of soft plastic in between.  It sits about .01" above the disk.  Made by TTWeights, it was NOS when I bought it about 7 years ago and was an old and discontinued model at the time the company closed.  It is always centered perfectly about the spindle and has worked without a problem for a large variety of recordings over the many years.  I use it with a simple center weight.  Both the ring and the weight go on faster than the VPI screw ever did.

I have never seen a reason for mounting it with any eccentricity at all, and have never seen a record with which it does not work perfectly,  Perhaps you might want to revisit your design.