I'm not at all clear on how a record weight or clamp could affect record wear. A clamp should not affect the motor in any way. A good clamp should first provide better contact between the LP and the platter or mat. It should also flatten slightly warped discs. I haven't used the Michell clamp but I suspect it does a fair job at the former function. I doubt it can manage much in way of the latter; but you'll need a table with a dedicated spindle/clamp mechanism (or vacuum hold down) to begin to really take warp wow out of most discs. Buy the clamp and try it on a slightly warped disc. If you see the woofers of your speakers moving less with the clamp in place, it's helping.

A record weight might affect bearing wear to a small degree but typically not enough to be of concern for the average listener with a decent table.

I agree- a good clamp is essential to a serious TT setup. Various materials seem to also act a sink to micro vibrations and in some cases, if it's heavy enough adds some inertia to the whole platter aasembly. Mostly it just gives better contact and prevents and slipping. If you have a felt mat then be careful about not over tightening the clamp or you might get uneven pressure. Speaking of mats- I got the Funk Firm Acromat and was amazed at the drop in noise level and increase in detail. Well worth the upgrade.

http://www.needledoctor.com/Funk-Firm-Achromat-Universal-Record-Mat?sc=10

Not laying flat I suppose means warped. You're asking a question that is somewhat irrelevant. The disc is warped, therefore, it has already been damaged. The amount of increased wear on such a disc is not the issue. But as the stylus tracks the rising side of the warp, stylus pressure increases. The good news is as the stylus tracks the falling side of the warp, stylus pressure decreases. Depending on the disc and the cartridge, either too low or too high a VTF might cause a slight increase in groove wear. I suspect that if the disc is warped so badly as to cause a severe increase in tracking pressure, there are other issues of concern. As I said, watch the woofers in your speakers when you play a warped disc.

Forum member Buddha offered this helpful and thoughtful post:

Quote:
The SOTA clamp is my favorite, and can be easily had at retail.

Another very very nice clamp was made by Merrill, and shows up here and there. I couldn't find one on Ebay or Audiogon right now, but it's worth looking around for. Be sure to look for the old reflex clamp...it's better than their current clamp.

Best wishes.