The Project book should tell you what the string/weight marks on the arm represent. If you are tracking at 2 grams, there should be a mark where the loop would fit at 2 grams. They should be an equal force. It is really important that the tracking force be correct with the arm statically balance to a null point before you start. The arm should float free, up and down and sideways, before you set the down force and anti-skate.
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If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. I decided to check user error by setting up the turntable again. Lo and behold it now works great. My only guess is that when I was previously adjusting the downforce, I accidentally moved the downforce scale ring from it’s setting. If I’m struggling with this, I can’t wait to try and change cartridges! 
Nice to hear you’re back in business!
Not sure what cart you have (sumiko rainier?), but a steel/iron platter with MM cart shouldn’t have any magnetization issues… MC, yeah, but it seems like it would affect weight more than anti-skate. (I think it would pull the stylus down to the record.)
(That’s why I only use an MM cart on my Thorens TD-124 and its HEAVY cast platter.)
A hard recommendation because there are so many possible answers. If you are a novice, buying a turntable that is already in proper running order may be wise, in which case random tag sale, church rummage sale or CL purchases may not be ideal, even though its certainly likely to be the cheapest, and there are great tablets out there.
If you go to a dealer, you will (probably) get a ready-to-run table (new or used), but it will cost you.
Different websites like eBay is probably not a good idea since shipping is a major hazard – there are a ton of stories about buying a table in great shape and receiving it in pieces because of incompetent packing or outright deception. If you can do local pickup, then eBay is safer.
My suggestion to you is to read these kinds of informative articles and ask around older relatives and friends to see if anyone has a turntable they would be willing to give you. Or check in the sell or buy section here to see if any Vinyl Engine fan close to you has a turntable to sell, or post an ad to buy. You could try this at AudioKarma or AudioAsylum, two other similar enthusiast sites.