This is very important and worth repeating. Open end of the needle bar loop is always away from you and is designed this way. Needles must always ride against bottom of the tube tip (the trough) and this ensures this. Look into open end of tube in the manufacturer’s set-up machine. Observe that the bar itself is on top of the needle group and is soldered that way. The needle group rides undemeath the bar against the back of the tube. When the open end of loop is away from you, needles automatically will be positioned against the bottom. With open loop facing away from you, you can tell at a glance if the needles are properly placed or not. It is impossible to do any kind of good tattooing any other way. (i.e., with needle bar positioned differently.)
With open end of loop facing away from you, slip the loop over the tape covered knob on the armature bar. It should be a fairly snug fit. Then place rubber bands over the needle bar like the way the machine carne. Use one, two or three bands to put tensión on needle bar, and keep them as low down on the machine as possible (see drawing Side View).
Now that the machine is basically put together, the tube has to be finally adjust-ed. This will vary the length of the needle tips that are exposed when coming out of the end of the tube. Press the armature bar down against the coils and hold it. Loosen the set screw and adjust tube either up or down to allow needle tips to protrude out the end between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch when the armature bar is fully pressed forward.

Posted on July 30th, 2008 by admin
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Assembly instructions are about the same in reverse as the disassembly instructions, but let’s go over a few important detaüs.
Slowly insert sterilized needle bar into sterilized tube. Be extremely careful not to bump the tips of the needles against anything, including inside tube walls or edges. Then insert tube (with bar inside) into the frame hole. Finger tighten the locking screw.
At this point, let’s recall a couple of facts. For sanitary reasons and ink clogging, the tube tip is semi-cut away. This is an open-sanitary tube. This opening must always be facing forward of the machine, not to the rear of it or sideways. Make sure when inserting tube into frames that the open section of the tube is always facing squarely forward, then finger tighten the set screw.
Notice that the needle bar has a loop on the end. This loop slips over a piece of tape molded onto the end of the armature bar. (If the tape needs replacing, use a piece of white surgical cloth tape about one inch long and mold it around the bar.) The loop has an “open” end. When machine is facing left (tape on left, coils and frame to the right), the open end of the loop is always away from you (or when held straight front view, the loop is always to the left).

Posted on July 30th, 2008 by admin
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Now that the machine set-up has been explained, needles and tube disassembly will be discussed. Begin by loosening the machine screw which is located where the tube meets the frame. This will loosen up the tube by easing the pressure on it by way of the machined slot in the front of the frame. If tube is a little snug, a light prying in the jaw gap will open up the hole. This screw can be in all different varieties, according to the machine: Wing nut, sunken head, alien or even “quick-release” models, but their function is still the same, to apply adjustable pressure on the tube to cause it to lock up.
The next step after the lock screw is loosened is to lift the rubber bands up off the needle bar. Pick them up and over the needle bar and place them around the contact screw, out of the way.

Next, pop the needle bar loop off the taped armature bar protrusion. When this is done, work out the tube with the needle in it. When tube is free of machine, lift out the needle and place it in a steel tray. Once again, when handling needle bars, use caution at all times. Whether inserting needles in tubes or removing them, be extremely careful not to touch the points to any surface so they won’t be damaged. The needle bar and tube are now free to be sterilized.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
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Take a hold of a new tattoo machine. With the tube to the left and the coils going to the right, let’s study a couple of things. Study the Parts Diagram to learn just what an armature bar, springs, coils and contact points are. Notice the spring and contact points on the armature bar. Observe the loop on the end of the needle bar and where the tube enters the frame and the rubber bands. Finally, check out the tube tip with the needle tips retracted inside the tube end. Now, fully depress the armature bar against the coils. The needles move downward. Observe the gap being created by the contact point on the spring being separated from the contact screw and the length of the needle tips that are coming out and being exposed out of the tube tip. This is the electrical motion of the tattoo machine when it is being operated. Get familiar with this motion and understand it because it will come in handy when disassembly and assembly procedures are explained.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
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This chapter requires some careful study since it covers a simple but important process. This process is putting needle bars in tubes and adjusting the tube, bar and machine for proper tattooing. This will become second nature after awhile. Never, ever rush this process because if you’re not paying cióse attention to what you are doing, the needle tips are going to get all damaged. You are going to have to do this every time the tubes and needles are sterilized and the machine has to be put back together. If business is good and proper sterilization is done, you could be assembling machines several times a day.
Tubes and needles should be sterilized the fírst thing in the morning, assembled and wrapped in clean tissue until needed later in the day. Since this process is done for every tattoo (sterilization, assembling the tubes, needles and machines), it is easy to see how a person would rush this process, especially if people are waiting. (In this day and age, you have an obligation to every customer to be sure that this procedure is done correctly).
The key is to be absolutely familiar with the correct assembly process and make it a point to concéntrate every time the tubes are assembled.
New machines bought from suppliers should arrive properly set-up, but the tubes and needles are not sterile. They still have to be disassembled and sterilized. They should be studied to get familiar with a properly set-up machine. It is a good idea to buy at least two machines in the beginning. This way one will be already assembled from the manufacturer as you take the second one apart. This will be a good guide in case you forget how they go back together. Hopefully, any confusión here will be avoided with the information presented in this chapter.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
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Some tattooists prefer light machines and some prefer heavy ones. This is why some manufacturers offer such models as “lightweights,” but it should be kept in mind that any machine, no matter how hefty it might feel at first, will take some getting used to. But in the long run, it will feel quite good and stable to use. The heft of a machine also acts as a “shock absorber.” The tattoo machine when being used gives off vibrations and these can get you tired awfully fast. Just like certain stabilizers or heavy barreled guns, the more metal there is, the more energy it will absorb, passing less vibration on to you. This is the idea behind tattoo machines and it should be kept in mind that the heft of a machine can actually move in your favor.
Practice holding machines and drawing with the clip cords engaged. The slight pull to the rear caused by the clip cord has a different feel than a machine that is not hooked up. Get used to this since this is the set-up that will be constantly used.

When tattooing, the hand rests on the skin, just like writing with a pen. The tube is held in the hand like a pen and the rest of the machine is naturally behind and above the knuckles. The palm of the hand is rested on the skin or the base of the work. This is a steady position and creates what is commonly called the “bridge.” The palm always goes down fírst and then the machine is brought down.
The machine is moved around on the skin by using the palm as a pivot. By swirling the hand on this palm pivot, the machine swings easily into position. Sometimes rubbing a little carbolated vaseline on the palm and little fínger makes it a bit easier. Just make sure too much is not put on to cause slipping and sliding.
The Bridge gives a solid foundation for tattooing and must be practiced for perfection. It will keep the hand steady and give you confídent lines. In tattooing, every line counts and the professional builds on a solid foundation.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
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Holding a tattoo machine correctly entails much more than just getting a good grip on it and digging right in.
All needle tubes should be stainless steel and all correctly manufactured stainless steel tubes come complete with a knurled grip on them. Knurling is a machinist’s term used for pieces of metal with lathed on “crisscrosses” engraved in the metal, commonly used for grip-type surfaces. This is what the needle tubes should have on them. Metal knurled grips are much better than plastic or tape. With plastic type grips, the hands seem to stick more to them, and shifting of the machine can be erratic. Metal knurling provides a sure grip but also allows readjustment of the fingers much easier in case some shifting around of the machine is necessary.
The basic hold on the needle tube (already set-up in the machine) is the standard pencil-grip. A tattoo machine is held very much like a pencil or a pen, but with a few differences.
When first holding a tattoo machine, you will notice that there is a certain heft to it. Some say they are downright heavy. Don’t let this disturb you because in due time they will feel quite natural. The muscles in the hand have to-get used to working with the machine. Remember, you will be handling and using these machines for a living and tattoos can take time to put on. Large pieces can take many hours of handling a machine without much rest in between. All of this can be quite tiring at first and this is why you must build up muscles in your hand so you won’t get cramps or muscle aches. Before even tattooing, practice holding the machine as much as possible. Try to constantly hold the machine and “air practice.” This can be done while watching T.V., talking or just about anything. Several hours a night of practice will have your hand muscled up in no time. Muscles build up fast and get used to a routine pretty quick. Still, it might take several weeks to properly break in the muscles.

Posted on July 25th, 2008 by admin
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Tension is achieved by the rear spring. Remove needle bar and holding machine in left hand by the tube, depress armature bar with left thumb and ease it upwards until contacts meet. There should be enough tension so you can see the front spring rise a little more when contacts meet and you release your thumb - then you’ve got it right. You can buy a gauge from a tattoo supply house to duplicate this same tension when you replace the rear spring.
When coils are set where you want them, add a drop of liquid thread to the machine screws the last time you turn them in. This will assure a secure and tight fit. This can also be done with the two screws that hold the posts.
If you choose to wind your own coils, use #24 insulated magnet wire and a hand turned coil winder. Use a point file to keep points clean.

Once the machine is just right, never make any further adjustments. The more it’s run and the older it gets, the better it will function.
On the left side of the machine you will see where the wire from both coils are soldered together. Squeeze some G.E. Silicone rubber into this area to prevent bare wire from short circuiting on frame. As a matter of fact, it’s a good idea to do this all around between the base of coils and base of frame to prevent moisture from entering coils. Use a toothpick to smooth.
While the machine is running, there will be continuous arcing. Most machines come equipped with capacitors to eliminate arcing and cut down on point wear. If you put them on yourself, use one that is 25 volts and 10 MFD. This isn’t critical and you may want to experiment with different ones.

Posted on July 24th, 2008 by admin
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If the tube is tight in the frame jaws, the slot gap will have to be widened. This can be done by dismantling the machine and clamping the frame in a vice and sawing through the gap with two fine tooth hack saw blades. Screw the coils to the frame base and use a straight edge to see whether the centers of the coil cores are in a direct line with the center of the tube hole and the center of the spring hanger. If one or both are slightly off center, loosen screw and insert a thin piece of copper shim on the low side under core. Tighten screw and see how it looks; you may have to shift shim several times to get it right.

When the machine is running, the armature bar strikes the front core of the first coil, but must not be allowed to touch the rear core. If it does, file a bit off the rear core surface.
Whenever filing, first mark the surface with Prussian blue (available at art supply shops) so you will see just what you have done and where you are going. Afterwards, remove filings with a Q-tip dipped in glycerine. On some frames, it’s necessary to remove coil to file.
Also, on most machines, you can move the spring-hanger slightly from side-to-side or back-and-forth a bit. Clamp the frame base in a vice and grasp spring-hanger with vice-grips and bend gently. Armature bar can be lowered slightly by filing surface of spring hanger, which you will have to do after you bend it in order to level the surface.
If points don’t meet to make a perfect contact, you can move side-arm in or out and on most machines fore or aft a bit - be sure the base is tightly gripped in vice when doing this. The significance of this is that shading machines perform better with longer fore and aft springs - even 1/8 of an inch can make a remarkable difference.

Posted on July 24th, 2008 by admin
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If you are having trouble with ink splattering out your tube tip, there could be several reasons for it. A slight splattering is normal. Sometimes it is caused by ink overloading. The reservoir on some bottom ends doesn’t allow for much ink. A square tip is more prone to splattering than a round one. Some lighter frames tend to splatter more than others. Check the tube tips for wear, change them before they wear down to a sharp edge. A machine that is properly tuned and used puts the ink out uniformly and rarely splatters.
By paying attention to these points, you will most likely eliminate any problem:
First, make sure your needle is in the tube right with the needle on the bottom side of the tip. Make sure the open side of the needle bar loop is to your left when it is attached to the armature bar.
Second, make sure the needle bar isn’t hitting the side of the tube as it goes up and down.
Third, make sure the rubber bands are all in good shape and are all pulling evenly. Pull them away from the needle bar one at a time and snap them back into place. Check them to be sure they aren’t weak or worn. It doesn’t hurt to replace your rubber bands every 15 or 20 hours of tattoo time. They don’t cost much and if they aren’t doing their job properly, you can really tax your brain trying to figure out why it’s splattering.

Fourth, make sure your points are properly set. Fifth, look at your tube tips. If they are worn, you will get splatter. Take out the needle and look inside the tip. If there is a groove where the needle rides, file it smooth again. Be very careful not to file away any more of the metal then you have to. The tip is made of soft metal and it’s easy to get carried away. Be careful, a little at a time. On liner tips there will be one groove. On shader tips there will be several separate grooves, like railroad tracks. On the round tips, use a round Swiss needle file to smooth it back out. On flat shader tips and your one needle liner tip, use a square Swiss needle file. If you have to file a tip to get it to stop splattering, be sure to clean it out good with a brush. Sterilize it before you use it again.
The splattering could come from one or all of the above. If one thing doesn’t work, try something else, until you figure it out.
If none of the above worked, change the needle bar to see if that helps.
If that doesn’t work, check the springs and replace them if necessary. Sometimes one side of a spring will break where it’s being held by the screw. It’s hard to spot.
The hard part is, if it starts splattering in the middle of a tattoo, you have to be able to figure it out, or continue with a splattering machine. This will take a lot longer to do if you don’t know what’s going on and your nerves will be shot from anxiety dealing with it.

Posted on July 24th, 2008 by admin
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