Let go of armature bar so it springs back up against the contact screw. Needles should not stick out from tip of tube at all, or just ever so slightly. Make sure tube opening is facing squarely forward and tighten the set screw. The machine is now set-up for some serious tattooing. The machine should be hooked-up to run and needles checked for correct movement.
(See previous chapter on machines for proper instructions on hooking up a machine.)
Good tattooing can only be done if the needles are strictly up and down. Sometimes they wobble and quiver sideways when machine is running and this is what should be checked for and remedied.
With machine running, use a power eye loupe to check the needle movement. If there is a sideways motion or a double image of the needles moving side to side, don’t tattoo until it is corrected. The rubber band tensión and a snug fit of the looped end of the needle bar is the way to stop the side wobble and this is done with either tape or rubber grommets. Sometimes a slight voltage reduction will also help. If there is a snug fit at the looped end of the needle bar and there is still a side wobble, move one or more rubber bands in a different position along the top of the needle bar until the right tensión is achieved to further stop the side wobble. Never bend the needle bar. Keep checking with machine running always using the eye loupe to make sure the needles are running just up and down. Any side motion has to be avoided. Each needle should be clearly seen with no blurring or double side to side or up and down images.
When using an eye loupe to check for correct needle motion, it is also a good time to check the needle tips for bad points. (See Section on needles.) This should be a habitual thing because this entire procedure has to be performed before each and every tattoo on both the outliner and the shader. If you tattoo with a side wobble, the needles will rip up the skin pretty badly, tearing it and doing damage that will make insertion of the ink difficult, and while it’s healing, scabbing and loss of color will result. With experience, this total operation takes only about two minutes and it will save a lot of time and aggravatfon Jater when putting color in and when it’s healing.

Posted on August 1st, 2008 by admin
Tags: butterfly tattoos, free tattoo designs, Tattoo designs, tattoos, tribal tattoos

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
Tags: butterfly tattoos, Tattoo designs, tattoos, tribal tattoos

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
Tags: star tattoos, tattoo, tattoo art, Tattoo designs, tribal tattoos

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
Tags: cross tattoos, fairy tattoos, girl tattoos, tribal tattoos

A good way to get some quick lessons in the trade is to get a tattoo designs yourself. This will help you decide if you are actually cut-out for this type of work. Look up tattooing in the phone book and make an appointment to visit the best artist in your área. From the minute you walk in to the minute you walk out, observe as much as you can. Don’t ask a million questions, just watch the artist work. A lot can be learned this way.
A hard lesson to learn in life is that nothing comes easy. Everyone must “pay their dues.” With patience and time you will find that business will increase steadily. This will only happen though if you do consistently clean work. Good habits should be formed right from the start. These habits must be drilled into your head so they become like second nature.
No one should just dive into tattooing. It is better to start off gradually on a part-time basis in addition to your regular job until you are firmly established as a good tattoo artist who is known for quality work. Knowledge of small business is also important, and you may want to follow-up this book with one that deals with small business practices such as bookkeeping, taxes, state laws, etc.

Posted on July 22nd, 2008 by admin
Tags: tattoo, tattoo art, Tattoo designs, tattoos, tribal tattoos