Setting contact screw

The contact screw should be tuned mostly by feel (throw) and by sound. Ur machine should not ever sound like a minature jackhammer, more like a bee buzzing close to you, the throw is however you want it, whether you are riding the tube or not, your choice on that one. The “o clock” position is just not conucive to a good tuned machine.

I would say try to get the contact screw on your tattoo machine as close to 90 degrees as possible (in relation to the front screw on the tattoo gun).
Let me know if this makes sense.
And check out http://www.TeachMeToTattoo.com/portal
and http://www.OnlineTattooVideos.com
For diagrams of how to tune your tattoo guns.