Hildbrandt Configurations…

[Breach]

First, I didn’t see a “General” forum.. so I will ask my question here.

I just purchased a Hildbrandt kit, which includes the…

.44 Magnum – 10 Wrap Coils, Short springs, (an ideal liner or color packer)
.444 Marlin – 10 Wrap Coils, (factory setup as a slower shader, better suited for accuracy)
.38 Caliber – 8 Wrap Coils, Long springs, (designed for a soft hitting shader)

I am guessing that if I modify the .38 Caliber with short springs (instead of the factory long springs) that it would act more like the .357 Magnum Tattoo Machine Liner ??

My thought was that this would give me the .44 Mag as a liner, the .444 Marlin as a shader, and the .38 Cal as a color packer.

Ideas? Comments? Suggestions? Flames? ;)

[Ramenuzumaki]

I don’t know why they gave you them set up like that. when I had talked to them before they had mentioned their .444 marlin being ideal for colour packing. It isnt as easy as changing the springs on a machine to change what it does. The geometry of a machine is made to do a specific job, as well as the coils, capacitor, armature bar, and springs.

these are the sping/armature bar set ups i use:
short stroke liner = 0.019 front spring-0.018 rear spring. light armature bar.
long stroke liner = 0.020 front spring-0.019 rear spring. light armature bar.
shader = 0.016 front spring-0.017 rear spring. medium armature bar.
colour packer = 0.015 front spring-0.016 rear spring. heavy armature bar.

for your contact screw you want it set to a certain degree as well:
liner: 1 o’clock
Shader: 3 o’clock
colour packer: 2 o’clock

so youd need to adjust your spring length accordingly. this is of course for a regular machine not a cutback. I also like to have a heavier machine while shading/colouring as I hold my machine differently, and the weight is nice when packing in the colour. I’d say adjust your Marlin as a colour packer, and use your Magnum as your liner. A slower machine is better for colour anyhow.

I hope this helped a bit if you need more info feel free to ask :)

also check out this thread for the notes I took form a web seminar I was in with Mario Barth:
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=3639

[Breach]

Since the machines came in today, and I read this post, I grabbed the calipers and did some measurements.. Oddly, the specs on the springs for the .44 Magnum was exact, but the springs on the .38 and .444 did not match the specs listed on the Hildbrandt website…

.44 Magnum
Wraps: 10
Front Spring (Short): Gauge = 0.20 – Length of 1 5/16″ (33mm) – Width of 7/16″ (11mm) – Product code: SPR-LIN
Rear Spring (Short): Gauge = 0.20 – Length of 1 5/16″ (33mm) – Width of 1/2″ (14mm) – Product code: SPR-SHRT

That was exactly as stated on the website…

But the springs on the .38 Caliber and .444 Marlin are not as listed on the website.

Specs from Website:
Front Spring: Gauge = 0.20 – Length of 1 1/2″ (38mm) – Width of 7/16″ (11mm) – Product code: SPR-SHD
Rear Spring: Gauge = 0.20 – Length of 1 7/16″ (35mm) – Width of 9/16″ (14mm) – Product code: SPR-LONG

Actual:
Front Spring: Gauge = 0.20 – Length of 1 5/8″ (41mm) – Width of 1/2″ (13mm)
Rear Spring: Gauge = 0.20 – Length of 1 1/2″ (38mm) – Width of 9/16″ (14mm)

I have no idea if that matters much, or if they just switched springs and never updated the website..

[Ramenuzumaki]

yeah it doesnt really matter much. they probably changed it lately. they’ve been doing a lot of updates lately :)

as far as the springs they gave you they just gave you generic springs imo that can do any job. id probably invest in replacing them to match what i said in my post :)
you can buy light/speed a bars from hildebrant too. i use the ones from their site, and some of their springs. i like them :)

[Breach]

Would springs and coils from Eikon or Pulse work on these machines? I read that the Hildbrandt machines were not compatible with standard parts from higher brand equipment. I was just not sure if this was true or more of the elitist crap you read everywhere.

If I need new springs, I might as well but a Pulse or Eikon spring set.

[Ramenuzumaki]

I had worse machines than what Hildbrant sells and I had Eikon springs on. The thing about Eikon springs is they arent prebent because Eikon makes a special A-bar for their springs so they work straight. Youd either have to buy one of their A-bars or bend the springs with pliars :)

[brokenpipe]

Check the site, apparently some of the kits you can get are counterfeit. I know im late on this but i was just looking at these. the site shows you how to tell. may account for shoddy specs

[Ernie Rowntree]

Confused Hildbrant told me a .223 Remington and a short front spring would make a good color packer ??

[Author]

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