How much needle should hang out of the tube?

Some artists will tell
you to hang your
needle out of the tip
of the tube about
the width of a dime.
Others will tell you that the needle should not be visible at all.
Some artists will even work with their needle hanging an eighth
to a quarter of an inch out of the tube. It is all relative to whether
the a-bar assembly is relaxed or stressed when you are looking
at the tip of the tube in comparison to the length of the needle
sticking out. Some tattoo artists prefer to use the tube’s tip as a
guide. This style of outlining will allow you to press pretty hard
on the skin, and not cause too much trauma. It will also allow
the tube to keep the needle steady. However you decide to
setup your machines for lining, it is important that you remember
as a new tattoo artist: shorter needle length in comparison to
protrusion from the tube is better and safer.