Nightliner

run your machines a little slower and yes the skin is thinner on the top of the hand, so watch your depth.

before mags became popular there were flats and rounds. Mostly old timers stuck in there ways still use flats. there are so many better shaders now. Although I have learned through the years that everything has a place and a time; so maybe play around with it and see what you can do. How do you think new things are discovered?

I’ve been using 1″ for 10 years or so and my hands are kinda small. I use it cause to weight seems to balance the machine out and my hand doesn’t cramp up from holding a grip that is too small.

Do you use vaseline or a&d ointment when tattooing? It helps the ink bead up, and gives you cleaner wipes that dont hurt as much. Make sure the skin is really tight, thats important; when the skin is tight you will “feel” your needle popping into the skin. Take your time, and whether you do small circles, or brush type strokes, or a combination of…[Read more]

huck spaulding has one that’s a little cheesy, but it has a lot of fundamental info.

Different shops supply different supplies to their artists, and some don’t supply anything but the space to tattoo in. So, if you want a list of everything , here goes (and remember I’m old and forgetfull,lol)

Machines- at least two, four would be better.
gloves – latex and non-latex for the alergic people
ink cups – #9, #16
Inks – black and an…[Read more]

I’ve always did the grey work first because colors should be put in, where possible, in the dark colors to light color order. If you do it this way, your light colors will come out brighter.

There’s a girl named lisa kylin who sells on ebay (kylin tattoo machines). Well she’s from china, but don’t get scared cuz its from china. The machines are made in iron, brass, bronze, and damascus steel. I recommend the bronze machines. Her machines run from around 50 – 75.00 each. Now most of the crap that comes out of china is really poor…[Read more]

Send me a hundred bucks and I’ll tell you how to build a machine step by step.

jimmy.jpg

This was done a few years ago on my son in law. I don’t get to tattoo much anymore cuz of kidney failure, but I dug this one up. Not the best I’ve ever done, but it’s alright.
7 liner, 7 mag, fantasia colors, talens drawing ink for the lines, black fill, and whip shade.

Just thought I’d mention that you can’t shade with a gun.

I mix down with witch hazel; seems to keep the redness down so tone values show up better,imo. Set out 5 #16 ink cups. pure black in the first one, #2 75% or so, #3 50%, #4 25%, #5 pure witch hazel. That’s not the way I do it, but it seems to work for a lot of people who like to pre-mix tone values. Good luck.

Voltage isn’t what you should be controlling your machine speed with. Spring gauge, and tuning, i.e. hz determine speed. I run most of my b&G machines at between 90 and 110 hzs at 45-55 duty cycle. 16 ga. rear spring for grey washs, and 18ga. for color. I run my liners at around 130 -145hz.

I mix a soft mid tone black in a small dixie cup, then…[Read more]

Most needle manufacturers do put the loop opening on the left, very few put it on the right, so look at the needle grouping and put the soldered on group against the back of the tube so the needles can have better access to the ink. Set up you machine so the speed matches the speed you move you hand, and generally keep the needles pressing against…[Read more]

If I need more ink, I take off my gloves, reload, and put on a clean pair; I mean, they’re cheap so why take chances. I admit to adjusting my power supply with dirty gloves, but everything gets wiped down and cleaned before the next customer anyway. And I’ve had to make minor adjustments to the contact screw for one reason or another, just clean…[Read more]

yep

I get a lot of sh*t from some people when I tell them I don’t bag my machines, but IMO, bagging the machines just contaminates them more, and I clean them after evey tattoo anyway so what’s the point? 80% of the shops I’ve been in don’t, and most of the tattoo shows don’t either. I do however bag the clip cord because it drags across stuff, and I…[Read more]

I wrote in another section that as long as the frame is geometrically correct; meaning the everything is slanted and tilted the way it’s supposed to be, then you should be able to create a decent machine. I would stay away from bolt up frames as these are more trouble than they’re worth, IMO. If you don’t know how to tune your machine, then learn…[Read more]

Personally i don’t like aluminum, but that’s personal preference I guess. Iron, brass, and steel.