Capacitor
An electronic component that regulates the coils
Coil
Create the impedance or resistance used to properly regulate the machines speed
... [Show More] and power
Contact screw
Connects with the front spring/armature bar and the settings of this part with the distance between the armature bar and coils longer or shorter. Contact screw is the stationary contact point for the front spring.
Front Spring
Part that is constantly in contact with the contact screw
Back spring
Attached to the frame, front spring and armature bar, provides up and down motion of the needles.
Rear binding post
Fixes the coils to the clip cord power from the power supplies.
Top Hat Gromment
Part that helps needle to become steady on the armature bar
tube clamp
For tubes and tips. Can be too small for some tubes and needs replaced after repeated use.
yoke
Regulates the height of the coils
Armature bar (A-bar)
The steel mass for the magnetic pull
Rotary tattoo machine
Contains small motor encased in the tattoo machine itself which moves the attached needles up and down consistently without a break in the circuit.
Skin scribes
A special marker pen used for drawing on skin freehand.
Thermafax paper
Used to create stencils that are to be applied to the skin prior to tattooing.
Clip cord sleeves/machine bags, white bottle bags
A thin plastic barrier that goes over a clip cord in the form of a sleeve.
foot switch
Turns power supply on or off, allowing the artist to control the tattoo machine with their foot.
Clip cord
Cable used to connect a tattoo machine to the tattoo machines power supply.
Tattoo needle basic overview
Diameter, needles taper, amount of needles soldered to the needle bar, configuration of the needles soldered to the bar.
Cartridge needles
Has needles molded into a plastic bar (as opposed to soldered to a needle bar) and is encased in a cartridge
tubes
Plastic disposable tube that connects to the cartridge needle
A- bar & rear coil aligned
1.5 is standard, 1.25 is too long
A-bar flat on front coil, rear coil
Has between .010 - .012
A-bar should be
Plain steel, no chrome
Do not allow front spring
To hang over the rear of the a-bar
Contact screw(end)
No sharp edges on contact screw end ( should be rounded, very smooth)
Short front spring faster, same spring with high angle will be fast
A lower angle makes it slower and a SOFTER HIT
Rockwell Scale
48-51 on scale for spring stock.
No matter spring length
Screw should hit at the end of the spring
Stainless steel, super sharp
Needles will penetrate skin with little effort
.20 (twenty thousandths)
Thickness material standard for front
.18 (eighteen thousandths)
For the rear
Brass screws
Highly conductive(full of copper)
Silver
Tends to mushroom and widens the spring gap, which causes tuning problems.
Use high level disinfectant
To clean the screws and spring
Jagged edges
Cause vibrations
Causes of rattle in machine
1. A bent saddle (worst)
2. A poorly cut top coil
3. A twisted spring (rear)
4. A bent side arm
5. An angle on A-bar bottom
No aluminum
Cans, paper, brass, or other non-ferrous metals. If you must, use spring steel.
Thick 5/16 diameter
Binding posts made of brass or bronze (very conductive)
Brass thumb screw
For contact screw lock down. Copper is 100% conductive
Non-ferrous metal
Use as frame with non-ferrous yoke under coils, will get hot FAST
A-bar setup
Leverage is key factor
Alignment over rear coil
Rear over hang of coil is fine. A longer A-bar has more leverage. Leverage key when it comes to A-bar choice.
Chrome coated A-bars
Do not function as well as plain steel or iron A-bars.
1018C steel
Does not dent inward as easy as iron. 1018C lasts indefinitely.
Rubber grommets
Are best, "hat" style
Rubber
Stops vibration.
Copper
100% conductive but soft.
Machines with steel screws for contact
Steel is no good. It sparks and can wear out your front spring quickly.
Machines have 6-32 threaded screws, some have 8-32
8-32 better because it is thicker and helps dampen vibration.
Machines that rattle
Simple as cleaning contact screw or sanding it smooth.
Common myth that contact should have a flat end.
If screw is at an angle, which is almost always the case, you wont be able to turn the screw if you want to tune it.
Binding post purposes
1. Electrical contact from the soldering lugs to the contact screw.
2. Holding and placement of the contact screw
3. Positive contact for power (rear)
Washer on screw insulator and before soldering lugs
Helps keep the binding post at an exact 90 degree angle to the frame
Half inch wide spring stock
.018 in rear, .020 in front
Shorter front spring
Better on liner. Don't want a high angle because this will shorten your stroke and ability to lengthen the stroke.
Lower angle
Widens powerband (or amount of voltage) beneficial for using different techniques with same machine. Very low spring angle will cause machine to be spongy and weak.
Rear spring is most important for tuning
.020 for front spring, because it is thicker.
Cutting spring shorter
Not ideal because it can be loud and rattley [Show Less]