How to set up my machine

I want to set up my machine that i just got cuz when i go into a shop in my town i dont want to feel stupid that i dont even know how to use my machine. I can't seem to get a job out their and i love tatts so i felt the need to try this as a job but i have to know how to use the equipment. what would a shop do if I walk in with my machine and say hay i want to tatt but i am not sure on how to set up my machne. I have a bunch of tatts but dont know how to use the machine?

try an apprenticeship. you will learn to set up a machine. for now try the search feature, i've covered the basics, take it from there.

I want to set up my machine that i just got cuz when i go into a shop in my town i dont want to feel stupid that i dont even know how to use my machine. I can't seem to get a job out their and i love tatts so i felt the need to try this as a job but i have to know how to use the equipment. what would a shop do if I walk in with my machine and say hay i want to tatt but i am not sure on how to set up my machne. I have a bunch of tatts but dont know how to use the machine?

You got a long, long way to go brother.....set up your machine to do WHAT? Pack color, shade, outline, fast shader, hard hitting, soft hitting, medium hit????? So many different configurations and not just a simple "Here is how you do it" answer to give.

I can give you my two cents, however that's all I have. I spent $500 on a kit 6 years ago and it was a miserable failure. I'm ashamed of some of the work I did back then, even though I've seen some of it recently and it aint THAT bad. Two reasons I failed so hardcore. One reason is my roomates vcr ate the instructional tape that came with the kit, so I had nothing at all to go by, nothing. But the biggest thing, I know now, is that I had the mistaken impression that setting the machine a certain way was the key to do a good tat. The tattoo basics book really opened my eyes and forced me to use some uncommon common sense. I know now that the machine can be setup any which way you'd like, so long as it compliments your technique. Where before I would attempt to set my needle depth/stroke length and all but bury the tube tip on the stencil outline. As for the speed I would turn it up or down depending on how hot the needle was getting in my skin lol. Since I have this new kit, even though it's a way cheaper rig, I'm doing way better stuff, what little I've done. I know now that my style is to watch the needle and control depth with my hand. This gives me a very very fine control.

The whole top of my left hand is a skull that I've gotten lots of compliments on over the years. It's complete with shading and all. You'd never know that it was done with a homemade 'gun' with a guitar string needle. The guy who did it did the entire piece with that same needle, shading and all. His touch was incredible as I never felt the first twinge of pain in the five hours it took to do, the next day, well... That was many years ago when he and I were living in a halfway house fresh outta the pokey. I hear now that he has his own shop now and does tats for a living. I'd love to see him again. I bet you could hand him needle and thread and he could take your breath away. I've also had tats done with a staple on the end of a pencil whilst locked up, again having only a staple did not stop this guy (another person) from doing great work.

I don't have any real advice at this point as I'm learning as well. What I do know from my experience though, is that putting the burden of good work on a 'properly' setup machine is a fatal flaw in the fledgling tattoo artist's thinking. It simply is not true. Break out the alcohol and roll up a pant leg. Cut some blood lines, you'll find your sweet spot. Then in about 10 years you'll be doing big ass portraits on people's backs