Machine or just me?

Ok i have always wanted to get into tattooing so last year i decided to give it a shot after about 6 months of research and getting as much info as I could off the net. I bought a kit off Superior Tattoo......not my best idea. I spend more time trying to tune the damn things than actual tattooing, so i decided to spend some money and get the right tools(still working on that but have a few from workhorse). Ok as far as my liner(from superior the raven) basic set up 18g short front spring, and 18g rear spring, smaller than a dime contact gap. I use 5 round most of all. From what i have done so far I have worked out all my basic trouble....to shallow, to slow, to deep. The problem is the how the hell do i get my machine to speed up to match my hand speed? I have tried everything in the world....even changed the springs to be as stiff as possible, but came back to the 18g front and back cus that was the closest to working but still no luck. Should i just scrap this machine or is there anything I can do to get it to work till i can upgrade? My lines come out a few different ways but i know whats causing that. If the line is light im to shallow, and if my line is sketchy im going to slow or have the case of the shakes. But thats the problem my hand just starts to go and the damn machine wont keep up. Another thing is I have been told two different ways to adjust the speed....the contact screw or the voltage? Cus when i turn the voltage up the outcome is not pretty.

The problem is the how the hell do i get my machine to speed up to match my hand speed?

Do you adjust your pencil for hand speed, or paintbrush? Slow down or speed up your hand.

easy fix.

So basicly your saying there is no way to get the machine to speed up without causing damage?

You don't want to change voltage...so that leaves your contact screw for speed. If you are "shallow", why not look at the needle depth rather than machine speed? If you are getting sketchy lines, maybe your needle is bouncing, or you just have the shakes like you said. Do you rubberband your needle? Is it snug on the a-bar? These will affect lines as well.

I use a short throw on my machines because I tend to move quickly. It allows the needle to travel up and down more rapidly and it helps compensate for my quick hand. Look at how far the nipple on the Abar moves when the machine is running. Is there a large movement or is it pretty small? You can bend the rear spring to adjust ths.

If your machine runs smooth, and the needle is the correct depth, but your handspeed and the machine don't match...just reduce/increase hand speed. I had to do this myself. I was moving my hand faster than my machines ran...but they ran well. So I just slowed down and everything fell into place.

I'm trying to be helpful here.

Mark

Yea i use 3 rubber bands and the throw is good and the gap is small so small that if I go any smaller there wont be any throw at all.

Alot of new tattooers run into this problem and I know I did, the issue is typically a mental thing. You have your head wrapped around this piece of art you're doing and you're really excited to be doing it which makes you think you should be just rolling through this thing, this in turn makes you think your machine is not working the way you need it too. However, from the sound of it you've got your machine set up and running the way you need it too. Now you just need to slow down, take your time and enjoy the process.

I used to try to work fast and think that I actually did work fast, but I found I was having the same type of issues you're describing. I tuned and re-tuned machines non stop, hell I even started building machines. In the end I was watching a good friend do a tattoo and noticed he wasn't trying to go fast, his hand speed was slow and deliberate and he flew threw the tattoo. I mean all the ink just went in so easy and smooth. At that moment I decided I was just going to slow down and it worked, I'm much happier with my tattooing now and with my machines.

Just slow your hand down, eventually you'll get comfortable with your machines and tuning them and start being able to work faster. For now though, slow down, it ain't gonna hurt anyone.

There's a saying we have in the Infantry about entering and clearing rooms "slow is smooth, smooth is fast" I've found it applies in tattooing also.

Just my opinion on it, hope it helps

Sweet, ill do that. Thanks for the info.

[canvasyou]

Slow down... work slow... slow down...
take your time
do small pieces -
work slow!
work slow
and best advice????
Work slow

: )
comes w/ practice
and GET AN APPRENTICESHIP if you are serious about tattooing -
you will learn a lot hands on that you can not learn from a book -
even my books!
: P

Great advice, I was using too fast and thinking the same thing, this info has really helped.