How To Set Up A Tattoo Machine For Lining

Jason Goodrow, otherwise known as "the Goodboy," is a licensed tattoo creative person who shares his expertise with the globe in his articles.

Tutorial for Setting Up a Tattoo Car

José Pinto via Unsplash; Canva

Know Your Tattoo Auto

I am not going to beat effectually the bush when information technology comes to the machine: If your tattoo machine is not set up correctly, or if the points are non maintained for a good connexion, then you are going to accept a hell of a stressful fourth dimension.

In other words, you can't tattoo well if you haven't mastered the bones mechanics of your auto. In this tutorial, I volition tell y'all how to set it up correctly and illustrate the instructions with pics of a tattoo liner I apply. If you have whatsoever questions most setting up your liner after this lesson, please exit a comment. I am a licensed tattoo creative person and will gladly respond to any questions you might have.

What your gear should look similar before setting up for a tattoo if you have an autoclave.

How to Gear up Your Machine for Lining

When setting up your tattoo motorcar, there are a few things to know. Below are the steps you need to accept when you first pick upwards your machine and ability it on.

1. Cheque the width of your contact spiral and front spring.

For machines used to line, the bespeak on your contact spiral and front spring should be a dime's width, no matter what. Most people learn to eyeball this, but if y'all literally have to put a dime in there to become it perfect, and then do information technology!

Your line piece of work can make or interruption a tattoo, and so brand sure that the width is set correctly!

Dime-broad gap in your liner should look similar this.

Check your needles' tips for burs or solder.

2. Open a needle or tube.

Next step is opening your tube. Whether it'due south dispensable or autoclaved, it should be packaged. If this is a step y'all missed then cease, because you just don't want to risk taking a take chances with dirty equipment.

iii. Inspect the tip.

Check that packaged pre-sterilized needle for any burs or imperfections. Look to see if in that location are any bent needles in the grouping. Burs and bent needles will crusade the skin to bleed more and the ink will not flow correctly, potentially causing complications and scar tissue to form. If you run across whatever burs or bends, and so discard that one and open another tube.

Needle in diamond-tip tube.

Make sure the eyeloop on your needle bar is facing left.

4. Insert the tube into the auto.

• Then now that you lot take the needle in the tube, you lot are ready to insert the tube into the machine'south tube slot. Make sure to slide it upwards far enough and then that you tin can semi-tighten the wingnut that attaches the tattoo tube and machine together.
• Now you want to turn that middle loop of the needle to the left, then insert the armature bar nipple. This ensures that y'all put the needle on the armature bar correctly. If y'all didn't, you will notice that no ink is really going into the skin when yous are tattooing, and you volition besides see a lot more claret. Pay attention to this detail.
• Adjacent, press downward on the armature bar to guide the tip of the needle out of the end of the tube. This helps you determine how far out yous need to permit your needles hang so you lot can get the right depth set to penetrate the skin. As a dominion of thumb, let the tip of your needle jut out on its own about i/16 of an inch. . . the stroke of your motorcar should exercise the remainder. Your needle should never go more than than 1/viii of an inch deep into an average person'due south dermal layer.

If yous're not sure you take this right, then don't tattoo on skin. Tattoo on a gourd or melon instead. The melon will give you practice and a better visual test of exactly what you need to do with your settings.

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Apply proper-sized rubber bands for holding your needle in place. This will help stabilize the needle in the tube and aid a cleaner line.

5. Grab two safe bands.

The next thing to do is sideslip two rubber bands around your tattoo machine and the needle. Brand certain the rubber bands are placed evenly apart, every bit this will aid distribute equal pressure to the needle and stabilize whatsoever wobble the needle has inside the tube, creating a clean, solid line when tattooing.

6. Adhere your clipcord.

Next, it is fourth dimension to adhere your clipcord. Look at the photograph below to run into exactly what your auto should look like when prepare.

Your car, all gear up.

All Done!

Okay, and then y'all have pre-tuned your tattoo machine by setting the contact bespeak screw and front spring to a dime's width. You have inspected and inserted your needle. You have your armature bar nipple in identify making certain the eyeloop to the needle is facing your left paw. You've fastened the rubber bands and clipcord. Congratulations, you lot've ready your auto properly.

In my next lesson, I will talk nigh power supply settings.

FAQ

How much of a gap should there be between the contact screw and front end spring?

For lining, the point on your contact spiral and front spring should exist a dime'south width, no thing what.

What does "pre-tune your machine" mean?

It means setting the contact point screw and forepart jump so that they're a dime'southward width apart.

Which direction should the eyeloop become?

Brand certain the eyeloop on your needle bar is facing left.

© 2022 Jason Goodrow

anastacia gonzales on May xviii, 2022:

Ok so recently i got a new tattoo gun because my old one wasent performing as well equally it used to... but anyways i got a new ane and i experience like perchance its not congenital right... when i get to make sure my amature bar and bound are lining up with my tube and contact indicate its lkke well-nigh completley off. I tin can go the gun going simply the contact point bar thing is like hit the right border of the leap what should i do

Jason Goodrow (author) from Washington State on January 01, 2022:

Great to hear... Patience with the machine... Steady speed does brand a huge deviation... It controls how thin or broad the line is... The slower you go,the wider the line faster yous go the thinner and more,faint your lines

Luke Dorrington on Dec 30, 2022:

Thanks for these tips they have really helped I was struggling with faint lines and later on following your advice I think it was either my paw speed vs automobile speed or my setup was incorrect either manner its much better now cheers once more

Mike on September 06, 2022:

Hullo. I really like and appreciate your tattoo lessons. I am having problem getting my machine to work efficiently and I experience confident after reading how to.melody my machine using a dime width gap between the forepart spring and the contact screw will alleviate these issues. I am curious though, when my contact screw is at the one o'clock position the spring is non lined up precisely with the end of the screw, the spring is and so almost an eighth of an inch past the contact screw. Is this ok? I'1000 not certain of the make and model of my tat motorcar, I thought it was a liner auto but at present I am not certain. Thanks very much.

Zackery Bell on April 24, 2022:

I need help setting up my new tattoo gun......

hamish on April 09, 2022:

how many needles is a 3RL

Kris Shanahan on February 16, 2022:

Ive always drawn and lots of people told me to invest in a tattoo gun, I dont rate myself every bit others do but with my nephews piece of work no wonder- i got my 1st gun- gonna swat up showtime, btw if you wa t to meet little kris'south work - his name is Kris Pyatt on FB and insta, @pyattart - he is brilliant!

Kimber on Dec eighteen, 2022:

Love your textile, will y'all get into needle sizes and what to wait from them?

Gary on March 28, 2022:

What bottle can I utilize for the green lather

DeezyDuzIt on December 23, 2022:

What size is the standard needle??

Jason Goodrow (author) from Washington Country on July 14, 2022:

You but need to press your front spring down on the armature bar, you lot will vicious the tension release a bit every bit you practice this... proceed in mind you might get unlucky and be able to do this merely once... if yous practise it wrong you need to replace the whole spring set.

charlie on July 14, 2022:

how do I weaken the spring?

Jason Goodrow (author) from Washington State on Oct nineteen, 2022:

What it might advise is the tension in the sprig is too strong and you might need to weaken your spring a impact... hope this helps

mercedes on Oct 19, 2022:

When contact screw and front spring are dime width autonomously, the automobile won't turn on...they shouldn't bear on at this width, is that correct?

Source: https://tatring.com/getting-tattooed/Interested-in-Tattooing-Lesson-Two

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