Matter of importance: choosing a tattoo machine

The tattoo machine is the foundation of everything: as a key link, it builds through itself the whole chain of a tattoo session. How to choose a tattooing typewriter? A lot depends on the tattoo machine, so it's important to understand what nuances to prioritize. Pen, slider, hybrid, liner, or shader? You can get confused in the variety of types, even if you know exactly what tasks your future favorite should perform. In this article, we will answer the most important questions and help you understand which tattoo machine to choose.

Rotary or coil tattoo machine?

If we talk about the principle of operation, rotary and coil tattoo machines have little in common. Nevertheless, they are united by a "matter of technology": both should provide a reciprocating movement of the needle in the dermis. However, what exactly creates the driving force, and distinguishes the rotary tattoo machine from the coil. Let's take a closer look at the types of tattoo machines.

Coil tattoo machine

The traditional coil tattoo machine works based on coils. Current flows through them, creating a magnetic field and thereby attracting the beater. After going through a complete cycle of breaking and closing the electromagnetic circuit, the striker uses the needle to pierce the skin, introducing the paint into the subcutaneous layer.

Advantages of Coil Tattoo Machines

They have a lot of advantages, the main ones are:

• Affordable price and relatively inexpensive maintenance

Indeed, the coil tattoo machine is much more affordable than the rotary, which is why it is in demand among beginners. As for the service, it is not particularly difficult: in fact, it is a construction set, and a single part can be replaced if necessary.

• Precise results

The division into "liners" and "shaders" gives a lot of advantages: each of them is a professional in their field, which is why a clear contour and dense shading is what even the most basic coil guarantees you.

• A delicate effect on the skin

Whether your goal is to contour or paint, the coil tattoo machine allows you to do it in one pass, reducing skin trauma to almost zero.

Rotary Tattoo Machine

Turning to the dismantling of the rotary tattoo machine, it is worth noting that their popularity today is gaining momentum. As for the principle of operation, it is based on the rotary motor, which has enough power to operate effectively at high revolutions. With the help of an eccentric, the rotational motion of the rotary motor is converted into translational motion, which causes the needle to move up and down and pierce the skin, making the pigment.

Advantages of rotary tattoo machines

Back to the main point: why do most tattoo artists prefer them?

• The key factor is versatility

Perhaps no tattoo artist will refuse to go in the direction of simplification. Especially if the quality is still high because the rotor is equally good at outlining, shading and painting.

• Minimal vibration

The presence of the rotary motor at the base of the tattoo machine eliminates the moment of sharp impact and replaces it with a smooth vibration, which allows the tattoo artist to work comfortably and avoid inaccuracies during the work with fine details. Rotary tattoo machines are quite light and ergonomic, which also provides the necessary level of comfort during work.

• Low noise level and delicacy

Such a tattoo machine works smoothly and does not create noise. Most importantly, you can adjust the hardness and force of the blow to minimize skin trauma.

Main types of rotary tattoo machines

There are many types of rotary tattoo machine tools presented today: for beginners, manufacturers advise to choose the rotary, aka "direct", for the elaboration of more dot details - slider, and among experienced professionals tattoo machines in the form-factor "handle" are getting more and more popular: what only is universal love to Skinductor Vertigo or Vader Pen from "Mustangs"!

Tattoo kit: difficulties of choice

Of course, a tattoo machine is not everything. Tattoo needles, paints, power equipment, consumables... You will need to understand all the variables that make up a tattoo session. Anyway, even for the experienced tattoo master to determine the structure of the workbench - still is a problem. What to say about the beginners: such a variety of categories can turn into a serious headache. And if someone is ready to suffer and cope with it on their own, spending a lot of time on the search, then others will choose a fairly effective "pill" - the tattoo kits.

Both will turn out to be right in their becoming a tattoo artist. However, the latter will simply prefer a shorter and more comfortable path - without unnecessary obstacles and with detailed instructions along the entire route. Advantages of tattoo sets are obvious, after all, they have everything to start practice literally from a box: from an artificial skin for training to a power unit. Agree, it is very convenient.

Today the market offers us dozens of tattoo kits. Hence some questions: what is the difference and which one to choose? It is not so complicated, and the main difference between one tattoo kit and another - is its composition.

An average set necessary for the performance of elementary works is a tattoo machine (one or several), holder, power supply, pedal, clip-cord, simulated skin for training and instruction.

Such a list, of course, is relative, because besides it for high-grade work you will need also consumables, namely: needles, paints, disposable and steel nozzles for tattoo machines, caps for tattoo paints, antiseptics, anesthetics, and so on. Some of them you can also meet in the cherished box of tattoo kits.

On the question of whether a beginner should choose a ready-made kit or buy proven equipment from builders, there is no unambiguous answer - you can train on both one and the other, and the difference between them we have described above. 

Nevertheless, you should always remember that budget kits for beginners are made in China and their only purpose is to familiarize the future tattoo master with subtleties of work through training exclusively on artificial skin. If you want to have a universal kit with which you can quickly and safely go to direct work, there are professional builder's kits. 

Often they include products from the same manufacturer, intelligently matched to each other so that you don't waste time on the nuances of compatibility.