Where do you work? Name of studio?..Who did you apprentice under/learn from? What kind of equipment are you using?...TAz

then u either do not know how to tattoo or your mentor aint teaching u rught. this is a technical question and pros will not abswer these types of questions on this forum.best of luck and thanks for the post

sorry i really need to proff read my spelling aughhhhhh!

Won't hear from ol Chewy again will we Don?...LOL!!!

thats an easy one! first you adjust the rotator cuff to a sweeet 90 degrees of sweep, then you take the contact adjustment and rotate it at a 45, to the left, and that should clear up your lil problem we have here.

Now THATS FUNNY!!!!

yeah preffer not to hear from him love that rotator cuff laughed my ass off on that one

Too Funny guys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone know what to do with a blown out coupling stem? It's blowing frequency grease all over the damn place. I thought maybe using a needle stretcher would work but now I have a bamboo ore stuck in my gamgee.

But the clip chord still works quite well Jwerk

Thats an easy fix. Use a jumper from the hermetic contact to the non psycodelic thermister withOUT using any insulation....then crank that bastard to precisly 46.7935 amps and watch the ink fly. Also....to the original post.....Your not going deep enough. I suspect a loss of power and would forget all that nickle dime shit. Heres an easy fix for a weak machine. Set your tube way back into the machine till you have a 1/2 inch of needle showing. Set it for a LONG throw then turn the power WAY up and test on yourself somewhere where the skin is thin.....such as your scrotem. Betting youll get some ink in now. Sometimes holding and pushing on the back of the machine with your free hand is also in order for weak machines (um er GUNS).
May have to start an ASK John section here?
or....free apprentiships 101?

OMG! Laughing...hurts....scrotum....*tears*

NOW THATS THE FUNNIEST SHIT I EVER HEARD ;GOOD ONE;!

Holy Hell!!
Yeah dude that was funny as ever!!
'Scrotum'!!! LOL

LoL I Use To Have Same Problem With My Gun Until i Let the Hammer Kick Back A LIL more and Crank tha juice up a lil but i would neva tattoo my nutz...ooooh (o; ,'

What a bunch of candy asses... I'll give all the tech advice you assholes are scared to give...You must really suck at ink to be so afraid of a scratcher...LOL

And by the way, i think my flux transducer is rubbing against my cryptographic cytoresponder and just making my machine run like its out of spectral decompository stasis! and no matter what color ink i put in, the line is always red! help please!

you guys are way cooler than i thought you were.

i think my flux transducer is rubbing against my cryptographic cyto-responder and just making my machine run like its out of spectral decompository stasis! and no matter what color ink i put in, the line is always red! help please!

you guys are way cooler than i thought you were.

and you're right, "Scratcherkickass", we're assholes because we paid our dues and learned a craft, while you think its fun to scar people in dirty kitchens.

Quote from Elrick:
"then u either do not know how to tattoo or your mentor aint teaching u rught. this is a technical question and pros will not abswer these types of questions on this forum.best of luck and thanks for the post"

Yea, I am sure he was asking for your advice.

If this "Tattoo Forum", is not a place to inquire about "Tattoo Advice", than what should we be asking for help with? Tips on how to fix cars? (Though I am sure you can not offer any advice there. Not if it resembles you writing education.)

The short answer is... They have no clue. If they did, they would have replied with a real answer. Obviously, they should not be tattooing either. Or at-least not posting in a tattoo forum, where people come for advice.

My answer, as best I can tell, from your description, is that your "Return leaf/spring" is not tight enough, or you are running too much power, for the set gap that you have, with those needles. Ink gets drawn into the flesh as the needle extracts, and the momentary gap in the skin, fills with ink that was deposited on the surface from the suction of the needle extraction. If the needle extracts too slow, the skin quickly closes around the needle, and no ink is sucked into the flesh. (Stretching helps keep the skin from contracting too fast, and allows the needle to extract faster, with less skin-tugging force.)

Also, if your power is too high, your coils retain a slight magnetism which holds your needle down longer. This reduces the UP time where the needle should be UP and out of the way, before it swings back down again for the next impact. Reduce voltage, or raise your contact adjustment or move the contact to a less flexible angle on the contact spring/leaf.

Also... Tight needles for Liners can become too tight, and form one giant ugly needle. This rips a big hole, one that can't hold ink. You may also notice that one needle may have bent, which turns it into a razor. Two of the three on the outside ink fine, but one in the middle is just tearing the surface of the flesh. (Rare, unless you use needles over and over. Dispose of them after every tattoo.)

Instead of making one-pass heavy, and causing skin trauma. Use a slower speed, and back-track over lines. The repetitive line working will give you a more constant line, last longer, have less blow-outs, and less voids. (Since you are running it slower, it also vibrates less. Try using around 4-6v for lines. Only use higher voltage if you need it. Do a solid outline once, than backtrack when you finish the outline. The slightly puffed skin will also take the needle better as it is harder, but filled with fluids.

If you are using vaseline on your tattoo's, STOP. Vaseline is a petroleum based oil. It is water-proof. 90% of ink is water. If you are sucking vaseline into the needle hole, it will never hold ink. The Vaseline will highly irritate the skin-cells, and rapidly flush the little ink that enters with protective body fluids. (That leads to fast fading tattoos.)

If you MUST use vaseline, where a tight and large needle-set requires a little more "slip" to extract properly from the skin, only use a light graze of vaseline, and wipe, don't press, it off... (Pressing will push the protective skin fluids into the holes with ink, and the towel will draw the ink and fluid out of the holes. It will also push the vaseline into the holes, since it likes to stick to the skin more than the wet paper towel.)

To the last poster.
Although some of the thing you said "seemed" to be right, your generic theory is just straight up bullshit.

First of: it's not "Extract" instead: "Retract"
Stretching the skin doesn't stop pores from closing, what it does it firms the skin so the needle can penetrate instead of bouncing off the skin.

Tight needles are as good as lose needles if you know what you doing. Saying that such configuration is bad is misleading.

Solid single pass lines exist, especially if you are using a well tune machine. 4-6 Volts???? misleading again, voltage is related to coil setup, spring force, a bar weight/size and needle that you are pushing. I run my liners at 12 volts. How do you come up with those accurate numbers? Straight up bullshit that tries to sound like you know what you doing.

People used vaseline for years and a lot of people are still using it. I use it and never had the problems you mention. The secret is to apply a thin layer, not a blob.

Theories are just theories. What works for you may not work for others.

I'd think JasonD's post is a good example of why we say the internet is not the most reliable place to get information about tattooing, mis-information is as bad/worse than lack of information. Those that really know see thru these post for what they are, the uninformed most likely eat it up like it's fact and quite possibly leads to someone else being messed up by someone who does not know what they are doing. Whether you like it or not, the fact is nobody that actually knows what they are talking about is going to tell you technical information on this site, and all the bitching and complaining is not going to change that. Learn the right way or leave tattooing alone.

I'm with doc on this one. The internet is responsible for horrible work this days!

your gap should be about the thickness of a dime, also if you are using a diamond tip be sure that the needle is riding in the groove, mind your hand position you might be at to much of an angle

while it's fun calling out someone who appears to be full of shit, it is silly to misquote them to achieve your end. ie, the poster mentioned nothing, zippo, about stretching the skin in relation to the skins pores. yet this seems to come up in the next post.


if you're gonna be a dick, do it right.

I agree about holding out answers in a forum, that's what forums are for... I dunno what the hell is up with you guys out there who think that because someone bought tattooing equipment and wants to play around with it themselves like I just did recently rather than be a shops bitch apprenticing, why do you feel so threatened?? Why you guys think your so much better than anyone else and act like its classified info?? You know that is a very common way to learn alot of things, like cars, and like i learned computers, and now i'm fixing them out of my house making $$. I know a few guys who tattoo now and went thru the apprenticing and i'll tell you what I knew all of them before they did that and they all have about a half of a brain between them and not one had any artistic ability and used to get off on my artwork from over the years. You guys who won't answer any of these guys questions are doing it for no other reason than the fact that maybe it makes you feel smart even tho you didn't know either until someone else told you... Tattooing isn't rocket science, and if someone wants to learn on themselves and slowly tweak the machine to get the idea of what changes does what then I say go for it. I've learned so many things that way and mastered in the end that i wouldnt do it any other way. Someone mentioned there's already enuff horrible looking tattoos out there as it is, like it was one reason he wasn't giving any feedback on questions... Like you really care, if it's not on your body why would it matter?? Don't act like your concerned either cuz thats not it. None of you guys agreed with any of the people who did give a suggestion to help them answer their question, just criticized the feedback like one person mentioned and for some reason never proved themselves with the right answer... Also you dont have to work at a shop to tattoo without spreading disease, that part is common sense on the most part which alot of people lack now days. So for you people out there who think they are the "Ask Jeeves" of the tattoo industry... Your not a brain surgeon so get a life!!!

Sexorcist138,
Although I suspect I'm wasting my time responding to your post, I'm going to address some of the issues you brought up in the remote hope it might make things clearer.
First, as to what you said about forums, it's been plainly expressed that THIS forum is not the 'type' you are referring to, it is clearly noted this forum is not about teaching anyone how to tattoo or to supply technical help.
As to the comment about 'shop bitch/apprenticing and feeling threatened' and your comments that you've learned it even 'mastered it' on your own and compared it to learning about computers (and other trades) over the 'net. While I speak only for myself, if there's any 'threat' involved, I think it is the threat to the profession and to people getting so much crap work and diseases from those who did not apprentice which has resulted in regulations that make it more expensive for the pros to operate and rarely address the actual cause, the self-taught 'scratchers'. And, incidentally, the comparing learning to tattoo to learning to fix cars reference doesn't 'hold up' as most states require mechanics to be certified by testing aside from the obvious fact that it's easier to fix a poorly done brake job than to fix a shitty tattoo. Same with the computer analogy, those mistakes are not permanent nor does it endanger anyones health. So, to me anyways, it's like comparing apples to oranges, it does not equate. As to the comment that you not only learned but MASTERED it, damn, you must be exceptionally talented (or deluded) as most real tattoo artist freely admit we are constantly learning
and I can't think of a single well known/respected pro who claims to have 'Mastered' it. I know I don't and I've been at it over 44 years.
As to the part that someone had previously posted the reason we don't answer tech questions being there is already enough horrible work out there and '.. Like you really care, if it's not on your body why would it matter?? Don't act like your concerned either cuz thats not it.' While it is not our body, many of us DO care. Aside from seeing all the horrible work which sickens many of us, many of us ARE concerned, not just about the shit work someone got but, again, due to the potential harm it does the profession but I seriously doubt anyone like you could possibly understand that fact.
Re:'Also you dont have to work at a shop to tattoo without spreading disease, that part is common sense on the most part which alot of people lack now days.' aside from contradicting yourself about the part about 'common sense', considering the FACT that I frequently see pics posted on the 'net of people tattooing off their kitchen table and/or without gloves on, I'd think that part of your rant is pretty well disproved.
Learning the PROPER way about BBP (blood borne pathogens), cross contamination and the other crucial things one needs to know are NOT 'common sense' issues, they must be taught, learned properly.
Lastly, regarding your comment 'So for you people out there who think they are the "Ask Jeeves" of the tattoo industry... Your not a brain surgeon so get a life!!!', there you ARE correct, I personally do not think I'm the "Ask Jeeves" of the industry, which is why I do not answer any
technical questions on this or any 'open' forum for people like you and, again, you are right in that I'm NOT a brain surgeon, I am however a Professional Tattoo Artist, with a very good reputation, a LOT of experience and I DO 'have a life', one I love because I get to do something I love except when I have to deal with people like you and your kind or see the shitty tattoos most of your kind are doing on folks. While I'm sure none of this will matter to you or any of the others who come on here with these self-serving excuses for not apprenticing, I just wanted to express my view/opinion, Doc

Dr. if you know a lot why don't at least teach yourself how to put some nice work on people. Any apprentice with a week of training is at a better stage than you after 40+ years in the industry

If you even think your cowardly, anonymously posted opinion impresses me or anyone else, you are mistaken. Why don't you come into my studio and try saying anything remotely like that to me in person, oh, I momentarily forgot, that would take guts hiding behind an anonymous keyboard obviously don't require.

It impresses me! I've seen your work you ol' preacher and you haven't applied anything of what you say you know. Your work is below average. You have been called up on this in many sites. Just admit it and stop trying. Some people are born to tattoo, some others are born to stay away from tattooing.

I do hope you will forgive me for being more concerned by the thousands of people who do like my work and wear them than a few anonymous posters opinions. Yawn, you and your kind are boring but somewhat amusing in your stupidity, so, bash away if it amuses you, it does bother me or change the facts.

Sexorcist138,

People who are self-taught are not generally seen as competition, rather they continue to make the industry look horrible. I'm self-taught and even I understand that.

Posted by DrJohn the frustrated apprentice from IP: 24.238.123.54 on 11/21/08
Scratchland

It impresses me! I've seen your work you ol' preacher and you haven't applied anything of what you say you know. Your work is below average. You have been called up on this in many sites. Just admit it and stop trying. Some people are born to tattoo, someme others are born to stay away from tattooing.

I was laughing so hard when I read this I missed the part about 'You have been called up on this in many sites' Which is true, but you neglected to mention that those were invariably by anonymous posters who did not present any proof of their accusations and/or by people who I later exposed as rank amateurs who disappeared from the sites after being exposed. I'd be more than willing to deal with any examples you might care to present. I should warn you, unlike you, I am prepared to back up what I say with proof, not empty accusations. Now, if you have anything to validate your statements, bring 'em otherwise keep hiding behind your anonymous email and keyboard in the Miami area and keep typing shit.

I checked Dr's work and I am not impressed by what I saw. However, in the other hand people should care about their own shit and leave the poor old man that can't tattoo for shit alone. If his art sucks, just let it be, but pointing at people's graphic aberrations is not the way to go.
peace!
Matt.

Again, hopefully for the last time, I do not care about the opinions expressed anonymously of the 'net by people who don't present anything to qualify their opinions, such as the works sucks because the lines are shitty, proportions off, etc. It's very easy to talk shit without qualifying it without facts to sustain it and that's all I keep seeing. If you do not care for my work/style, don't get work from me, I could care less and know it's not likely some critic from the Augusta , Ga area is likely to come this far to get a tattoo anyways. I find it rather amusing that some people have so little to do than post such pointless and unsubstantiated shit on the 'net rather than deal with the point of the topic but again, it's easy to talk shit anonymously on these forums, posting phony emails particularly when nothing is posted to qualify the accusations/opinions. Hate on you gutless wonders, it doesn't change a thing or address the point of the threads one bit nor does it effect the validity of what I've stated.

doc, for someone who doesn't care about the opinions of the anonymous, your jelly bellied no talent ass spends an awful lot of energy crying about it. go to sleep you useless fraudulent turd.

one day i might show up at your third rate dive of a shop and teach you some manners, old man.

that being said, doc is right about the whole true pros keep tech talk between themselves. it's the way it should be. if you are worth a fuck as an artist, you'll get an apprenticeship. and, the odd skilless douche like the doc can sometimes squeak in through the out door.

ok, doc, this is the part where you write a fucking miltonic sonnet about how my opinion has no value.

idiot.

doc, for someone who doesn't care about the opinions of the anonymous, your jelly bellied no talent ass spends an awful lot of energy crying about it. go to sleep you useless fraudulent turd.

one day i might show up at your third rate dive of a shop and teach you some manners, old man.

that being said, doc is right about the whole true pros keep tech talk between themselves. it's the way it should be. if you are worth a fuck as an artist, you'll get an apprenticeship. and, the odd skilless douche like the doc can sometimes squeak in through the out door.

ok, doc, this is the part where you write a fucking miltonic sonnet about how my opinion has no value.

idiot.

Posted by noz from IP: 142.162.167.83 on 11/22/08

'doc, for someone who doesn't care about the opinions of the anonymous, your jelly bellied no talent ass spends an awful lot of energy crying about it. go to sleep you useless fraudulent turd.

one day i might show up at your third rate dive of a shop and teach you some manners, old man.

that being said, doc is right about the whole true pros keep tech talk between themselves. it's the way it should be. if you are worth a fuck as an artist, you'll get an apprenticeship. and, the odd skilless douche like the doc can sometimes squeak in through the out door.

ok, doc, this is the part where you write a fucking miltonic sonnet about how my opinion has no value.

idiot. '


Damn and here I thought we'd heard the last of you months ago, guess that was too much to hope for, eh, Canuck? Or did it take you this long just to come up with another stupid post?

As to your implied threat, bring it bitchboy, I'd enjoy teaching you the respect your parents obviously neglected to. Hopefully you are over 18 y/o, I wouldn't want to assault a minor. Call ahead of time and I'll gladly reserve some time especially for you. Unlike your cowardly ass, I do not hide behind an anonymous name or hide where I can be found.

Regarding the comment 'that being said, doc is right about the whole true pros keep tech talk between themselves. it's the way it should be.'
aside from being the first intelligent thing you've posted, does that imply you are in the profession? If so, do post your work/website as I'd sure like to see it as try as I might, I can't find any listing under the name noz in your area in any of the tattoo shops listings.

did you just offer me a blow-job?

you are 62, i'm 32.
you are 5'3, i'm 6'5
you weigh 145lbs with a beer belly, i'm a sleek 245
i have been wrestling, boxing, and practicing judo since the age of 8
you have been smoking weed, doing shitty tattoos and blowing old men for a dollar a dozen since your mid twenties.

i think you know what would happen to you even if someone who could stand upright without a cane came into your shop angry. you are a defenseless delusional keyboard warrioring tool who prays to his dead gerbil each night that no one actually comes and pushes his shit in with extreme prejudice.

instead of blowing smoke (and the occasional flaccid pecker) up everyones ass, why don't you address the accusations that your tattoo skills are rudimentary?

now run along to your little ip search program, (you know, the free one you use that narrows a geographical location down to that place that you will never see because your broke ass has no money) and wash your fingers after rooting yourself in your well worn ass

Once again rather than to answer direct questions you prefer to continue your childish shit spewing but I guess that's about all your limited mental capacities are capable of, as this and your past post reveal so well.

As to your claims about your size and alleged abilities, like I said, bring it Bitchboy, I am not in the least intimidated and unlike you, rather than post my abilities, I'd far rather demonstrate them but if you had any real knowledge about me you'd shut your cumdrunk trap and go back to the hole you crawled out of and be eternally grateful you did not find out the hard way what I am capable of. I'm neither impressed or worried about any of your weak shit, to me you are simply just another anonymous internet troll who talks alot of shit with absolutely nothing to support it and hides behind a keyboard in your desperate attempt to get attention. You must really have a pathetic life if you have nothing better to do with your time than posting such lame shit.

I'm done wasting my time on you, asshole so if you have anything else you want to say to me, bring your cowardly ass into my studio and say it in person. I really do hope you are as big and as bad as you claim, as that would make it a lot more fun to show you just how foolish you truly are. However, I strongly suggest you check first to see if your health plan covers you here and be sure to have all your affairs in order, I don't play games, cumbreath. Are you really foolish enough to even think I haven't dealt with pukes like you in the 62 years I've been around and, obviously, I'm still alive, take the hint or bring it, bitchboy.

you wouldn't last 30 seconds, son. and that includes the moustache i'd draw on your asscheek.

i know what your capable of. i've heard you can suck a turkey through an eyelet.

you're losing your composure, you old diddler.

also, this is the 7th time you said you're done taking to me.

John is the Taz's twin brother. The both share a similar story and in the end they are all fraud.
Watch John vanishing in thin air like Taz did.

after much deliberation, i have decided to allow doc john to blow me provided the following conditions are met.

1)he must shave
2) he must not gaze lovingly into my eyes.
3)he must swallow, but not gargle
4) he must not scrape
5) he must be fully clothed
6) i must be able to see his hands at all times
7) it must be video taped
8) he must hum, but not moan


these are my terms, doc. take it or leave it.

Guys, I AM a professional and have only been working for 19 years. I do continue to learn every day. You can see my work and find me on my web site voodootattoo.com, so I am not hiding from anyone. That said, there are a large number of old timers out there who have been largely responsible for maintaining and promoting the art of tattooing in the western world for the last 80 odd years, Ron Ackers, Lyle Tuttle, Hanky Pankey are just three who come to mind...the list is huge. To be honest, none of them can come close to the quality of the artwork being turned out by the new generation of artists, but that is just a sign of the times. It does NOT mean that they do not deserve our respect and our gratitude. The new generation is stepping into, and filling their shoes, and there would probably be no tattoo culture now were it not for these venerable old-timers. One day you must learn to respect the roots of your art, or you will never truly live it.
So for my part....respect to the Doc!
Just my opinion
Voodoo

doc is not the roots of the industry. he's the chocolate asshole of it.

The bottom line is, regardless of what you tell this guy, he's going to tattoo. He has the equipment, so I don't think lack of knowledge is going to stop him now.

If you guys really think that scratchers are responsible for making the industry look bad, then tell him how to do his lines... At least his tattoos will have clean lines. Who knows? Maybe this kid has talent, just bad technique. Even with an apprenticeship, chances are he's going to take a while to get good at what he's doing. Some people never get good at tattooing.

It's more the no-talent professionals who charge top dollar for half-assed work that make the industry look bad. These days, "artists" who have been tattooing for only a year or two take on apprentices because they need some extra cash. What to you think they are passing on to their pupils? These guys pay their money and clean tubes for a couple of years and all of a sudden, they are professionals themselves. The population of worthless pros is growing at an alarming rate.

i have a question have you tried a diffrent type of ink?

Hi

I feel we should get one thing straight here. No tattooist has ever learnt this art without tattooing many people and with that goes the chance that none of us were doing first class tattoos from the off and a great many of us learnt from the kitchen etc.. Its how you learn, and no one can tell me that the only way is to be apprenticed because technically no one can teach you to tattoo. They can only show you the technicalities. I know, Ive been in this business 26 years.

If you are having a problem with your line, set the needle out 3 mm and turn the voltage up until the machine is buzzing rapidly. Probably around 10-12v. This gives you needle vision. Stretch the skin and make sure you put sufficient pressure to puncture.If you concentrate enough you can actually feel it going in. And, much of this artistry is feeling. There is no right or wrong way, just find a way that is right for you. If you dont correct this within your next couple of months though, my advice is to give it up.

hi all well read most of blog
shit i just got a kit and been practicing
as i got my frist tatt 2 months ago paid top dollar
and its average. so a little advice would help so dont be so stuck
up.im a mechanic done my time, give advice to back yardies
because i am good and fully booked so are you really losing bussiness from kitchen tattoos or poor work
my tats are mine now not some $100 hr colour blind nasty bitch
thanks

Hi guys i had my apprentice show me this thread this morning, and i have to say im not impressed, your a bunch off fuckwits acting like lil girls, i dont give a fuck how old you's are or how long you been in the industry, you need to sort your shit out and stop giving each other assholes, learning artists are always out there looking to swap stories and techniques, to help each other out, just as most of us did, its modern times and the internet is where its at, so stop poisoning this site and start helping, you say scratchers are giving us a bad name, you are giving us a bad name, making us all look like a pack of king dick fuckwits!!!
We're all tattoo artists good and bad, we all had to learn and always will be learning, times are moving and we got to move with them, To anyone who is learning go to your mentor and ask what you need to know, if they dont help you, they're not worth apprenticing under, as for anyone else who want to swap techniques to maybe learn something new that your mentor never learnt themselves blog away, and ignore any fuckwit that decides to give you shit... As for anyone of the shit stirring fuckwits on here grow the fuck learn some respect....

pffft, um, anyone asking technical questions on this wild west ass forum deserves no good advice. if they cared they would be in a restricted application approval forum where REAL artists exchange techniques and advice or there MENTOR, so stop acting like the tattooing gestapo.
the only people offering advice here are hacks that paid a couple grand for a apprenticeship but still sucked too bad to get a real job in a shop, so now they are mad at the world and throwing out any little tib bits they can remember to any crumb snatcher they come across, while hacking and being a hep vender at home, trying to get ANY recognition, even though its not from respectable peers, tattoo artists, or knowledgeable collectors, but rather some 15 y/o crumb snatcher who is giving his friends hep and saying "thank ye mister fer da advice on contact screwz" "now ill be a ill tatty doer like yoo one dayz"

Ummmmmm-----Hell after reading all yer couples talk,an trying to flex the most for..???????ummmmm WHATEVER REASON....
I CANT FUCKIN REMEMBER WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK!!!!
or jus to affraid of what the outcome would be..LOL
sO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT..........
Is there a place where i could go to get a straight answer????
Not sum fuckt up,iam tha best bitch in this shit,,kind of show...
Just an answer PLZ.....PLACE...????.................................................................AWE ..I remember,,,,,,,,,,,,,Is jackson really fuckin dead ???????

To 8byA T-REX6969:
Yes there is a place where you can get straight answers.
From an apprenticeship.

Fuck me why dont you guys out there share your knowledge? you all think you no the lot any questions email me david_weaving9@hotmail.com... there is no right or wrong way to a certain degree every body different ill tell u all i know.. if you ask me a question i need to your set up details.

its most likely your angle.

if you have a good stretch and a good angle youll get better coverage. dont go by that dime gap theory. while the machine is running look at it head on. then adjust the contact screw until you see a figure 8 or a slight space beetween the bouncing balls.

as far as voltage goes. there is no one voltage. all machines and coils are different. voltage controls the thrust power,force of the machine. when your setting your voltage, before you start your tattoo. make sure the machine slightly bogs down when you touch the armiture bar with your finger while its running. this will prevent the needle from going to deep. this could depend on hand speed,needle grouping,stretch and toughness of skin. it needs to hit hard enough to penetrate, but at the same time hit soft enough to bog down at the right depth.

the speed is controled by the rear spring. the stiffer the spring the faster the machine will run. if your machine is running fast you need to move your hand faster. it will seem your going to deep, but with the perfect voltage and hand speed timing, youll find that if you pull a line with a consistant timing it will go in nice. the boging down will stop you from getting blow outs and inconsistant line weights.

there is alot more to learn then this, but it should get you going in the right direction.

Dude I think you are using a rubber band on your needle, because of which it hits softer you got to stop using it. If this does not work JUST AUTOCLAVE THE MACHINE WITHOUT A STERILIZATION POUCH AND ALL WILL WORK GREAT.

Sheesh, some one asks a simple question, about tuning machines and you jump down thier throats.
whats the big deal? my suggestion is send it off to someone who repairs machines, like Joey D, or Indyirons etc.....
your machine will run awesome, and its beening tuned by guys who respect the trade and dont have rock star attitudes.
coils are the past anyways, so many options now.
Besides those guys who were the so called teachers, probably only cared about how clean he mopped the floor. Its all about art. Help the guy grow, not insult him.

Scratcher this, Scratcher that. The elitist attitudes on this site are really disgusting. Are all of you certain that a person can't learn to properly apply art to the body of a person because they do not have your approval?
Only through slaving for you in your shop will you be worthy to hold the machine, or ask a question here. That is simply egotistical and ridiculous.
Sanitation is very important, but is also something that can be explained. The process of tattooing is also complicated, but explainable. How to adjust a machine is not complicated, but is explainable also.
This is the absolute pinnacle of conceited individuals I have encountered in quite some time. This is the first and last time I will post.
My 18 years of "scratching" will keep me warm tonight.