I grew up with a dad that does tattoos for a living, which is probably why I decided to try it a couple of years back. Of course, the first equipment I worked with was my father’s, however, after a few successful tattoos, I noticed that my hand started getting tired because of the weight of the device, which is when I realized that I need a tattoo machine of my own.
If you’re in a situation where you want to purchase a new tattoo machine, you may be confused and overwhelmed by the number of choices you could opt from. Luckily, our article below could help you, so without further ado, here are our top five pieces of advice for buying your first tattoo machine:
1. Learn More About The Types, Materials, Weights, and Shapes
Trust me, you won’t want to experience a tattoo gun breaking in the middle of a session, mostly because this could damage your client’s skin and tattoo, and it’ll most definitely damage your reputation as well. Because of this, one of the most important things that you must ensure is that you opt for an option that is reliable. Thus, you should opt for a machine that is manufactured from iron, bronze, steel, or brass. These materials are quite strong and durable, thus, you won’t need to worry about their quality.
No matter if you’re a complete beginner or if you’ve been tattooing for several months, you’ll spend hundreds, if not thousands of hours working on the designs people want. This is one of the reasons why you shouldn’t utilize a gun that is too heavy and bulky, mostly because it’ll get your hand tired quickly. Heavy machines can lead to the carpal tunnel as well, so, when browsing through the options you have, ensure that you check the weight of the devices as well.
Lastly, my hand are small, which is why I cannot really choose to buy a bulky and large machine, instead, I always opt for something smaller that’s comfortable for me to hold. Some devices will come with a few grip options, so, before choosing the first one that comes up in your search results, you should hold them and see which size fits you nicely. Not selecting the correct size will most likely affect the rate of your piece – which is something you’ll definitely wish to avoid.
2. Rotary, Coil, or Wireless?
Another factor that you’ll need to determine is whether you should get a rotary, coil, or wireless device. Rotary machines seem to be gentler on the skin than coil options, and they’re also quieter. Coil guns have been dubbed the most useful machines out there due to their design and easily replaceable part, yet, you’ll need to tune them whenever a client requests a tattoo – which can sometimes be time-consuming.
Last, and, perhaps, my personal favorite is a wireless tattoo machine. Not only will they have batteries that’ll allow you to work for hours, but they are also completely wire-free, meaning that you could move smoothly and without any hindrances. Also, most wireless machines are simple to set up and the needles could be replaced simply, thus, you won’t need to spend a lot of time fixing everything. If you wish to see some of the machines you could buy, visit here.
3. Consider How Much You Can Spend
You probably know that such a machine can cost from one hundred dollars to more than a thousand, hence, before you start looking for something suitable for yourself, you should ensure that you actually determine how much money you can spend. How much you’ll have to spend will depend on a wide array of factors – like the device type, features, and so on – so, it’s important that you determine your budget, and more importantly, stick to it!
Another thing worth mentioning is that you should think about the other equipment you’ll require. After all, you cannot begin tattooing people without extra needles, cups, tubes, gloves, ink, and other supplies, and although these items will have to be purchased from time to time, consider how much you’ll require to spend on them as well. By doing so, you could ensure that you start your business, without spending more than you can.
4. Do You Require Two Machines?
Any tattoo artist out there will have more than one machine, mostly because they’ll require it for different techniques. However, as a novice, you may not want to purchase two devices at the same time, especially since you’ll have time to determine which one is actually suitable for you. Once you get accustomed to the machine you opted for or when you determine that your skills are getting better, you can always purchase a new machine that you could utilize for trying new things.
5. Know Which Supplies You’ll Require For The Device
Lastly, it’s important that you learn which supplies you’ll have for the device to be usable. For instance, the needles you’ll require for a wireless gun are different from the ones for a rotary device, and the costs will vary as well. Hence, you must ensure that you know what you’ll require, mostly because this could influence your budget, as well as the decision to buy eternal tattoo ink online and purchase one of the machine types we’ve mentioned above.
It’s worth mentioning that it might be best if you talk to an experienced artist, mostly because they’ll be able to give you some really useful advice when it comes to purchasing your first tattoo gun. Most artists will be glad to assist you and don’t forget, you could also use social media platforms to join communities and groups of artists that are always welcoming and beneficial to newcomers to the industry.
Conclusion
Opting for a tattoo machine can be quite confusing and daunting, especially if you’re just starting out, however, it doesn’t need to be like that. If you follow some or most of the advice we’ve mentioned above, you won’t only make the entire process simpler, but you’ll also ensure that you opt for a device that is fitting for your hand.
Since you’re now well aware of all the factors you have to consider before purchasing a tattoo gun, you shouldn’t spend any more time browsing through articles similar to this one. Instead, you may want to start browsing various brick-and-mortar companies so that you could find something that fits your requirements and budget!
