| Every profession has tools of the trade, and the tattoo | | | | outlining, some are for shading to varying degrees and |
| industry is no exception. All the ink, flash, stencils and | | | | some create a solid fill. The general mechanics of a |
| needles in the world would be worthless without the | | | | tattoo gun are fairly simply. In fact, some inventive |
| tattoo gun. Your tattooist will definitely know what | | | | person could put one together at home with parts of |
| you're talking about when you used the word "gun", but | | | | things you probably have lying around the house. |
| it's a generally thought of as an amateur term. | | | | There are several very good reasons you should |
| Professionals usually just say "machine" or use the | | | | never, ever do this, injury and disease to name just |
| term "iron". | | | | two, but since when has that stopped everybody? |
| The first tattoo machines where based on something | | | | * An ink pen |
| Thomas Edison (that's right, that Thomas Edison) | | | | * Guitar string |
| invented in the year 1876 called the Autograph | | | | * A tooth brush, or something similar (you'll see in a |
| Engraver. The device was originally meant to be an | | | | minute) |
| engraving machine. The design was improved upon | | | | * The eraser from the top of a #2 pencil |
| some years later by a man named Samuel O'Rielly | | | | * A small, battery operated motor, like what would be |
| who came up with and needle and rod system and ink | | | | in a hand held cassette player |
| reservoir. The modern day machine has evolved quite | | | | * Tape, or some sort of adhesive to hold it all together |
| a lot since O'Rielly's version. The first apparatus | | | | * Some sewing needles |
| resembling the current model was so heavy; it was | | | | First you take four or five inches of guitar string and |
| often mounted to the ceiling with a spring so that the | | | | bend a little bit toward the end. Next, you remove the |
| majority of the weight was taken off the tattooist's | | | | tube of ink from the pen. Cut it down to three or four |
| hand. | | | | inches long, then remove the brass ball at the end, |
| The version used today allows for much more | | | | making sure the opening created is large enough for a |
| precision in depth, saturation, everything. In fact, the art | | | | needle to pass through. Insert the needle into the tube. |
| of tattoo application has become so precise that | | | | Then decapitate the toothbrush. Use a lighter, or some |
| dermapigmentation, or applying permanent cosmetics | | | | other flame to heat the plastic just until it's soft enough |
| to the delicate skin of the face and eyelids is possible | | | | to bend, and then do so in an L shape. |
| and popular. The gun works on an alternating current | | | | Then, use your adhesive of choice to join the tube |
| system, similar to a sewing machine. The needle | | | | needle combo to the long end of the L. Gently push |
| moves between 80 and 150 times per second, | | | | the eraser onto the motor's shaft, getting it as |
| speeding up the process, cutting down on skin irritation | | | | centered as possible, then attach the motor to the |
| and allowing the artist to work without moving very | | | | short end of the L. Stick the bent end of the guitar |
| much so that his hand remains as steady as possible. | | | | string should be pushed (off center) into the eraser, |
| The needles are soldered into tubes in all different | | | | and the other end should go through the tube and |
| numbers and arrangements. The purpose in having a | | | | attached to the needle. The thinner the tube, the more |
| variety of configurations is the same as a more | | | | control you will have over the gun. Now that you know |
| conventional artist having more than one paint brush. | | | | how to manufacture a tattoo machine, DON'T! |
| Each one produces a different effect. Some are for | | | | |