Hi help me pick a machine pls

lucid.a · 25 Apr 2023

Helloo quick intro I'm Lucinda from texas, I'm about to graduate and I've decided to really commit to tattooing. I started out with a cheap amazon kit practicing on fake skin, but it's kind of super garbage and has plastic parts and nope I need a GOOD machine. I don't need anything amazing but I'm willing to spend a decent amount of money on something that I can feel confident using to build my skills on real skin.

From the research I've done I settled on the micky sharpz hybrid, but it comes in brass, iron, and stainless steel. I've mostly seen that what metal you choose is up to personal preference, but if anyone has used these machines or has any advice I would really appreciate it! I'm open to any other recommendations y'all might have too this is just what has seemed best to me so far.
THANKS<3

whippet · 25 Apr 2023

I spent thousands £££ ‘finding’ the right machines for me, I ended up with a bishop packer and shader, so I know how important this quest is.

My strong advice is don’t scrimp on this machine BUT make sure you get a good all rounder to handle all styles that you’ll encounter.

Personal experience: I still have and use an Axys Valhalla machine, which has adjustable stroke settings (I’m not talking about adjusting the needle throw, which all machines have). The Axys is well made, reliable, little vibration, fairly light and easy in the hand. The stroke adjustment is from 4.2mm (chunky lines, colour packing) down to 2.5mm for delicate shading and very fine lining, plus everything in between. It also runs at low Hz (voltage) and can handle stipple shading with the long throw and this low speed.I would say that it starts to show its limits at the bigger end of lining needles and big mags. For me this was about 14RL and 17mags.

From recommendation: A former student of mine who is also a tattooer of around 10 years and really good black and grey artist, highly recommended that I get the Stigma Thorn 2 when I was looking at my second Bishop. I went with Bishop as I had the critical power wand batteries and foot switch, but we spoke at length about the Stigma Thorn 2. In his words it is the best machine he has ever used. Like the Axys it has variable stroke settings so will be a great all rounder. The Stigma Thorn has a wider range of stroke adjustment, 2.5-4.5mm. I did use a stigma (Hyper 3) for a number of years as my primary machine and I do like the brand.

Neither machine is cheap, but neither are they top tier price. Either machine should last you years and I suggest will save you a lot of headaches as these are both true pro machines.

I should perhaps add that I also have an adjustable stroke Mast Flip machine, which cost 30-40% of either of these 2 machines. I can definitely feel the difference and I wouldn't use this machine on human skin when I’ve got the Axys (or Bishops) available…I believe the Mast Flip and similar price machines offer false economies.

EDIT: I just read the 2nd part of your message. Save yourself a world of unnecessary learning and go straight to pen machines or dedicated cart machines. If you’re dead set on Micky Sharpz I have 4 gathering dust, one from 1990 (purchased from the hands of the man himself at his Birmingham tattoo shop) that still works ‘perfectly’, but tattooing professionally, I just don’t need the hassle. Despite what the old hippies will tell you, the world has changed and coils are not the place to start…other than for nostalgic sentimentality.

I’m also an old hippie

Big Pete · 25 Apr 2023

I agree with Whippet, go for a pen style machine.....the lower priced ones ( CNC, Dragonhawk etc) can do the job, but I would recommend getting a machine that has adjustable stroke. Axys Valhalla is very good if you can fit it in your price range.

MalligaMallan · 26 Apr 2023

Listen to these two nice old farts, they know what they're talking about

And I agree about pen machine. With a coil you're into 1000 hours of old fashioned, technical hell and you will still not get the machine to work they way you want.

whippet · 26 Apr 2023

MalligaMallan said:
these two nice old farts,

MalligaMallan · 26 Apr 2023

whippet said:

lucid.a · 27 Apr 2023

whippet said:
I spent thousands £££ ‘finding’ the right machines for me, I ended up with a bishop packer and shader, so I know how important this quest is.

My strong advice is don’t scrimp on this machine BUT make sure you get a good all rounder to handle all styles that you’ll encounter.

Personal experience: I still have and use an Axys Valhalla machine, which has adjustable stroke settings (I’m not talking about adjusting the needle throw, which all machines have). The Axys is well made, reliable, little vibration, fairly light and easy in the hand. The stroke adjustment is from 4.2mm (chunky lines, colour packing) down to 2.5mm for delicate shading and very fine lining, plus everything in between. It also runs at low Hz (voltage) and can handle stipple shading with the long throw and this low speed.I would say that it starts to show its limits at the bigger end of lining needles and big mags. For me this was about 14RL and 17mags.

From recommendation: A former student of mine who is also a tattooer of around 10 years and really good black and grey artist, highly recommended that I get the Stigma Thorn 2 when I was looking at my second Bishop. I went with Bishop as I had the critical power wand batteries and foot switch, but we spoke at length about the Stigma Thorn 2. In his words it is the best machine he has ever used. Like the Axys it has variable stroke settings so will be a great all rounder. The Stigma Thorn has a wider range of stroke adjustment, 2.5-4.5mm. I did use a stigma (Hyper 3) for a number of years as my primary machine and I do like the brand.

Neither machine is cheap, but neither are they top tier price. Either machine should last you years and I suggest will save you a lot of headaches as these are both true pro machines.

I should perhaps add that I also have an adjustable stroke Mast Flip machine, which cost 30-40% of either of these 2 machines. I can definitely feel the difference and I wouldn't use this machine on human skin when I’ve got the Axys (or Bishops) available…I believe the Mast Flip and similar price machines offer false economies.

EDIT: I just read the 2nd part of your message. Save yourself a world of unnecessary learning and go straight to pen machines or dedicated cart machines. If you’re dead set on Micky Sharpz I have 4 gathering dust, one from 1990 (purchased from the hands of the man himself at his Birmingham tattoo shop) that still works ‘perfectly’, but tattooing professionally, I just don’t need the hassle. Despite what the old hippies will tell you, the world has changed and coils are not the place to start…other than for nostalgic sentimentality.

I’m also an old hippie

My idea was to start out on coil and then move on to rotary. I feel like if I want to be a tattoo artist I should at least develop that skill first, but is that really a total waste of time? I've seen that some people prefer coils for lining too so it could be useful later on to have that ability. Do y'all think there’s any value in learning coils or should I for sure just start with a rotary machine?

Also I find the mechanics/technical side interesting and I'm very willing to learn, but if it's not really worth it... IM CONFLICTED

whippet · 27 Apr 2023

Total waste of time. I’m not looking to trump other commenters but I’ve spent most of my adult life designing academic design programmes, where efficiency of learning is key. You wouldnt believe how much nostalgia interferes with this objective, people who have learnt one way often have a hard time letting go. The questions to ask is what specifically will I learn from starting on a coil that A) I can’t learn from a rotary and B) will advance my development as a rotary-based tattooer? Any answer needs to convince you on A & B.

Of course, if you choose to abandon rotaries then you need to learn coils as your primary tool.

I would say that coils are something you might enjoy trying out when you’ve nailed all your fundamentals and can handle the idiosyncrasies of each coil machine and set up..it is a lot of fun.

Work out what your objective(s) is(are). If it’s to be earning money as a pro tattooer via the most efficient route, or a passion for all things tattooing, including history…then choose your route. If a coil is all you got, use it with gusto and you’ll learn shed loads of things, sometimes the best tool for any job is the one you have.

I sense myself sounding stubborn or dogmatic or something, writing this, but I hate to think someone is potentially wasting valuable time on some ill-considered and seemingly consensual advice

lucid.a · 28 Apr 2023

whippet said:
Total waste of time. I’m not looking to trump other commenters but I’ve spent most of my adult life designing academic design programmes, where efficiency of learning is key. You wouldnt believe how much nostalgia interferes with this objective, people who have learnt one way often have a hard time letting go. The questions to ask is what specifically will I learn from starting on a coil that A) I can’t learn from a rotary and B) will advance my development as a rotary-based tattooer? Any answer needs to convince you on A & B.

Of course, if you choose to abandon rotaries then you need to learn coils as your primary tool.

I would say that coils are something you might enjoy trying out when you’ve nailed all your fundamentals and can handle the idiosyncrasies of each coil machine and set up..it is a lot of fun.

Work out what your objective(s) is(are). If it’s to be earning money as a pro tattooer via the most efficient route, or a passion for all things tattooing, including history…then choose your route. If a coil is all you got, use it with gusto and you’ll learn shed loads of things, sometimes the best tool for any job is the one you have.

I sense myself sounding stubborn or dogmatic or something, writing this, but I hate to think someone is potentially wasting valuable time on some ill-considered and seemingly consensual advice

I don't think you sound stubborn at all. I've been searching for an answer as clear as this, and your perspective is extremely helpful. I can always go back and learn more for the satisfaction of it, but it's true starting out with coils at this point won't be getting me any closer to my objectives.

I've been going back and forth for a while now so I'm glad I reached out here! Goin the rotary route.
Thanks so much!!

MirandM · 29 Apr 2023

I totally agree with whippet

Since you're from the US, I compare this to getting your drivers license.
In the US you can do that driving an automatic gearbox or a manual gearbox car.
The automatic gearbox would be your rotary pen, whereas the manual would be the coil.
Does it make you a better driver having learned with a manual gearbox?
No, it doesn't. Only under extreme conditions you'd be a better driver if you actually know how to deal with it using a manual gearbox.
Same goes for the pen and the coil. No reason to complicate your life with extra mechanics if you really don't need to.
Simple as that.

zombie bob · 29 Apr 2023

Are you in an apprenticeship? Think you are whoever is teaching you should have both machines on deck for you to try. Spending 6 months to a year trying out a coil machine only to switch over to a pen is a stupid waste of time. Because I can almost guarantee if you like the pen better you'll never go back to a coil for any reason or vice versa. Either way before spending a bunch of money on a new machine you need to invest in an apprenticeship. I may get a bunch of people on here that don't like that answer don't really care. If you're serious about making a career of this do it the right way learning on your own will only be at bunch of bad habits that you will have to unlearn in the future. In my shop if somebody comes in and says they've been teaching themselves at home for the last 5 years I tell them there's the door I don't have time to unbreak your habits. Anyway you go good luck with the future.

Hi help me pick a machine pls

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