A tattoo machine (colloquially referred to as a tattoo gun) is a hand-held device generally used to create a tattoo, a permanent marking of the skin with indelible ink. Modern tattoo machines use electromagnetic coils to move an armature bar up and down. Connected to the armature bar is a barred needle grouping that opens the skin for the ink to flow into.
All electromagnetic coil machines are powered by a wired regulated DC power supplies which send an electric current through the copper coils wrapped around opposing magnets and then moves the armature bar up and down. In addition to coil tattoo machines, there are also rotary tattoo machines, which are operated with regulated rotary motors and are powered by a wired external RC power supply or a wireless battery pack attached to the machine. Watch the video animation by WorkX for more info/
Coil tattoo machines function by passing current through two coils which alternate electromagnetic forces to move the tattoo needle up and down rapidly. Power supplies adapt AC current to power the machine. This allows artists to control the voltage at which their machines operate at and can be manipulated to achieve line variation. Coil machines consist of about fifteen different parts including but not limited to the needle, tube, tube grip, tube clamp, needle bar, armature bar, front spring, contact screw, o-ring, rear spring, rear spring mounting screw, and a yoke.
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Rotary Tattoo machines function by using the rotational motion of an electric motor to move a needle/bundle of tattoo needles up and down rapidly. Rotary machines, like coil machines, require a power supply that adapt AC current to power the machine. This voltage may be manipulated to achieve line variation.[10] Rotary machines consist of about seven different parts including but not limited to the grip, tube, cam wheel, “adjustment mechanism”, and a power connection. Rotary machines vary in the type of needle they use. Common rotary machines use standard needles but can also use cartridge needles.
