Once the machine is
assembled:
Re-check the
parallelism of the armature bar to yoke. Do this by pushing the armature bar
onto the tops of the coils (p. 54), press down on the armature bar itself NOT
by pushing the front spring as this will change the tension of that spring, if
it is not parallel, make corrections- shims, filing etc.
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This machine was a
“reward” from a manufacturer because the customer bought $500.00 dollars worth
of products from them. The armature bar is not parallel, first because it’s not
pulled down onto the front coil. It cannot be pulled down because the back of
the amature bar hits the rear corner of the coil post which prevents any
further examination until this issue is dealt with. It will take some work to
make the armature bar parallel with the yoke/base of the frame. Take a look at
the photos below.
These are the
products manufacturers sell us. Educate yourselves, learn to fix these
problems, don’t let them make our industry “cheap”.
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Re-check for a small space between the rear coil and the armature
bar, shim the front coil if necessary, while maintaining the parallelism.
Shim the front coil if necessary to make the armature bar parallel
with the yoke or base of the frame.
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Shim rear coil with a
washer between the frame to reduce the space between the armature bar and rear
coil. It should be paper thin. Using a feeler gauge can raise the coil and
lessen the space by precise and perfect increments.
Shim the rear spring
with a squared off feeler gauge if needed. The machine on page 65 would need
the rear spring shimmed to take the armature bar off of the rear coil and bring
it a step closer to making the armature bar parallel.
Make sure no terminals
or wires touch the frame.
Tighten all securing
screws.
Set the stroke to be a
liner or shader: (bend spring(s) for more tension, un-bend spring(s) to lessen
tension, adjust the contact screw accordingly by loosening or tightening or
re-locating place of contact.
Perform the “ Spring
Tension Test” (p. 60) and run the machine.
Re-adjust the stroke if
necessary and perform the “Ball system” (p. 61)
By now, you should have a pretty good idea on what needs to be done.
The machine’s components should be secured snuggly, the contact screw should be
in it’s place and the only adjustment left to do should be minimal.
Look at the machine head on from the front:
Make sure it all lines up— an imaginary straight vertical line
should run down from the contact screw, through the front spring, through the nub
on the armature bar, and the needle bar should run through the center of the
tube and the needles into the tip of the tube.
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Once you have checked
the assembled machine and have it running, and have set it up with a tube and
needle bar, it’s time for further fine tuning.
Turn the machine to look at it from the rear.
Check that the spring /
armature bar assembly (rear spring, armature bar and front spring) is straight.
Follow an imaginary straight line from the rear spring securing screw all the
way through the tip of the front spring. This will ensure an even “bounce” when
the machine is operating.
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Turn the machine to look at it from the side.
Make sure that the
needle bar runs through the center of the tube or even a little behind center
but should NEVER rub on the back of the tube, (only the needles should run on
the back of the tip.) The needle bar should be as close to the coil as
possible, the back armature bar nub should be back far enough to accommodate
this (by sliding the rear spring back on the securing screw, if it stops on
the”U-shaped” notch, the notch should be grinded out deeper with a dremmel. A
frame’s tube vice hole should be placed and- drilled into the frame to
accommodate this as well.
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Both photos are of the
same machine. Note the needle bar’s placement, traveling perfectly vertically
from the armature bar’s nub through the back center of the tube. DETAIL: Only
one rubber band is needed to secure the needle bar enough to prevent any
shaking of the needles.
Once the machine has had it’s “lines” checked:
Performthe
“Spring Tension Test”- the added weight of the needle bar, grommet / paper
towel and rubber band tenesion should affect the travel of the armature bar
very slightly once the front spring has stopped on the contact screw. The
machine should not be running when performing this test.
Perform the “Ball System”, the bouncing balls should move the same
way as they did the first time this system was performed. The balls should not
get closer to each other when turning down the current flow on the power
supply. If they do, remove tension on the rear spring little by little. The
contact screw should now be in it’s permanent place.
If you push the foot
pedal down and the machine doesn’t run:
Make sure there is
contact between the contact screw and the front spring, with sufficient
tension on the rear spring to push the front spring into the contact screw.
Check for metal
touching metal- terminals touching the frame, wires touching the frame,
grounding is the most common reason a machine won’t run, or just look for wires
broken inside the insulation, at the ring terminals or at coil base.
Wire terminals NOT
making direct contact with the binding posts; may be accidentally assembled
with a nylon washer between terminal and binding post.
Clip cord clips
touching the frame.
There may be a break in
the coil wire (rarely does this happen) at any point inside the insulation.
There is a good chance
that the problem may be in the footswitch wires or footswitch assembly itself,
or in the clip cord-wires themselves, check the jacks and terminals for bad
solder joints...build a new clip cord or re-assemble the footswitch.
Check the fuse in the power supply and replace it.
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In the case of this power supply, the fuse housing is in the rear.
It’s popped off with a flat head screwdriver exposing the fuse. In this power
supply, the fuse sits horizontally. A fuse is defined as: “A protective device
consisting of a short piece of wire which melts and breaks when the current
through it exceeds the rated value of the fuse...”
In simple terms, in the
case that there is a power overload, a fuse will “absorb” this overload and
become damaged in order to prevent any damage to the other circuits in the
power supply. To check the fuse, remove it and look for a break in the thin
wire which can be seen through the glass part of the fuse. If the wire is
broken, replace the fuse. Always replace the damaged fuse with a new fuse with
the same rated value (usually engraved on the side of the fuse’s metal caps).
Value rating is found on the fuse’s metal caps. —
“...wire which melts and breaks _ when the current exceeds the rated
value of the fuse...”
Glass fuse housing.
If you push the foot pedal down and the machine runs intermittently:
Check that the power
supply is plugged into the wall completely
Check the soldering of
the wire connecting to the terminals on the binding posts, or if no solder is
used, check to see if the wires are NOT loose.
Check the wiring in the
clip cord and footswitch jacks, there may be corrosion or loose solder
connection.
Check the footswitch
and clip cord wires for shorts by wiggling them every inch, from end to end,
while keeping the pedal “on” with the machine attached, this will help locate
the break in the wire. Replace the wire if necessary.
If the stroke drops when it shouldn’t, check the
following:
Rubber band tension- a
tight rubber band(s) will create more resistance and cause the machine to work
harder.
Check rear spring
tension- too much tension will cause a fluctuation in stroke when turning down
current flow. Lessen tension (un-bend the rear spring) if this is the case,
until the ideal tension is found.
There may also be a break or small crack in the rear spring.
Check for carbon build up, including on the clip cord ends that clip
into the machine and file as needed to remove it.
Make sure there are no spring bends under any washers (spring
saddle, armature bar assembly securing screw).
If the machine’s power drops or raises and there is a big blue spark
coming from the contact screw/ front spring:
Replace the capacitor.
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Over
time, the constant use of the machine can deteriorate the it’s function, just
like in
a car. Tune ups must be
done to return the machine to it’s optimal function. Checking it’s non-moving
parts and replacing the moving parts when worn, is necessary. Springs with
excessive wear, or springs which simply need the tension re-set must be taken
care of, loose rubber bands, capacitors breaking down must be replaced if
necessary. To maintain your machine, here is a list of things to check
periodically.
Check rear spring tension and front spring flex.
Rubber band tension and quality. If it is dirty or starting to wear,
or loosen replace it. Check o-ring tension, if loose and “saggy” replace it.
Blue spark (replace capacitor if necessary).
Look for exposed wires.
Check contact screw for
carbon build-up; a file, steel wool or fine sand paper will remove this.
Check front coil for
carbon build up, if you use tape as a “muffler”, clean gummy build up on the
armature bar and on the top of the front coil and remove with WD40 and replace
tape on the armature bar.
Check the armature bar
for wear from the constant friction against the front coil. If the worn groove
is too big, simply flip the armature bar over and use the “new” clean side.
Protect it with a piece of Trans pore tape over the area which contacts the
front coil.
Check springs for
cracks & check front spring for wear replace if necessary.
Check securing screws
for tightness on the following: binding posts (upper and lower), spring saddle,
rear spring and front spring joint screw (on armature bar), and the coils’
securing screws.
Check the condition of the acrylic ball or thread protector for the
contact screw (inside upper binding post) and check the threads on the contact
screw.
Don’t be afraid to take the machine apart, rebuild
and/or replace parts!
Cutting corners or taking
the easy way out gains you
nothing!
Be a professional,
Join the professionals who know this information!
If you fail
to prepare, then
prepare to fail!
It seems silly
to write a chapter on the “Rubber Band”...one of the very few non-mechanical
parts included in the assembly and operation of a well running machine. It is
such a simple ingredient in this process yet it needs to be addressed because
this little band can make a difference in how a fully assembled machine (with a
tube and needle bar) will run.
Some artists use 3 or 4
rubber bands on one machine, some use thick, tight rubber bands...most don’t
realize what they are doing...some of these artists think it makes them look
“cool” or look like they know what they are doing. Truth is, that this simple
item has a very important job to do and it’s addition to the fully assembled
machine should be taken very seriously.
The job of the rubber band is only to make sure the needle grouping,
and needle bar don’t shudder or wiggle when the machine is in use. Let’s start
at the begin- ning...earlier in this book, you read about springs and several
times you heard about the weight and and resistance the REAR SPRING has to deal
with. One of the most crucial burdens the rear spring has to combat is the
tension of the rubber band. A rubber band that is too tight, will add to the
resistance the rear spring spring has to fight against, in order to run the way
it should. A rubber band that is too thick and tight will slow the movement of
the armature bar. It may also keep the armature bar / front spring from
returning (in it’s upward movement) to make full contact with the contact screw
this results in the machine not running. Again, the horizontal pull on the
needle bar will make it’s vertical movement more difficult by adding resistance
to the rear spring. In addition, the bands will pull the needle bar, making it
bow, this will move the needles away from the back of the tip of the tube. You
can see this by simply pullling the rubber band tighter and watching the results.
Watch the armature bar’s movement slow down, watch the needle bar bow and the
needles move toward the center of the tube tip’s hole. Needles need to rub on
the back of the inside of the tube, this is what helps the ink flow. If the
needle grouping does NOT touch the back of the inside of the tip of the tube,
no ink will flow, no pigment will be injected. Got it? So only one rubber band
is enough. It is a good idea to stretch the rubber band before putting it on
the machine...if ink is spitting out of the tip, check for shuddering or
wiggling of the needle grouping, if so a tighter band could be used.
Prevention of cross contamination
Even though this book does not cover aspects of safe tattooing,
there are a few practices which not only will help protect the artists and
clients from health risks, but will also help protect the machine from
corrosion.
Many artists spray their machines down with Madacide & many
other types of disinfectants after tattooing, to clean the machine of any
potential microorganisms. They SOAK the machine with these chemicals and let
them dry on the machines. We discourage this practice because these chemicals
can be corrosive to the steel screws, iron or steel coil posts, and springs.
This rust and corrosion which develops, can “weld” the securing screws to the
coils, weld the screws which secure the rear spring to the spring saddle onto
steel or iron frames making the machine almost impossible to disassemble. These
substances can get in between these steel or iron parts and will accelerate the
oxidation, and leave a film on the rest of the machine. Prevention is better
than cure, we recommend plastic baggies be put around the machine to minimize
or prevent cross contamination, this is not to say that these bags will 100%
eliminate any microbes from coming in contact with any part of the machine but
it is harder to cross contaminate the machine frame when there is a barrier
between the artists’ dirty gloves and the machine. A paper towel or q-tip can
be used to clean the machine off, slightly wet it and gently wipe down the
machine and immediately dry it. Too much moisture in contact with steel or iron
parts will start the oxidation.
It is NOT TRUE that
machines heat up with a baggie placed around them, a well tuned machine will not
heat up under any conditions, a rough running machine will heat up but again,
this is NOT due to the use of a baggie.
Jory “Angel of Death” Helmes is a responsible artist who uses a
baggie on his machines.
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