Difference Between Tattoo Guns??? Liner and or Shader

[YungRedInk]

How do i know i have a Liner Tattoo gun and not a Shader gun?

i was told before that a shader tattoo gun, its armature bar is furthur out making the needle come in..

and the liner tattoo gun, its armature bar is pulled closer back making the needle stick out....


does it even matter? rather or not its a shader or liner?:icon_arrowl::icon_cool:

just want my tattoo experience to run smoothly.....
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I havent really experienced it too much... i mean ive taken my tattoo gun down and built it back up

i have a Hilbrandt
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[Sl1pperyweasel]

Hello, firstly they are machines not guns! Is it a rotary or coil? If its a coil machine, generally the coils will be fatter for a packer/ shader (more layers of wire, generally 10) . But the main way to tell is how its setup. The contact screw should sit over the grommet for shader or over front edge of the metal bobbin on the front coil for a liner. the airgap when the arm bar is down should be about dime for a liner & nickel for shader.
Also spring gauge, capacitor resistance & arm bar weight come into it.

If its rotary I have no ideas!

 

[DJHicks]

There are so many factors involved.

There are so many different frame shapes out there and some are designed in-between so can be set up for both a liner or shader by moving the contact screw... machines that are made for either usually have a slot that the contact screw is attached to the machine rather then just a hole therefore adjustment can be made etc.

I don't think machines can be identified by coils tbh, smaller coils could have a thick covering making them appear bigger etc also a well wrapped 8 coil will be more powerful then a shitty wrapped 10 or 12 coil.

As long as the machine is setup and tuned correctly then coils and spring gauge isn't really be a major issue! These will be for finer tuning.

You could have a thick spring not bent right or not at all that will not have as much tension as a well bent back spring of a slightly thinner gauge.

Learning to tune what you have really is essential its only then you can see if it needs anything replacing or upgrading etc.

I went on a training course as the the tutor got my cheap chinese machines running on par with his mickey sharps machines... one of my shaders he almost considered a swap for one of his mickey's so must have been good lol!

 

[DJHicks]

This would be classed as a liner (especially as the there is no adjustment for the contact screw position) - note the angle of the contact screw being much more vertical and then front spring being shorter!

This one below has been set up to be a shader - again note there is no adjustment for the contact screw position etc. - The contact screw angle is much more shallow

BUT... you could put a shorter front spring, angle the contact screw and it'd be fine as a liner no doubt... would need to test it and adjust springs maybe but it could. You could say that the one above you could put a longer spring on and angle the contact screw out for a shader...

TBH i know there are definate liners and shaders out there.... but i've also seen people using all sorts of setups with great results... seen long shader front springs on machines with a very short A bar that most would scream is a liner etc...

It really is down to personal preference and how you setup and tune the machine to get it to do what you want.

If the tattoo comes out great then its all good no matter what you used or how you used it.

Of course a GOOD setup makes it a whole lot easier but there is no really CORRECT setup... just guidelines to go on and then adjust to you and the machine as even two of the same machines will want different voltages to run the same etc....

 

[daveb]

I call my tattoo machines.. a machine! ...but sometimes i will say gun without thinking any different........Some people get a bit carried away with what you call em, some great tattooists still call em guns!.......lets be honest it doesn't really matter what you call them!.......it DOES matter that you understand and know how to use them!....here is the best video i have yet seen on describing the basic difference between a liner and shader coil tattoo machines..saves anyone here trying to explain things in ways i can guarantee you wont understand!!!! :icon_cheesygrin:




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQx5Fmm1DWA