Amen - Stigma Rotary / Apex - overkill

[AltarVinz]

Since no official post was made by their builder I wonder what they are worth exept their high price tag.

[bretttattoos]

I think they're both going to kick ass but not sure the apex will be worth the pretty penny. The amen looks like a winner though

[darkness]

the old stigma rotary where sold for the same price here or the dragonfly ...the flite is near the same -so i think the apex is here not overpriced ..

[asA]

Is someone selling them yet.?

[OwlsDen]

I think killer ink is selling them. I got an email about the Amen

[darkness]

yes ...only killerink and they are sending out the machines too ....get my amen next day with UPS ,the apex i have now a week around

[needlemaniak]

Can you tell us about the two machines ? Are they good ?


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[darkness]

i have to make some tattoos now ...but i would say the amen is like the stingray ,very light and good lining with small neeldes -with bigger ones the sidewinder is always better and its easyer to line ,buts a nice machine.
The Apex is really cool - very powerfull and you can use like a coil ,but you have to find your right settings with it.

I prefer the Apex over the Amen ,when you have a stingray you dont need really a amen ,the only better is you can easy and fast the stroke cam change on the amen- with the stingray its a pain !

But for lining my first choice is always the sidewinder for me ,maybe the apex can do it too -but i have first to try the settings :)

[smiley]

is the apex really $765.00 us dollars, and the amen w motor $800.00 us dollars i just did a dollar translation from pounds and thats what it said,i hope its wrong,just wondering if anyone can help me out on this,thanks guys :)

[darkness]

yes ... 780 USD with shipping :((

[bretttattoos]

I thought the sidewinder was high, but at least they're one off hand made machines. Shit 650 for one of those is cheap compared to these two machines. And it will line with a 18rs whereas neither of these can. I want an apex and an amen but there's nooooo way I'm paying that much for a mass produced machine.

[Zapp]

I thought the sidewinder was high, but at least they're one off hand made machines. Shit 650 for one of those is cheap compared to these two machines. And it will line with a 18rs whereas neither of these can. I want an apex and an amen but there's nooooo way I'm paying that much for a mass produced machine.
What you think what we pay in europe for machines from oversea !!!!!!
Same shit !!!!!

[bretttattoos]

What I meant was if I'm going to spend that kind of money I'd rather have something handmade not mass produced. Not that the stigma or apex is any less of a machine , I'd just rather put the money on something one of a kind like a custom sidewinder . To me it's like buying an Aaron Cain coil machine versus buying a Cnc'd frame coil machine. I'd rather pay more for the one hand made even if they both run stupid good. Only in this case the Cnc'd machine is more than the other that is more appealing (to me)

[darkness]

a dragonfly is not cheaper ..this price range is in europe a normal price ..we pay this price for a Stigma or a dragonfly - a gen8 is here 650 USD !

[asA]

What I meant was if I'm going to spend that kind of money I'd rather have something handmade not mass produced. Not that the stigma or apex is any less of a machine , I'd just rather put the money on something one of a kind like a custom sidewinder . To me it's like buying an Aaron Cain coil machine versus buying a Cnc'd frame coil machine. I'd rather pay more for the one hand made even if they both run stupid good. Only in this case the Cnc'd machine is more than the other that is more appealing (to me)
Sidewinders frame is mass machined... only custom part of that machine is the finishes.. I'd be if dragonfly offered different color knobs and screws and called it custom handmade. Not taking anything away from Sidewinders they are great machines but far from custom handmade.

[poleson]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/23/4usajamu.jpg

It's true Dan out sources to a machinest. I found him on instagram. He has pics up of the frames, binding posts, and thumb screw of the sidewinder. That's a good thing. I believe they are all Dan's designs and assembled by hand by Dan himself. Without the outsourcing he could never keep up with the orders and everyone would bitch about it. I'm a welder but if I were to make machines I would call up my CNC buddies and pay them to mill for me. Much cleaner end product, and repeatable.

[fkirons]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/06/23/4usajamu.jpg

It's true Dan out sources to a machinest. I found him on instagram. He has pics up of the frames, binding posts, and thumb screw of the sidewinder. That's a good thing. I believe they are all Dan's designs and assembled by hand by Dan himself. Without the outsourcing he could never keep up with the orders and everyone would bitch about it. I'm a welder but if I were to make machines I would call up my CNC buddies and pay them to mill for me. Much cleaner end product, and repeatable.

Good for Dan. His machines are damn good and now with the precision of CNC he can ensure that every build is as good as the last one. Thumbs up for outsourcing to an American machine shop as well. However I don't know if his machinist is revealing his designs without Dans consent. But maybe Dan has giving him permission.



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[bretttattoos]

That's true that his sidewinders are Cnc but still.. Aaron cains machines are cast (not all of them but a lot of them) so it's kinda like saying the only custom part of a Cain is the finishing touchs... Either way I feel like dans sidewinder would be a better bang for my buck being that it's cheaper and hand "finished" andddd that he's in the US and I wouldn't have to ship to Europe or Australia if I ever needed a fix. Having said that I own 3 Australian machines, 4 or 5 euro machines , and a couple "USA" machines that are actually china or Japan as well as 8 or 9 actual American made machines. I'm not trying to knock stigma or bez , but I do feel like the prices are high compared to other machines.

[darkness]

for the apex the price is to much ..thats right ,they have a slider mechanismen and no info inside ..no about volts or the rubbers -you have to try and find all by self. The Body is a Alu cast with a littl bit cnc work but i would say only alu cast.
All in a paperbox and no needle stabilizer or any other -you need rubbers to work with it - after trying it a week i would say its a v2 in alu -for the money to less inovation.
The stigma amen is really top quality ,have a info paper inside and a lot of power and its works very well for color and lining with the rigt modul.

By the way you have to lubricate the apex - but here no info about the time and the parts ,on the site from bez no reply :(
For this support and the Machine i would not pay 780 USD again !!

[darkness]

so, today i have try the apex on a big tattoo :) - but after 3min on 8v / 15 bugpin ...and the black blue combo the machine stop working - the slider is fixed ! so i have looking inside.
All parts in the apex are from cheap plastic ..the body is a cast and a bit edited on a cnc machine - all in one ,the money not worth !

[peezie]

So darkness, does the Apex have a horizontal motor or vertical motor?

[darkness]

Its a swashdrive system like the hyper or gen8 ...on the Motor is a wheel like the adapter from the amen made from plastic and connectet with a bearing ...the Motor and :-( the system are on a plastic body connectet thats sit in the cast body ....all not the quality from swashdrive.
I have notice you get marks with the finger nails in this plastic -not stronk ! For the money a bad joke ....my is broken after 3min running on 8v and blue black rubber

[peezie]

Thanks for the info and sorry that happened to you. Hope they fix it for you.

[darkness]

i send you more and better info later - think its interesting for you.

[AltarVinz]

That's what I was expecting frim the Apex. A huge disapointment. Maybe gonna give Amen a try but not sure. Pretty stocked on my Fk/Spektra atm.

[skullsugar@lucky13]

That's what I was expecting frim the Apex. A huge disapointment. Maybe gonna give Amen a try but not sure. Pretty stocked on my Fk/Spektra atm.

Stay put bud. The direkt is out of this world and customer service is the best too.

[AltarVinz]

Yes, Gaston even answered me on the forum. He's leading a huge company, making R&D, and always announces us their new products and still take time to care for us like if he was a crew member of our studio.
Dont know him personnaly but he's the kind of man we need more today as tattoo is so a commercial industry.
I came to tattooing thinking it was a big familly of passionate people. Hopefully a few guys like him allow me to still believe it's not just about money. ( not even mentionning how great their products are )
Again sorry for my poor English :p

[darkness]

try the spectra or the amen ,but i would never again buy a apex ...its very cheap build inside -not the robust workhorse thats tells in the advertising. I never hat a machine thats broken in 3min of use !!! The only good is the DCX motor inside ,but its not 540 EUR worth - i looking to luckys new cart rotary too with a DCX motor or a Gen8 without the give :))