Machines made for Carts vs standard needle machines, advantages? opinions please

[jeff tarinelli]

Would you say that machines like the Hawk or Spektra Edge X which are a cartridge only design are better than say a Dragonfly using cartridges? In my head I cant think of why cartridge only machines would have a significant edge up on standard needle machines but want to ask the herd.

[joelhague]

Simplicity and streamlining are really the advantages they won't make you tattoo better or easier.

[Patrick]

Cartridge specific machines need to have a bit more power to make up for the resistance of the band, spring or diaphragm inside the cart. So, they're motors are usually stronger (or, at least more torque) than non-cart machines. But I've run carts with a ton of other machines. Most of them handle it just fine.
Cart machines aren't any better or worse than standard machines. Different strokes for different folks.

[Jesse Phillips]

You dont usually see adjustable stroke AND give/hit on standard machines. Seems to be the realm of carts there.

[jeff tarinelli]

Okay thanks. That makes sense. Last week I received 2 Spektra Edge X's and 2 32mm Click RPG grips all from WorkHorse Irons. I'm really loving cartridges as they're solving a few nagging issues I have been having with tattoo set ups for a while. namely ink flow problems. Last night I ordered a Stingray X2 along with the parts to convert it to run Cartridges. Although I am having pretty good results with the Spektras for lining I do feel the lines are not as dark as coils. Maybe I need to slow my hand down even more or run more volts. Regardless after reading about the Stingrays X2 cam system I thought I'd try it out for lining as well.
The cutback Whip is really nice. Definitely will order one of those after I sell off my Kubins and a few Redmond Irons coils. I can't see ever going back to coils my hands need a break.
Thanks for the replies.

[anders505]

still trying to sell your kubins? :)

[eduki]

Some of the standard needles brands adapted their new generation models to fit cartridges better, that's why for example dragonflies on their new generation have motors with more torque so, they run them nicely but the real problem that i see is that, even if you buy them (standard/carts) thinking on using both methods, changing the machine to move it from standards to carts is time consuming and you end using them just for one of the choices, so it's not so "on the fly" like companies want to show...
By the way, not all carts only machines are stroke/give adjustable, same as regular needle brands, so that's not an advantage of ones to anothers.
For lining with rotaries imo you have to adapt your hand to them but maybe they need the "slap" motion of a coil, which I think that some of them (cutback whip /sidewinder) have it on his movement conception... But yeah they line different, so I don't think it's a problem of your stingray/carts combination, they're nice machines.

[thesmokingmirror]

The Swash Compact is the best dual machine in my opinion. Other than that Cart machines are designed for people that dont want to mess with attachments or extra parts to use cartridges.