Info Needed on "Old" Micky Bees...Hopefully.

[skinmech]

I got these as part of a joblot, Dude says they are first generation original Micky Bees, from well before the Starline mass produced stuff. I have tried searching google, e-mailing direct "sort-of, lol" to get more info, but, no luck so far...Can any of my fellow forum members shed any light on these...I know they are the real deal, coils,contact , soldered lugs and fittings are consistent. And they look as if they have been at the bottom of a Pond for years.. but, it's the Colour...I can't remember if Micky's early machines were this Purple/Blue colour. Paintwork certainly looks original, and the wrapping of the coils, it looks like two people were wrapping them, the rear coil on the Dial is almost identical to the front Coil on the Sting machine and the rear coil on the Sting, is identical to the front coil on the Dial...Thanks in advance..

[OwlsDen]

Looks like sharpz not Bee to me. But I don't know how many overlap models there are. They both made the rotary dial. I personally have one of each. But the purple color looks like the lineagraph from Sharpz. Same with the micro dial looks like a sharpz. The rotary dial is too hard to see clearly. If it is purple I would say sharpz as well but the geometry looks close to the old Bee that I have. Any markings on them?

[skinmech]

Hey Owlsden, I have been over the frames with an eye loup, and no markings anywhere, I checked where you would find M Sharpz markings, and there is nothing under the paintwork...I believe the paintwork is genuine, as there is years of muck on the frame, and the paint is the same colour underneath the muck...I don't want to clean the paint in case they are first gen machines...The state of the coils, the solder on the lugs all point to an early machine...I have came across the contact screws before on 1985-90 Sharpz machines..I believe at one time both M Sharpz and M Bee were in the same camp, hence the similarities...The M Bee lightening frame (I called it a Sting earlier, my mistake,) is almost identical to the Linograph....The only clue I have between the 2 machines I have is the Lightening/Linograph framed machine is thicker than the Dial framed one..In fact is is identical to the thickness of M Sharpz frame sizes..

[skinmech]

Here is a closer view of the Linograph/Lightening machine.I honestly don't think it has been cleaned in years.....

[The Limey]

Here is a closer view of the Linograph/Lightening machine.I honestly don't think it has been cleaned in years.....

Probably decades looking at that lol!

[OwlsDen]

Hmm, that almost looks like a last wrap of only 1/3 on that rear coil. I think that could be a builders signature of sorts.

I have an old Bee frame and it is much thicker than the newer ones. I am going to say that they are most likely 90s frames. I am no expert on this by any means. I am just guessing based on other machines of the same era. The micro dial is the revised geometry and it looks a bit tall. I don't know if it would be late 90s or early 2000s. However if that one is real I would suspect some markings as it doesn't look painted. Nothing inside the side plate of any of them?

[OwlsDen]

Oh and the Bee frames are less likely to have any markings so you may be correct in guessing bee over sharpz.

Also if I remember correctly Sharpz built machines for Bee, then split and did his own thing with mostly the same machine designs. Although most were of his design.

[skinmech]

Yeah, do you see what I mean about the coils, the coils are the same on both machines, ie one is fine (for it's age), and the other looks like a signature or 1/3 wrap coil...That's why I assume both come from the same Builder..I will get them stripped down and cleaned tonight, and see if any marks on inside of frame...

[OwlsDen]

Good luck and please share what you find. My old bee used to have the sticker on it but that was gone years ago. I will double check it for marks too.

[OwlsDen]

ok I did a quick strip and here are pics. No markings that i can find. but here are a few pictures.
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sorry for the iPhone pics. This one is from the mid 90s from what I remember. hope this helps.

[skinmech]

Cheers for the pics...Here is an update.
Word just in from Phil @ Micky Sharpz...The Dial looks like an M Bee machine,but , the other machine is defo an early Line-o-graph. I have asked for a rough date, as there are no markings on any of the machines,apart, from the obvious age related ones. I thought all M Sharpz machines were dated and signed, apparantly not, so I am trying to find out when he started it..P

[OwlsDen]

Cool, that is great that they wrote you. The iron and special editions are the signed and dated ones. All the painted ones are blank. Although some have MSL stamped on the inside of the side plate. Most hybrids that I have seen new and old have the MSL

[skinmech]

Could anyone PM me with a contact address for Jimmy Jack, who worked with both M Sharpz and M Bee....I am finding him very elusive to track down,LOL...

[pert]

i know jimmy jack well. will find address fopr you tomorrow when i get to my shop.
hes working in a studio in dundee a few days a week as far as i know.
jimmy built machines for sharpy and for micky bee...

[pert]

the purple machine is a bees one built by jimmy i think.? has it got square topped coil centers.?

[skinmech]

Yeah Pert I think it's Castle st...I left a message...Na mate both Purple looking machines are now Blue after a wee clean,LOL, and both have round coil cores and bobbins..

[skinmech]

Hey owl, here is a pic of the bare frame, no markings at all, so it looks like the Painted frames weren't signed or dated..And here is the machine re-assembled , all I done was re-position the cap, as it isn't wired to the coils (is yours)...Fine running machine, spesh cos of the condition it is in...61886187

[skinmech]

Final update, big thanks to Phil @ Micky Sharpz...

My Question was " I thought Micky Sharpz machines were all dated and signed" Answer and I Quote---"hi, not all machines are dated, hybrids, mk2 machines ( yours are mk2 ) mk3 machines and the new mk4 are not dated or numbered"...

My next question was " Do you have any idea how old the Line-o-graph maybe, even roughly ", .Answer and I Quote--- "The line o graph would be mid to late eighties i think, as we changed them early 90s"

You just got to admire M Sharpz build quality, and customer services....Anybody looking for an old Line-o-graph.LOL.

[OwlsDen]

If you can hold on to that linograph for a little bit, depending on the price. I might want it.

Also my cap is not wired to the coils either.

[skinmech]

No worries Owl, I ain't in no rush..I will need to get a price for it, don't worry it won't be anything crazy, I like to keep things real, and keep machines within the working tattoo community. I ain't to keen on a machine being placed in a drawer someplace..

[OwlsDen]

Well, I appreciate that. I am a collector and user of Sharpz and Bee Machines. That linograph would help my small collection grow some.

I would suggest keeping that old Bee Dial. They do not make them like that anymore. The new tube vices are garbage.

[tom]

You can ask micky bee on facebook...Micheal Micky Bee Bourne
if no response from him i ll show him pics on saturday and post back his opinion

[skinmech]

Hey Tom, that would be great, I got Micky as a friend on FB...I don't know if he got my message or not...Much appreciated...

[Clone Boy]

6211This is my micky bee. Its not an old one but i thought i would share it with you guys as i have just given it a new lease of life with coils, speed bar ect....

[skinmech]

I love my Micky Bees, here are my Daily Drivers (New builds non-Starline), these machines are sooooo versatile they will Line with any grouping, shade and pack......

[mrbudgie]

sorry didnt see this post nipps lol, think I PM'd ya back since any way.

hows the diamond frame been.

any more questions for bee mate, will be slower to reply as his last day in studio was xmas eve

[stumpy]

hi mate two of the machines are micky bee's and the smaller dial machine is micky sharpz the coils on the micky bees have been replaced with micky sharpz coils, micky bee machines were made by jimmy jacks like wise early micky sharps machines as far as i remember micky sharpz and bee had a big fall out in the 90s dont think sharpz built anything for bee, if there was a sticker on your machine saying micky bee this is not an original micky bee machine they were built later by another supplier and not jimmy jacks, you can find jimmy jacks on facebook he would probberbly tell you better than me

[slicksteel]

nice upgrades clone boy!

[skinmech]

Hey Stumpy cheers for the info, I was in touch with Jimmy and Micky Bee, all sorted, yep 1 Sharpz and 2 Bees...P