I rebuilt my wife's old stealth.

[OwlsDen]

She got this before she got a real Swiss machine and it has sat in drawer for almost a year. So this evening I decided to rebuild it. So here it is with a custom brass a-bar, new brass vice, a 6 volt Mabuchi motor, and an RCA. To be honest the only parts that are from the stealth are the spindle and crank arm as well as the black aluminum body. I plan on making a better fitting back plate and cleaning it up some but I thought this was a good start.

14819

I didn't know where to put this, as it isn't really my machine. But top drawer is a place for show and tell, so I thought it would go here.

[OwlsDen]

http://instagr.am/p/SeAKDsKgfy/

Better image.

[(Opted Out)]

Awesome! Thats really cool

[hendricksonart.com]

thats awesome where did you get the motor?

[OwlsDen]

It's a standard mabuchi FF-180SH can. You can get them anywhere. The ones I got are 6volt. I think I bought them from someone off eBay ( it was a German seller ) but these are fairly common and easy to find.

[joelhague]

awesome man looks sick, i love my stealth i dont care what anyone says haha, i did a big ass piece with it today lined shaded everything , its ebeen going strong for 2.5 years not bad for 100 dollar machine

[hendricksonart.com]

The only rotary I still own is a stealth still gets use two years later. I will admit I wish I didn't sell a few of the rotarys.

[aurelien]

it turned out beautifully !

[Magnu]

Well done OD that looks very smart. was the motor a straight fit ?

[OwlsDen]

Well done OD that looks very smart. was the motor a straight fit ?

Yes and no. This motor is slightly shorter than the one that was in there. But this is a good thing as the collar of the shaft protrudes out from the casing as there is an actual bearing or collar on the shaft. Also the stock spindle is so deep that I had to set the motor farther back in the case. So the slightly shorter motor was a blessing as in the end it was a perfect fit. The power band is totally different now too. It feels much more solid and less like a rattle can. It still isn't nearly as cool as the Swiss, but it is much much better feeling than a stock stealth. If you have a stealth I would seriously consider swapping the motor out.

[Magnu]

That was the reason I asked. So if I read your post right a straight motor swap will be possible without a new base plate ?

[OwlsDen]

Yeah you could put the motor in a stock stealth. Just search eBay for the number.

[boaz]

v nice OD in fact i will give this a try ...not used a stealth for ages any tips on the mod mate

[OwlsDen]

There was a guy selling replacement vices on here I while ago. Or you could get one made at a machine shop. The a-bar is cut from bar stock. Glad you like it. Best of luck to you.

[punisher]

Not gonna lie love my stealth, i use mine for every color piece i do.

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[OwlsDen]

I have never loved the stealth until I rebuilt this one. I almost hated the stealth in its original form. But this monster is a power house now. The better motor really helped a lot.

[amishpower]

i have a few that i use constantly. two of them i got motors from dan kubin and put in, also i punched out the a-bar pin and put a shim washer on either side of the a-bar at the bottom, and superglued (!) shim steel pieces onto the parts of the frame at the top where the a-bar passes thru, thus eliminating the "rattle'' they seem afflicted by...tightened them right up but with no binding either. also i cut off the useless steel bars on either side of the crank, and had real vices made for them. considering i got the machines for free from a disgusted co-worker, and only spent on dans motors (vices were a tattoo trade from a buddy at a machine shop) , the difference is amazing. a third one has the same improvements, but with a 5mm crank. which lines with big groupings like a fat sharpie. the 4mm is now my favorite liner, and i swear the 3mm is my favorite tattoo machine for black and grey or portraits ive ever used. i dunno if the motors i got from dan are mabuchi, but they definitely run WAAAY smoother and a bit faster. the 5mm seems to like the o.g. stealth motor better.

[OwlsDen]

Sounds like you did a lot of nice work making them in to something nice. I would really like to see pictures.

[amishpower]

Well, they work nice but they are not pretty ha ha...apparently my painting skills are lacking-either that or aluminum is real hard to spray paint. But I'll post a pic when I get to work today

[OwlsDen]

I look forward to it. The painting isn't the part that I am most interested in. It's the technical bits. I eagerly await.

[amishpower]

Here they are. The primer grey one is the 5mm stroke then behind that are 4 and 3mm. Ill try to get a closer pic of the shims- bear with me a bit this is my first iPhone ever I'm dealin with lol. A bit behind the times...:rolleyes:

[punisher]

I'm convinced i should now tear mine apart and redo it.

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[amishpower]

do it...its surprising how much improved they feel.. waitin on some more tube vices for the green ones- in the upside down photo sorry btw

[boaz]

just a bit of a twist and owl what motor have put in that ican only find a 7.5 v157021570315704

[amishpower]

Boaz that looks great!

[punisher]

Agreed that's a classy stealth

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[OwlsDen]

just a bit of a twist and owl what motor have put in that ican only find a 7.5 v157021570315704

Where did you get that? That is the nicest stealth I have seen so far.

The motor is a mabuchi ff 180sh and slams color in at 2.5-3volts.

[boaz]

Cheers guys i just put a twist on it myself and the soft gromm works a treat

[phatmountain]

Yes and no. This motor is slightly shorter than the one that was in there. But this is a good thing as the collar of the shaft protrudes out from the casing as there is an actual bearing or collar on the shaft. Also the stock spindle is so deep that I had to set the motor farther back in the case. So the slightly shorter motor was a blessing as in the end it was a perfect fit. The power band is totally different now too. It feels much more solid and less like a rattle can. It still isn't nearly as cool as the Swiss, but it is much much better feeling than a stock stealth. If you have a stealth I would seriously consider swapping the motor out.
Any links as to where to buy these motors?

[OwlsDen]

Any links as to where to buy these motors?

I got mine on eBay. Just search the part number. It's listed in the beginning.