owners of the ego....whatcha think?

[eric03]

so, i know there has been different reviews and discussions about the ego, but, I'm really trying to figure out if i should get one this week or try something else. everything about it really interests me, but for those of you who actually own one, what do u think?is it worth buying one or is it nothing special? thanks for the input

[tattood]

dude i got some money in my pocket and its burning a hole.lol.. thinking of getting an ego also

[eric03]

i know. I'm so torn. I've been wanting one for a while now but the reviews on here are so inconsistent. i really just wanna know if the plastic body is seen as something that is cheap or will crack n if n e one has had experience with how the customer service is. quality and service is always the two big selling points for me.

[tattood]

not sure on quality i have heard great customer service. some have had issuees with being a littlelouder than normal,. from my understanding they just send a new one to u. so that sounds good.. what kind of price range are u looking.. im in the 300-500 range

[eric03]

i actually don't even have a price range bc i really shouldn't b spending the money.haha. i have swashdrives, and a nicks machine as well as a not working neuma. i got a brass storm on ebay for $100 bucks that actually works really well also. overall though, my swashdrives n my nicks machine are my daily grinders.i wanna buy the new gen 8, but instead I'm sending my gen 6 to samyo to get fixed ,so i fig for the price, the ego is the most interesting machine out there to me thats not completely unrealistic for me to come up with the money. overall, if u wanna spend $300 on a great machine that u can help design, nicks machines are amazing.im gonna b getting another one after this purchase.really good guy too.

[tattood]

im leaning towards the ego to , however i do have two nicks that i love. and sometimes when i try a new machine and go back to his i wonder why i even tryed something else.lol

[Shawn]

I really like mine. But even with the softest triangles in it, it doesn't have much give. Quite a bit louder than most other rotaries. Definitely need to get an angled rca cord. Because if not the regular rca cords sticks way out and pulls down on the machine. You have to hold the vice screw to tighten up the vice. I put a small o ring on the screw and now it tightens up perfect. It is extremely light weight. Feels like all your holding is the tube. Not much vibration. It doesn't feel like a cheap plastic either. Over all I just use it for my 7 mags. Now this is just my experience with it. I do really like this machine.

[eric03]

Thanks Shawn. That all sounds pretty good. I don't mind if its a lil louder bc I'm sure it will never b as loud as a cool machine.

[MickWrath]

I posted a screw swap fix in trouble shooting it's a 6 cent fix for the vice, and it's a great machine. I'm really surprised to hear you say it doesn't have much give Shawn because at 8 volts with a black and yellow triangle setup it's smooth as butter and has alot of give. I actually prefer the black and green or black and purple for color because yellow is to much give to pack for me. I have 2 egos and it's one of the best machines for the money. Yes it has a little buzz to it but nowhere near a coil, it's low vibration, no weight, and can easily keep up with the big boys in the rotary world. Ie: hyper, halo, inkjecta etc.

[crabink]

I sold mine real fast... it has a cool hit, but that technology has 2 flaws... First, it would not be very hard to secure the nipple bar into the unit so it can still swing free vertically, instead of coming out every time you change the needle... and second the vise is crap.. yes, you can buy a second hand screw and fix it.. but I am still afraid I am gonna break the plastic piece of shit...
I mean why in the hell would you go through all the trouble of making a light weight linear machine and not make it in air craft aluminum?
Rotaries are already light weight. Bez got his wrist pain from using heavy coil machines and jerking off, not rotaries.
If the frame body was some sort of metal I would still own mine and it would weight mere grams more.
Also I want to point out that the Ego has a cool dampening system, not a true give system... it's more of a direct drive with the ability to dampen the hit a little.
Don't let the price fool you.. it's not worth it....
If you use disposable tubes and don't mind reinserting the 2 rubber triangles along with the nipple bar every time you change a needle and buying a new screw to fix the vise.. then go for it.

[crabink]

I posted a screw swap fix in trouble shooting it's a 6 cent fix for the vice, and it's a great machine. I'm really surprised to hear you say it doesn't have much give Shawn because at 8 volts with a black and yellow triangle setup it's smooth as butter and has alot of give. I actually prefer the black and green or black and purple for color because yellow is to much give to pack for me. I have 2 egos and it's one of the best machines for the money. Yes it has a little buzz to it but nowhere near a coil, it's low vibration, no weight, and can easily keep up with the big boys in the rotary world. Ie: hyper, halo, inkjecta etc.

Honestly it doesn't have that much give...

[crabink]

Damn I always reply with such fervent passion...

[tattood]

Damn I always reply with such fervent passion...

u do man^^^. ur kinda crazy, dude. what was that line of Bez getting wrist problem from jacking off. hella funny shit man.... :)

[crabink]

u do man^^^. ur kinda crazy, dude. what was that line of Bez getting wrist problem from jacking off. hella funny shit man.... :)

Thank you... i do enjoy my good humor... I have a moto that I live by. "A punchline can never go unsaid."

[MickWrath]

Looks like ima have to make a video showing the give...I respectfully disagree Crab. The ego can hit soft and smooth as silk. I will show a comparison video of some other machines with give so everyone can get an idea. I have about 20 hours total with these guys and the more you play with it the more you realize what the ego can really do and that's anything. Stay tuned...

[crabink]

Looks like ima have to make a video showing the give...I respectfully disagree Crab. The ego can hit soft and smooth as silk. I will show a comparison video of some other machines with give so everyone can get an idea. I have about 20 hours total with these guys and the more you play with it the more you realize what the ego can really do and that's anything. Stay tuned...

oh i never said it doesn't hit soft and smooth.. i agree.. but its not a real give system like the stigma or halo.... i would say it a top notch dampening system for sure... and yes Bez did jerk off way to much, ruining his wrist forever.

[MickWrath]

I get what your saying but when does dampening become so extreme it turns into give? I know I can mimic my hyper v3 and inkjecta all the way to about one and a half turns out on the give knob almost identical with a black and yellow setup with the ego. It even rockers just like the hyper, and inkjecta...prodigy too. Yes those machines can give even more but I'd be very confident in saying give not dampening when it can do what a "true give system" can do.

[JohnnyChaos]

There's a bit article on it in NineMag were Bez says the first one was in Aluminium but it cost them something like £1400 and they realized pretty quick they were never going to be able to reach the price point they wanted without switching to plastic.
I swapped mine, but am looking at getting another now. They definitely do everything well, they just aren't as smooth and refined as something like a Halo or dragonfly.

[crabink]

Bez... switch the body to aluminum, figure a way to secure the nipple head in there permanantly and charge 400.00. how fucking hard is that. I would buy it

[(Opted Out)]

Or he could not bother... Keep charging £240 instead of £400 and we can put up with a small amount of vibration from a machine which runs awesome, is lightweight and ORIGINAL! This machine has taken nothing from any other machine its totally bez's own flesh and blood behind it, hes a tattooist and we will support our own. You wana spend £400 on a aluminium machine with a fixed nipple head buy a halo.

[eric03]

thanks for all the feedback. its gonna b a good week at the shop, so I'm gonna get me an ego. i will post a review when i get it.thanks

[crabink]

get a rotary works I.D .. its cheaper and better

[eric03]

i would def get a rotary works but they don't have rca's, I'm not a fan of clip chords. thanks for the suggestion though.

[tattood]

u can message the maker of rotary works and hell put an rca on it for u

[tattood]

get a rotary works I.D .. its cheaper and better

Whats up man. so ur diggin the I.D.. i have one also but have only used it once. Im kinda strung out on this impact.. what are u using the I.D. for ?

[eric03]

really @tattood? interesting. thanks for the heads up. now i think i will b an owner of a i.d too:p

[elbo]

I just got a second ID...Probably the best B&G machine ive ever used and great on small liners...super smooth and quiet and light as a feather...Mine have rca and clippy connection..In fact im thinking of selling my stigma prodigy and buying another two.

[tattood]

really @tattood? interesting. thanks for the heads up. now i think i will b an owner of a i.d too:p

yes message Him through his facebook page.. https://www.facebook.com/rotary.works?ref=ts&fref=ts his name is Dale really cool dude hes in england so there is a time difference so may take a day or so for a response just message him tell him what u want, get his paypal, and ull have ur machine in 10 - 14 days :)

[tattood]

I just got a second ID...Probably the best B&G machine ive ever used and great on small liners...super smooth and quiet and light as a feather...Mine have rca and clippy connection..In fact im thinking of selling my stigma prodigy and buying another two.

Damn. that good.. huh.. im gonna have to give it some use.. i just did the B and G piece with his SLIM LINE and i have to say it was so great at getting a smooth shade.. and very little trama at all. I believe the slimline is the shortest stroke he offers, great machine...

[Shawn]

I have tried every combination of the triangles for the ego. Still has hardly any give at all. The machine is too long. Can't take the needle off without the triangles coming out. But this is just my experience with it. Everyone has to try one out for themselves. I can spend a little more money and get something I know I like. So far the EGO just isn't for ME!!!

[MickWrath]

I switched to straight posts instead of the oem post with the small tbone bar at the bottom. Slides out and leaves the triangles in place. These are all little 10 cent fixes and I'm sure they will be addressed in the next gen of egos till then I'm good with spending 20 cents. For little comfort mods. The ID is def on my list though, just gotta grab my gen 8's first.

[jemstar555]

Picked up my ego today, going to give it a go tomorrow :)

What inserts are you guys using to do nice black/tribal work?

Thanks!!

[MickWrath]

black and black for solid fill homie....Mick

[eric03]

just ordered mine today. thanks again for all the opinions and suggestions. ill post my feelings on it once i get a chance to use it for a bit.

[jemstar555]

black and black for solid fill homie....Mick

Thanks!!

[Nedz]

If you want to know what Bez was thinking when he made the machine there is a very good article in a new UK Tattoo magazine called Nine.

[jemstar555]

Used it this morning for the first time, loving it :cool:

[MickWrath]

Glad you like it! It's a great machine.

[nick]

I switched to straight posts instead of the oem post with the small tbone bar at the bottom. Slides out and leaves the triangles in place. These are all little 10 cent fixes and I'm sure they will be addressed in the next gen of egos till then I'm good with spending 20 cents. For little comfort mods. The ID is def on my list though, just gotta grab my gen 8's first.

I just got mine online and should be here next week. Do you mind elaborating a bit of the fixes that you feel are needed?

[MickWrath]

Not needed just conveinant. The screw for the vice is described with pics in the troubleshooting section and I will take pics of the straight post mod so the triangles don't come out every time you change needles. I will post it for ya.

[nick]

Thanks Mick. Yeah, I saw the vice mod. Just don't understand what you mean by the second mod.

[MickWrath]

Second mod is described now with pictures in the Ego vice fix thread in the troubleshooting section homie. I just posted it in the same thread for you.

[nick]

Second mod is described now with pictures in the Ego vice fix thread in the troubleshooting section homie. I just posted it in the same thread for you.

I saw that. You rock man, thanks. I'm getting mine in the mail today. Will have to try them out. Are those extra bars included with the machine? Or do you purchase them seperately?

[MickWrath]

I just bought them at the hardware store (McFaddendales) I just bring the machine with me and play with stuff until its a perfect fit. The bars are like a nickel each.

[JohnnyChaos]

Picked up another ego this week. Seems a lot nicer than I remember. Felt they struggle a little with ttech though.

[eric03]

got my ego today. can't wait to work tomorrow to try it out. tattoomachinesnow.com were great.

[MickWrath]

Picked up another ego this week. Seems a lot nicer than I remember. Felt they struggle a little with ttech though.

Just add a 1-1.5 volts homie and it will run beautifully!

[jorgeantonio]

after a couple tattoos with one, i have mixed feelings. i tried it with black/blue and just wasnt really hitting how i want it. perhaps more time to adjust and a black/black would have been a better experience for me. i must admit the weight and balance of the machine i really enjoyed but without an angled rca i could see problems tattooing certain areas. all in all for the price tag there are many machines that perform better.

[jesoner79]

im still not sure about mine it lines well but coloring the way i do it seems to struggle a lil i do like the weight and dont mind the rca being up very good for lining anyway but dont see it getting much more use

[MickWrath]

Anyone that wants a "runs perfect for how I tattoo" out of the box machine may want to pass. There are so many configurations to try with different tattooing techniques, volts needle float, hand speed, stretch, etc that it has a learning curve and takes time to really figure out what works for you. I looked at it just as Bez described it...the triangles can be thought of as front and back springs on a coil...using that I knew exactly what combos I wanted to try and for what style with applied techniques.
I hit the mark on some of em and invested time to learn the machine and adjust accordingly when I was off. I find it so crazy that when someone buys a Rotary and it doesnt really click with them instantly they flip it or talk down on it...If I bought a Seth Ciferri Cutback Liner and tattooed once with it lining on a fat broads ribs and it started to catch the skin, well id probably retune her with a longer punchy stroke real quick and negate the typical aspects of the shorter faster lighter hits a cutback usually yields. I wouldnt assume the machine didnt work for me and sell it after 1 tattoo. Same with Rotaries...in most cases retuning is adjusting your volts, float, and or technique...in the case of the Ego it can be that OR adjust your triangles. It boggles me that so many of us invest a shit ton of money on Rotary machines, yet we dont invest the time to really learn the machine itself...yeah we know its a slider or pivoting armature or direct drive with maxon, faulhaber, mabuchi, etc but I mean learn how to USE the machine itself for how we tattoo specificly...we just say meh its not for me, and try something easy that we dont have to learn or understand exactly why its not working for me, or how to make it work for me. Stick with it guys and give it and your other new machines that may be a little off for you a fair shake...any rotary may surprise you and become your fav daily driver even if it didnt click with you at first. This has happened to me plenty with coils and rotaries alike. My 2 cents and worth exactly that.

[eric03]

it was only the first day of using it but i love the ego. i didn't see n e thing wrong with it so far. i dk what ppl were saying about it runs loud? it purrs like a kitten n the lines went in like buttahh!haha. seriously, for the way i tattoo, it was great. wanna get another one.

[jemstar555]

What triangle setup are you guys using for lining?

[Bishopbyname]

What triangle setup are you guys using for lining?

My colleague has used blue on the bottom (toward the vice) and yellow in the top with great success.

[jemstar555]

Thanks!!

[Tengu315]

These little guys are very cool... I only used it a couple times, but tried different setups per tattoo.. I like them.
Especially for lining.. A little slow but very smooth and precise and steady.
I'll be plying with this thing a lot for sure.
The screw and the rubber things popping out is not much of a problem .. I just put a little glue on the head of the screw, and got used to hold the rubber down with my fingers when I change the needles... No biggie .

[asa_castle]

i dont own one myself, but my coworker just got one. i think he's frustrated with it and i know i would never want one myself by seeing it. the triangles fall out, sounds like a toy, and looks awkward and cheap. but that's just my two cents.

[Tengu315]

I hope your coworker sticks with it..
These little guys have a lot of potential .
The more I use it the more impressed I am. The inconvenient things become part of their charm.
You just have to use them for a wile to get it . There is a lot to explore and experiment with the little triangles.
Some times I just pick the triangles randomly to see what will happen... And I discover something new. It's fun.

[Dardy2]

I was at the north lakes convention the other week and alot of artists were using the egos and doing some amazing color work with them. Yes a little bit more noise but putting color in smooth as hell.I spoke to one artist who uses the triangles in a different way to what suggested by bez he has his black triangle on the bottom and yellow on top and it was layering in color easily @ 6 volts and he won best of day Saturday with the piece he did.My only issue was they all had 3 to 4 egos set up obviously with different triangles on for different needle groups that means £880 for 4 machines to save the hassle of changing the triangles everytime u need to switch to different groupings.But as I said they were putting color in smooth as hell so I'm going to try borrow one before I purchase :)

[slicksteel]

My colleague has used blue on the bottom (toward the vice) and yellow in the top with great success.
I am think on buying one of these and all i want to know is well it push large liners for fatboy lines with out taking forever?

[Neo]

get a rotary works I.D .. its cheaper and better





get a rotary works I.D .. its cheaper and better



OR.... grab a mc13 from Dan Kubin and be done with it lol have him make a nut for zero give or use no nut for perfect damp or throw a thick wall silicone nipple on with the loop opened a bit for more give, open more for even more give which seems more consistant then the "slop" give systems as i call them cause it flops up and down imho( hard to explain) and gets real loud but the kubins remain smooth and consistant. No band snaping or ink climbing or spitting, just flawless in my opinion and built solid as fuc$. Cant say enough about dans 13's, i only sell one when i want to try another then i see it dont compare and grab another from dan lol.. Great guy, great service , great machine period....I also think his motors are smoother then maxons or atleast in his machines they are PERFECT and smoother /consistant then my impacts , bishops,halo ect. I even sold halo's, impacts, bizarres ect for crankers cause i love me some dan kubins more then i love meself haha.

Have not tried an ego yet so cant speak on it, sorry but i may have one soon and will write a review then. Sorry i couldnt help more

[asa_castle]

kubin's = yes

[mrbudgie]

ego is the first non coil machine I have ever used for black and grey that works really well for me. i like a solid black rubber on bottom to represent it hitting a coil top and the really soft yellow for the backing off u get on a coil, all at 8.5v, all other give roteries just dont quiet get it right for me.

[(Opted Out)]

Love my new ego... But it is noisy! I have been totally spoiled by neotats for the last 18 months..

[eric03]

just wanted to post my experience on the ego. yes i decided to get it soon after i posted this post. overall, it could b that i wanted it for so long, but i really can't find a problem with this machine. all the issues ppl stated about it just doesn't bother me. the noise, the nipple bar popping out with every needle change,the vice,etc. just don't bother me. the power of this lil machine is great. everyone of us tattoos in our own way. so what works for one person may not work for another. so theres no reason to say a machine sucks out right. it just may suck for u n the way u tattoo. I've learned that i gotta b the overall decision maker of a machine but I'm still interested n curious about the general opinions of others. i personally like a hard hitting machine. so i have been using the blue and red color configuration. i mainly use it for color. i have tried to use it for lining but for me, the rca in the back makes it a lil off center n difficult for me to get a clean line. i still use my swahdrives for lining n have yet found a machine to take its place. anyone who has a nicks machine, the power is similar to his machines. both great machines i find for color packing. the price is right and ordering from tattoomachinesnow.com was a great experience. they even did a follow up to see how i liked the machine n asked to send them pics of tattoos i have done with it to post on their site. really good customer service. plus, u can never beat free shipping. so, the ego is a great purchase n a great addition to any collection, in my opinion.

[eric03]

in comparison to the neo tat fluffs tattoos, i can totally understand on that opinion. those machines are literally silent. still in comparison to coils, every rotary is silent.haha. in my shop when two ppl are using their coils that sound like they are tattooing a rock, i can't even hear my customer talk let alone my machine.haha