Fellow Forum Members Please Help me find some budget tattoo machines--See Text Inside

[daredwit]

Before you judge me too harshly based on the subject line, please understand that those are my FK Irons for sale on the Classified Board. I have always supported the industry, respected my clientele and have used the best gear I could get my hands on.

Unfortunately, I have fallen on some very hard times . My wife was recently diagnosed with Huntington's disease which is a rare, degenerative, neurological illness that causes advanced dementia, speech and mobility problems and eventual death. Furthermore, because it is genetic, our 3 children have a 50/50 chance of having. We were a 2 income family with 3 children that is now down to one income, no insurance and are struggling immensely since I must care for my wife and cannot work as much as I normally do. I respectfully ask everyone: Please be mature, empathetic and respectful if you choose to participate in this post. I would appreciate it immensely.

In spite of what is happening I still need to tattoo but was forced to sell my FK irons to buy food for my kids and pay medicals bills and life's expenses, which are piling up at an astronomical rate. I simply did not own anything else other than a vehicle that I could sell to raise money.

Although I am all too familiar with top name machines and machine builders, I find myself in unfamiliar territory and could use the help and advice of fellow forum members. While I would like to avoid at all costs the low quality equipment that is out there, I need to equip. myself on a budget to continue to earn money. If it's salvageable, I can usually salvage it.

I normally set up with 4 machines.

While I would like 4 machines, I can make due with 3. Other than I want a coil machine as a liner.....I am open to coil or rotary suggestions since I have and can use both. Here is the punch line with which I need your advice and help. I have an absolute maximum budget of $350 to use on machines. This is what is left over after the sale of my FKIs. I did not/could not sell my other equipment so I only need machines.

FYI: I do have a source of excellent custom coils and can have any machines re-coiled relatively inexpensively to make them run better.

I thank everyone in advance for any and all suggestions on what I might be able to afford that still works without too much of a hassle. A few suggestions I have gotten are Unimax brand machines (Jaws, Star etc....), Re-coiled Aluminator series machines or Stealths, ITS (International Tattoo Supply) iron machines, used recoiled Spaulding machines, Used Micky Sharpz, The Noxid rotary with cheaper motor, Someone called Arty Joe's Inc on Ebay?

I see alot of builders here in the USA on Ebay offering machines within my budget but I don't know......I am not in the position to take a chance or gamble on an unknown builder.

[OwlsDen]

NeoTat classic is 250$ new. However on your budget and need more at once I would get a national coil machine set up as a liner and go unimax for a shader. I think you can do that for about 250$ with the left over 100$ you could get a stealth ( the much loved copy of the Swiss ) or you could get another unimax coil. ITS sells machines for about 50$ that aren't terrible, some new coils and springs an they are halfway decent. I have seen a few aluminum machines on eBay that run pretty cheap too, just know that the springs and coils are most likely less than garbage.

Best o luck to you and stay positive. It will mean the world to your kids to see you strong.

[johndameart]

Stay strong man, Yeah OwlsDen does have a point, the stealth I have used, had no issues with it, a neo tat im sure you can find used and at a decent price, what you could also do is get a grip from fk irons when they come out and use one machine with the cartridges so that way you dont really need to have more than one machine at the moment too.

[slicksteel]

If you looking for some very well made american frames go to bob P.-three piece tig welded perfection--I have 3 different lefty ones. http://www.ebay.com/sch/fastevo/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=25&_trksid=p3984.m1543.l2654 and he will make ya more-he does walkers etc. just hit him up.Just tell him michael evans sent ya.

Or Get some Kylin builds-they are china made but made very well and run great,have good service if you want a complete that is made well without having to throw away all the parts.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kylin-Handmade-Brass-Tattoo-Machine-gun-20907S-/281131363163?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4174bc2b5b

Also like stated before national and ITS are good,you can get the both in just frames -here is the ITS on ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Iron-Eye-Loop-34mm-Frame-/190709881271?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c6731d9b7

[wildboy]

If youre fine with direct drives you could buy a direct drive for 30 bucks tops on ebay and replace the motor with a mabuchi for another 10 and have a great machine for all kinds of rounds if you use a diamond tip... Micky Bee coil machines arent too expensive either and reliable tools.

[biggietattoos]

Paco Rollins' machines are $195 each I know several artist that swear by them. You might stretch a bit out budget for a set but it may be worth it. Otherwise, an Eikon green Monster kit or a soba kit from Workhorse Irons may get you a solid machine on a budget. I'm not sure he's still around but there was this dude on ebay that made some pretty nice one-off machines you can usually scoop up for dirt cheap they were called Early Irons, I grabbed my first set of machines from him for like $300 for the set. I have a swiss knock off rotary that I used for a long while before investing in some higher end rotaries, It's collecting dust in my tool box, I'd send it your way if you're interested, nothing fancy just a cheap but good running machine. Sorry for your hard times man

[johndameart]

thats true, i also have a paco rollins from like 08, good machines :)

[John]

There are a bunch of coils on the Facebook buy and sell machine forum right now from Zach Zombie around $100.

[Neo]

1st sorry to hear about your wife i hope everything gets better for you and yours.

I would say get a next gen or a pulse coil machine,can find both on ebay for about $150 a pop but if its listed a little higher pm the dude and tell him you will pay 150 paypal only so he will save on ebay fees, this works for me. The stealth was ok but the armbar was flopin around like crazy so i couldnt tattoo with them so i returned them. I did have one long ago and it was not floping so i guess its hit or miss, you can get a shadow prem from friction for $80 with all strokes which is the same as the stealth. I only mention the shadow and stealth cause your low on cash but the pulse and next gen are great machines and worth a mention. Dale has cheaper rotartys also , Good luck

[Panos tattoo]

im sorry for your hard time man but my advice and im not saying its the best ,but thats what i would have done if i was in your shoes,is a) ask your land lord for a couple of rents to be transferred to the end of the year or to pay them off little by little.im pretty sure he will show understanding.b)try to adjust working with 2 machines or at least for some time until you get some money to buy more decent equipment.dont go after a knock off.Paul Booth was tattooing for a long time with a mikey sharpz micro-dial liner.(and its not because he couldnt afford something else.it was his preference.) lines and shades with a cutback liner by adjusting the Volts.
c)if you know your stuff about coil machines you can get 4 frames from ebay and make your own machines by getting your hands dirty.
d)if its impossible to adjust or you dont know how to build a tattoo machine ask a friend to borrow you machines because lets face it,most of us have machines that are sitting in the back of a drawer because either we changed our technique or changed from coils to rots and rarely use those machines.this will give you the chance to make a few tattoos so you can get machines that suit you again.
this final advice is the one im 100 percent sure its good.DONT buy knock offs and expect the same,similar or decent results as an original ta2 machine.

[casey]

Slicksteel above mentioned Kylin, and I have to admit for the money they simply cant be beat, nice square frames with an armature bar hitting nice and flat. Most of my tattoo work involves either a RW springer or ss dragonfly (depending on mood really) Soba pilot liner and a Kylin shader (by choice not necessity!) and it has relegated some pricey machines to bit part players . Dont be put off because they are chinese , they really should sell for much much more. Sorry to hear of your dire situation bud and can only wish for brighter times ahead

[crabink]

i got a rotary works ID for 100.00 if you want it.. in mint condition.. lightly used.. it lines colors and does bng - 3.5 stroke
this price is just for you...

paco rollins website is the next place to look -a there around 175.00 for great machines -http://www.pacorollinsmachines.com/

[OwlsDen]

i got a rotary works ID for 100.00 if you want it.. in mint condition.. lightly used.. it lines colors and does bng - 3.5 stroke
this price is just for you...

paco rollins website is the next place to look -a there around 175.00 for great machines -http://www.pacorollinsmachines.com/

That is a really great offer for the Rotary Works ID. If I were you I would grab that in a second!

[directDRIVE]

Sorry to hear of your troubles buddy.

If direct drive is your thing, drop me a pm and I'd be more than happy to help out with an offer that will keep your budget intact ;)

[ckjr]

Inbox me your address. I will give you some machines. No cost just pay shipping.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

[Neo]

holy crap !!!!! what great people we have on this forum ^^^^ !!!!! offering free machines to help a fellow artist out who really needs the help, it just shows how great this forum is and what kind of people are on it. Im very proud to be on this forum with such great people, honestly.

[ckjr]

Give aloha and live aloha..... its that simple. Daredwit inbox me asap I'm going on the road for a month and want to get these out to you. I went through my stuff to build a perfect all around set up. Stealth lite perfect for traditional pepper, neuma hybrid great for blends and soft b&g and a frankensteined 4mm dd that can line and pack like nobody's business. The dd is a little beat up but its still one of my favorite machines. The other 2 are perfect. I also have needles and tubes if you need them. Best of wishes to you.
Aloha!
Cliff Kealoha Jr

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

[directDRIVE]

... and there's an Old Timer Direct Drive with your name on it, being fabricated as I type (not literally! I'm not Jesus!:cool:)

[ckjr]

^^^^NICE!!!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk 2

[crabink]

holy crap !!!!! what great people we have on this forum ^^^^ !!!!! offering free machines to help a fellow artist out who really needs the help, it just shows how great this forum is and what kind of people are on it. Im very proud to be on this forum with such great people, honestly.

This is why we reincarnate... to learn to love through experience. Its why we play these random games of life endlessly until we become pure love energy

[nivek]

Do you use coils ? if so email me [email protected] I have at least one I can throw your way.

Some disposable tubes and ss grips etc

[biggietattoos]

Like I said before too I got that Swiss knock off if you wanna inbox me too man! It's an awesome feeling to know that we are in a business where total strangers can help each other just because one of us needs it! All of these other generous people are class acts for sure!

[daredwit]

holy crap !!!!! what great people we have on this forum ^^^^ !!!!! offering free machines to help a fellow artist out who really needs the help, it just shows how great this forum is and what kind of people are on it. Im very proud to be on this forum with such great people, honestly. And so am I. I truly feel blessed right now. I am new to this forum and just recently found it after it was suggested to me by a well known machine builder and tattoo artist. I sit here speechless, feeling completely humbled and extremely emotional as I read the messages on this thread. I simply cannot express in words just how grateful and appreciative I am of everyone's support, generosity and kindness . I am feeling more depressed than I ever have as I watch my wife wither away before my eyes and wondering if the same is going to happen to my 3 children. There is no cure or treatment for Huntington's Disease so the future does not hold much hope for us. Life has not been kind to my family and I have been hurting so bad inside it has been hard to get out of bed in the morning. I hope everyone understands the desperate situation I am in and how much each and every one of you are truly helping my family. I feel incredibly guilty accepting this help and that wasn't my intention in any way, shape or form when I posted my thread on the forum. I do not feel entitled to anything or deserving. I wouldn't accept it under any other circumstances but my family relies on me for everything. They don't have anyone else and neither do I. All of our other family members have passed on and the government has not been helpful at all. With what has happened to my family, I had all but lost all hope and faith in humanity and in God. The support that fellow board members have shown us, has really warmed my heart and lifted my spirits. Even if you don't believe in a higher power, I am convinced beyond any doubt that it was no accident that I found this forum. I don't have much to offer and am pretty much a train wreck right now but I just want to sincerely thank each and every one of you and make a public promise to the members of this forum that I will pay it forward and do whatever I can to help fellow members in need as I have been helped. That is the very least I can do. God Bless and may Karma surround each and every one of you with the love and support you have shown me and my family. Some members have asked me not to mention them by name but I want them to know that while they may not get the public recognition they deserve, I will never forget their kindness and they have earned my eternal respect and gratitude. Thanks again everyone. Today, I have a little more hope.....and faith.

[crabink]

let me know... pm me

[andrewc]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hoodlum-set-of-3-tattoo-machines-LINER-SHADER-PACKER-/321159212692?pt=UK_Health_Beauty_Tattoos_BodyArt_S M&hash=item4ac694ae94#ht_515wt_1156

hoodlum machines run nice and after this set you should have about 150 left

[Amjams]

Hey man, check youtube for "detoxification the art and science".. there is this awesome natural doctor on there named Robert Morse nd. For what its worth.. wish you and your family the best.

[saint john]

if you still need a machine, I have a paco rollins shader you can have. i'll pay shipping if need be. [email protected]

[turion68]

My Grandmother died from Huntingtons Disease, and my Mother and siblings all have to live with the uncertainty that they may carry the faulty gene, and eventually develop the disease themselves, and even worse, potentially pass it on to their kids. I myself decided I wanted to know before starting a family of my own, and took a blood test, which thankfully came back negative. It is a truly awful illness and I feel for ya mate. I have a brass Rotaryworks you are welcome to if you want. Just pay shipping and its yours. Let me know.
All the Best.

[Tkocevar1]

All the best to you man. I got a wife and 3 kids myself and couldn't begin to imagine that weight you're holding. Take it a day at a time and work through it as you go.