New to rotaries and this forum

Hello. My name is Brad. I have been tattooing for about 3 years. I've been interested in rotaries since I learned there are types with adjustable give, so here I am to explore potentially investing in one. I have no idea where to start!

I've found (online) the Stigmas, Dragonfly, Bishop, Workhorse, etc...

But I'm not very confident in buying something I do not know the basic mechanics of. I know what to expect for characteristics when looking at coil machines, but everything seems enclosed in many rotaries. Are there diagrams or anything similar available?

Welcome to the forum! If you look at member's avatars, you'll notice that some people have machine names under their name. Feel free to ask that person about that machine, as having the name there means that they own it.

Even some machines without 'give' can be forgiving when you figure out how to use them. Some are very reasonably priced and easily available, and small changes such as using a paper towel grommet vs a silicone tube as a grommet can make a difference in the softness of the hit.

One thing that many people like about rotaries is the 'lack' of softness. It can be a big help when tattooing 'squishy' areas like necks and sides. It can take a few tattoos to figure out how to use one, or you may 'get it' right away - everyone is different.

Some rotaries are better at some things than others, some are good all-around. Check out the technique threads and the machine review threads to see the good vs the bad or even to see what some people are using to do their tattoos. Don't feel afraid to ask questions - generally everyone on here is happy to share info about their favorite machines.

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome aboard.

Welcome to the forum. What you'll find is you'll need to buy a few rotary machines before you find the one that suits you, just like coils. There's some great advice on here but it's all personal preference. The good thing is if you buy a machine and don't get on with it you can always sell/trade it in the classifieds and get most of your money back.