Needle / tube noise with DD machines

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I wasn't able to find much specifically on the topic, but I have been doing a lot of color with my dd machines and have been trying different bends and rubber bands and what not but I still have a ton of noise from the needle in my disposables . I have a dan kubin dd and an old timer and a Darkside dd and mainly I have the issue with my kubin. I use both kingpin an mithra tubes and either one does it .. Not sure if it's better to bend the needle a bit or not , a lot of tension or little tension etc. I guess the noise is from the top of the needles at the solder point hitting the sides of the inside of the tube .. ? Love the machine but I can't stand the noise lol.

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most i use very breadth rubbers on my DD and a piece leather or papertowel and have never this issue

Might want to get an adjustable stroke cam for the machine. I had a lot of chatter at the top of the tube from the needle hitting the side and I adjusted the stroke ( as I have a few with adjustable cams ) and shortened the stroke some and the noise went away.

Also without seeing the machine if the cam is too far forward it will hit the front of the tube and make noise. You can possibly move the cam back or move the motor farther back in the housing.

None of my machines are adjustable stroke and the needle bar gets real close to the inside of the tube but doesn't hit. I hate putting a ton of rubber band tension on a machine because I feel like that's extra wear on the motor.. But next time I run one I'll get a beefy band on it and try that out

I find if you go more than 3.5mm you will start to get needle noise. Ink splatter. And vibration and noise more so if you run your machine fast. Wich i dont with dd machines. This is not the case with all dd tho. The larger the cam wheel iv noticed can cause problems.

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I feel that 4-5 storke work best with carts. 3mm is the best allrounder for standard needle setups -with the ability to go from soft to hard with low sound.

I believe my old time is around a 3.5 because it has a different cam than what normally comes on them, the kubin it think is under 4mm or real close. And the Darkside I have is probably a little over 4mm (guessing based on comparison )
i actually got the chance to experiment a bit with the kubin and Darkside with a couple touch ups tonight and the Darkside lines way smooth with tight 5s which I was surprised cause my mc2 has spoiled me. And once I fooled around with voltage and rubber bands I found a happy place with the kubin and a 9 bugpin around 4.5 volts or so. And then I lined with a 3 with the kubin on the next touch up and it was quiet as a mouse. I guess I have been over thinking it all since I always bent my needle bars I didn't tonight and had luck so I'll just keep doing that. I've looked into needle runners but I don't see that being good for the machine to be pushing the needle bar side to side against the runner..

Needle runners are pretty bs IMO. My Kubin original dd spits so frequently that I've nearly traded it off. But I got an Old Timer triple brass at 3.5mm and it's only spit once on me after heavy use. I think it has to do with the needle not staying flush in the tip and possible bar contact with the tube. Some of my tubes are better than others for this machine. But I love it.

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Originally Posted by bretttattoos

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I wasn't able to find much specifically on the topic, but I have been doing a lot of color with my dd machines and have been trying different bends and rubber bands and what not but I still have a ton of noise from the needle in my disposables . I have a dan kubin dd and an old timer and a Darkside dd and mainly I have the issue with my kubin. I use both kingpin an mithra tubes and either one does it .. Not sure if it's better to bend the needle a bit or not , a lot of tension or little tension etc. I guess the noise is from the top of the needles at the solder point hitting the sides of the inside of the tube .. ? Love the machine but I can't stand the noise lol.

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Try this. Instead of rubber bands use an origin of about 16mm inner diameter. (More or less depending on the design of your frame.) and pass the o-ring through the vise.
Arch your needle stack as well and just a slight bent on the bar. Like someone say before anything above 3.5 mm will give you more side motion.

You'll be surprise how different and oring make Direkt drives work.
Don't use needle runners because they will make your machine noisier as the runner will hit the walls of the tube and apply a lot of axial load the the armature ping weakening your bearing and taking a beating in your motor.

But for even better tips and suggestions contact the builder if you can.
Good luck



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I've tried orings on my old timer and wasn't a fan of setting up with them . But I'll give them another go tomorrow . Thanks for the input guys

I was having the same problems with the needle bar hitting the side wall of the tubes when using my DK whether disposable or ss and making a lot of noise(and chipping on the disp. which is def not good. Could have tattooed plastics into the skin(thankfully, I discovered this before working on somebody.) After trying different rubberband setups(more tension/less tension ect... I found that needle runners helped a tremendous amount on my DK, but I do still use a rubberband on there as well. More for piece of mind than anything. I place the needle runner about halfway down the bar slight bend on the needle at the solder point and now it runs smooth and silent as can be. I highly recommend them. I'd say give em a shot. I was at the same place with my DK and was about to call it quits until I got the needle runners. And man am I glad I did! Its the only machine I use for packing and shading now. And if you don't like em, you'll just be out a couple of bucks. Good luck.

DIRECT DRIVE, more than 3.5 mm stroke start moveing to much lateral, that u sue it strong rubber bands or oring for sure reduce the noise, but u can see the motor gonna absorbe much more amperebecouse force to much, i don think is the correct way

so that u realy like DIRECT DRIVE don go for more than 3.5 stroke and still not bad the noise

I've been fine lining with the longer stroke Darkside machine and haven't had the issue, but god forbid I bend the needle bar more than a tweek lol