Dan Kubin Sidewinder

Picked up this rad machine about two weeks ago. Spoke with dan, had a bit of trouble with the machine spitting, dialed it in a little, did a few tattoos, started spitting again. Retuned it about 3.5mm, pretty hard hit. No spitting after running a few lines on myself.
Can't seem to get this thing to work for me. I spoke with dan about it, and he's a stand up dude. Was lining with my mc-14 for about three months before I finally had the cash to grab one.

Fairly discouraging. Seems like every tattoo I've done I've just blown out line after line, and I line pretty quickly. Anyone else have similar problems?

On the review side this machine could easily push a 25 liner with no problem what so ever. My technique is generally slightly angled lining (in the direction I'm lining). Push and pull lines, depending on the angle of the curve. Machine is very light, easy on the wrist, and I want to love it. Help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had a severe spitting issue with mine as well. Definitely made nice solid lines at times, but it proved to be a very finicky machine for me. Almost seemed to be more sensitive to my tube and needle relationship. I typically hang my needles out far and run my tubes a TAD loose (maybe a 7rl needle in 7 - 9rl stainless tube). Now i mainly use carts. I typically don't run liners above a 9, so I just concluded it was a beautiful tool, but not the tool for my style.

i have change to use only round tips and no diamant - round works better, the same with the rubbers -i notice 2 rubbers with 2cm diameter works better -is the rubber to soft its splitting ,its to hard its splitting too. On the old sidewinder i do a o-ring on the nipple and the grommet after the o-ring. So the needle is more forward and i use only medium soft grommets. All this helps to get a nice soft splitting free line :)

I notice that every sidewinder works best on a other stroke - my old one on 4mm ...my newer on 3,4mm. Is the stroke to big you get trouble or you change the volts -the same when its to small.
But i think you need a other setup for yours. Use medium soft grommets , 2 soft rubberbands and round tips - you will see that helps and try different volts. My old is running best on 7,4v and my others between 5 and 6volts.
With the sidewinder you have only to touch the skin with the needle - use only single pass ,i notice its blows most when i use a second pass -or i change to a softer machine or set the sidewinder softer for the second pass.

Guess I just need to find my speed with it for the single pass lines. Too slow and big fat line, too quick and a couple of weak spots. Thank you darkness I appreciate the words.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's interesting,, for me, I noticed spitting after a month of use, as soon as I changed to a new grommit and started using diamond tipped tubes it stopped spitting..

have three have no spitting issues. I tend to bend my tip down instead of the bar.. try that. I only use diamond tips.

I have four and use them religiously with no issues.. Slight needle bend one band and paper towel grommets

I have had spitting. The best remedy for me was to add more rubber bands. I usually use two. Diamond tip tubes. A hard rubber grommet and replace after every session. This thing chews them up. I retuned it to hit soft without bogging down on my thumb. Somewhere between 3 - 3.5 mm stroke. Tighten up the two set screws after tuning. Run no faster than 6.3 V. That is all.

Does anyone use this machine for smaller groupings. Starting to think it may simply be geared for 9-14's which for some reason I thought I could line with just about any needle without problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yup I use it for my 3s and 5s

What stroke nivek? You retune it at all?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use mine for everything from tight 5's to 14RS single pass lines. 6.5 volts for 9's & under & 6.7 for anything above 9.

yes a bit tuned - I like a long stroke and med hit

The thick rubber bands work best for me.
I use round tips for 7-8 and bigger. And diamond on 5 and smaller. And like they said a slight bend on the needle head.

Diamond tips tend to have too much space in the V under the needle, on bigger groupings. And the solder on the needle can cause it to spit ink bc of the gap in the V of the tip.

Just my theory and what works for me.



Sent from Uranus

I'm really digging my sidewinder2, but for the life of me I can't get it to stop spitting. I've tried different grommet and rubber band combinations, bend in the bar or bend in the needle, different tubes(round and diamond) I even tried Needlerunners with it, but not much has helped. Sometimes its worse than others, but it still spits no matter what. Still trying to find that sweet spot for it. It does line like a beast though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scottrallen

I'm really digging my sidewinder2, but for the life of me I can't get it to stop spitting. I've tried different grommet and rubber band combinations, bend in the bar or bend in the needle, different tubes(round and diamond) I even tried Needlerunners with it, but not much has helped. Sometimes its worse than others, but it still spits no matter what. Still trying to find that sweet spot for it. It does line like a beast though.

---

Have you tried a paper towel grommet ? I have a couple of really heavy hitting coils that are only happy with paper grommets

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Joshuarowlands

What stroke nivek? You retune it at all?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

abit less than 4 and a long stroke

I'll give the paper towel a try next. Thanks Casey!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by scottrallen

I'm really digging my sidewinder2, but for the life of me I can't get it to stop spitting. I've tried different grommet and rubber band combinations, bend in the bar or bend in the needle, different tubes(round and diamond) I even tried Needlerunners with it, but not much has helped. Sometimes its worse than others, but it still spits no matter what. Still trying to find that sweet spot for it. It does line like a beast though.

---

I'm in the same boat, and I did try papertowelz, no use,, I spent an hour today trying out different nipples ,bands, tubes,, tomarrow I'm gonna start fuckin with the settings and see if I can tune it too stop spitting,, : /,

Also worth noting that if you switch your clipcord round the machine will run softer/harder depending on which way you have it. I set mine to 3.5mm then tune accordingly, one band and a hard top hat. Lines lovely with every grouping, I use an og mini cranker to line with 3s.

I take it back,, I set it up with a 3round today,, lined besutifuly,, I'm in love, I will name my first child side, and my second winder,, thank u,, that is all,

OK. Lining is a breeze regardless of the spitting issue that I've been experiencing with this machine, but I think that I've finally figured out what will work best for me. The other day I sat down with my machine forn an hour or so and tried out some different combinations of bends/no bends, different rubber bands, paper towels, hard nipples, rubber tubing ect... It seems that for me what works best is using a piece of rubber tubing, a needle runner, and a rubberband. Thats it. Now that I've got it down, I'm really looking to this machines capabilities.

I use silicon tubing so that makes sense...

Does anybody shade and color with these?

I use one for black and grey and regularly use it for blend heavy pieces