Found the secret to the Kubins..and a review
I finally want to leave a review for Dan Kubin's mini cranker MC2, his 2013 updated model. I've had the machines for a few months now.
Out of the box...I was "pissed" and thought he sent me a t-shirt and no machines. I didn't realize these things were inside the shirt. The shirt didn't feel heavy either. Weight and size wise, they look and weigh like a toy. But the finish and machining/welds are flawless and anything but "toy like". I purchased two of them, a 3.5mm and a 4.0mm stroke. They don't look much larger than a 1" SS grip and about an inch shorter.
The 3.5 Dan calls his "all rounder" style machine. And it is just that. I have a Stigma Hyper, and Dan's machines pack color better and punchier than the Hyper. The give adjustment is genius and simple. It takes all of 2 seconds to change out the hard "clip" with the softer built in give. I'm not a fan of twirling plastic caps with built in springs and weird things that come loose when tattooing and too many adjustable options.
The machine gray shades amazingly smooth and VERY quiet. That shocked me the most, the sound, even at higher rpm's for shading. And it's very very smooth. I do a ton of black and gray realism work...more than anything, and the 3.5 machine performs perfect. The other thing that shocked me was how dramatic the voltage adjustment by just 1 volt changed the speed. Anywhere from 5-7 volts you can do it all. Also, I feel it necessary to talk about the balance of using the machine. He puts these thick vices on the front that feel to balance the machine really well. I use 1" SS grips and tubes and it's amazing using the machines. Feels like using a Hyper, but the extra punch from a coil. It has taken me a few months now to get used to lining with them...
Found out last night, accidentally, the secret to fine lining works best for me at super low/slow volts using the 4.0mm. When I used it at the recommended 6 volts, there were too many speed wobbles in my lines. But using the lower volts..my hand speed was not slower either. Around 4.5-5.5 I can line super crisp one pass tight 5's or 3's just like my trusty coils. Power lining with it is just as sweet. Crank the volts up and it pushes an 18 round with fat precise sharpie lines just fine.
Dan is also a standup awesome guy. Can't brag enough about how friendly he is on the phone and quick to reply to emails and questions. I probably shot him around 50 questions by the time I ordered my machines...and he was always patient and at one point laughed and said to me, "You know...I can't get upset with your indecisive ADD-ness because I'm the same way myself."
Get one...hands down.
