How to Get the Right Tactile Feedback from a Quiet Pen Machine?

That can be disconcerting to many of the older tattoo artists who, after many years of working on a clanging coil machine, are suddenly brought to a motionless state by the new title of the machine, a humming neo-pen.

It is said to be like numbness or being out of touch. Tactile feedback method in tattooing, the combination of resistance and hitting the skin with the needle is the main sensory experience that the artist can use to perceive the depth and saturation, even without the use of ability to see.

In the event you have changed to a quiet rotary pen and feel that you have lost your touch, we will then guide you and help you get past that problem in terms of sensory, and provide you with what you require in terms of feedback.

What Exactly Is Tactile Feedback, And Why Do Pen Machines Feel So "Dead"?

The feedback that is received by your hand, as a result of machine vibration and resistance, is known as tactile feedback. The physical signal of a machine when the armature cycles is the mechanical kick of the armature bar on a coil machine.

It is made with quiet pen machines that are as efficient as possible and less vibrating. They operate on a motor and a cam mechanism, which generates smooth cyclical movement. Although this is good in reducing fatigue in your hands, it takes away the bite that informs you of how the skin is responding.

It assumes the dead feeling because the machine is so rubber-dubbed to an extent that it absorbs the vibrations that you were using as a guide. The trick to overcome this would be to get to listen again with your fingertips by specially optimizing your arrangement.

How Does Stroke Length Impact The "Feel" Of A Quiet Machine?

The distance (stroke length) that the needle moves is the largest individual influence on the way hard a machine hit. When your pen is too soft, then you must probably lengthen your stroke.

·         Short Strokes (2.5mm -3.0mm): Terribly smooth and have practically no tactile feedback. They work best with soft shading, wherein an appearance of a cloud-like finish is required.

·         Medium Strokes (3.5mm): The industry standard. It offers a comfortable feel and is still somewhat light for coil users.

·         Long Strokes (4.0mm -4.2mm+): When you have missed the "punch" of a coil, there is nothing like a 4.2mm stroke. With a longer stroke, there is a more aggressive "slap" on the skin. This momentum causes a greater vibration in the grip, and you can literally feel the penetration of the needle in the dermis.

Can The Right Needle Cartridge Restore The "Hit" I’m Missing?

Yes. Carridges are not made equal. This tension of the safety membrane, which happens internally, serves as the secondary spring of your machine.

Stiffer Membranes: Kwadron or Cheyenne Safety is made with a high-quality cartridge (with a stiffer silicone membrane). A stiffer membrane will make the motor work a little harder, pushing the needle out. This push back produces a more distinctive mechanical "thud" that you are able to sense through the body of the pen.

Textured Needles: There are cartridges with textured needles. These have a mild resistance upon passing through the skin. Although it will seem aggressive, even that little additional drag gives a distinct touch to your hand that the needle has already penetrated the sweet spot of the skin.

How Do Grip Materials Influence The Vibrations A Tattooist Feels?

Your nervous system has a connection with the motor of the machine through the material you are holding. When you cover your machine in excess foam, you are basically muting your feedback.

Metal vs. Disposable: Aluminum or stainless steel grips are both great conductors of vibration. When you apply a metal grip, you will get to know every detail of the motor and the resistance of the needle. Disposable grips made of plastic have a dulling effect on such feelings.

The trap of Over-Wrapping: To provide comfort, heavy applications of adhesive bandages (grip tapes) are used by many artists. Nevertheless, thick rubber and foam are vibration-absorbent. In case you would want to get more feedback, then use a thinner wrap or harder grip material. You would like an ergonomic grip and at the same time sufficiently talkative to the touch to feel the vibration of the machine in your fingertips.

What Settings Can "Simulate" A Harder Hit On A Rotary Pen?

Although you are not able to modify the physics of a motor, you are able to modify your voltage and hand speed to form a more noticeable "rhythm."

Voltage vs. Resistance: A slightly higher voltage (e.g., 8.0V-9.0V) causes the hits to occur more often. Although the hit does not feel as forceful (as it relates to the force), the accelerated speed generates a more steady buzz that is less challenging to process by the brain as feedback.

Give Adjustments: The Cheyenne Sol Nova or Bishop Wand (give) is available with a Give or Sensi adjustment. The ability to swing the needle on the Tabula, blanking it to the state of give, makes it bounce, or rather, creates the tension of a spring in a coil machine when it hits hard skin. This makes the machine seem less like a stiff jackhammer, but more of a reflexive object that breathes with the skin.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the right pen machine in the coming times, it’s always better to have the quiet ones that are helpful and keep the tattoo-making environment calm.

FAQs

Q: Why can't I feel the skin resistance as well as I could with my old coil machine?

Coil machines are directly mechanically connected (the spring and armature bar) to respond immediately to the tension in the skin. Rotary pens have a motor that has no varying speed with resistance. To offset it, you would have to increase the amount of visual effect (as the skin dimples) and use a bigger stroke (4.0mm+) to give yourself a greater physical feeling of vibration during the strike.

Q: Will increasing my voltage give me more tactile feedback?

Partially. The faster the voltage level, the more vibration is felt. Nevertheless, it does not always result in the machine striking harder. To add more punch, you need to consider either adding more stroke length or a cartridge with a firmer membrane, not necessarily throwing more power at it.

Q: Are wireless battery packs better or worse for feedback?

They usually are the same; however, the distribution of weights is important. A pen can be made heavy with the addition of a battery pack. Such a change of balance may occasionally render it particularly troublesome to detect the finesse in the vibrations at the tip of the needle.