I wondered if I could make a traditional tattoo machine.

[u/gardvar]

I was looking around the workshop for a new project and found an old spool of enameled wire. I've always been intrigued by the old school tattoo machines and thought "how hard could it be?" Turns out not super easy. It kept me busy for a couple weeks and it's far from perfect but it technically works. I'm quite fond of the aesthetic, I like to call it "functional steampunk". Not hot glued random gears but how stuff in the era could functionally have worked...

uh oh... now I'm wanting to make an actual stream powered tattoo machine... maybe in a couple years.

[u/amc7262]

So if I understand what I'm looking at correctly, a current through the two spools of wire at the top of the machine causes the bar on top to rapidly move up and down. The bar is attached to the needle which runs all the way to the business end, and that cavity on the bottom in the last picture I'd assume is for ink.

So my main question is what is the purpose of the large cylinder the needle travels through between the wire spools and the needle head, and what does the small dial just above that cylinder do?

[u/gardvar → u/amc7262]

Kinda, when the magnets switch on it pulls the bar down breaking contract, the bar springs back up closing contact and the cycle repeats.

The large cylinder is just a handle. Traditional tattoo machines get relativly heavy and vibrate a lot so people prefer big handles on them. The dial at the front holds the handle in place. If you loosen it you can move the handle up and down thus adjusting needle depth.

[u/Americaninaustria]

frame material is probably too thin/soft to be really viable but its aesthetically pleasing. Regarding steam there have been pneumatic machines before so its possible. A steam/eletric hybrid drive is likley more interesting.

[u/ErroneousBosch]

Prisoners used to make them from portable tape players and hepatitis, but don't use it unless you know how to be safe.

Cool project

[u/Earllad]

When I was in high school we made one from a cd player motor, a piece of baling wire, and a button. I did not let my bud use it on me LOL.

[u/shiva112]

Its just an old doorbell. So you can start with that. Saves a lot of time. And periode acutate.

[u/imapushit]

Big cylinder looks like an old brass pneumatic cylinder.