If you do an image search for "tattoo machine diagram" on any popular search engine you can find the names of the parts I've mentioned in this blog. In fact, adding the word "diagram" to your search queries for technical items is a good idea. There is a lot of crazy stuff out there and the word diagram is pretty safe.
Enough background.
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To do:
Journal page 1
This blog, including pictures and text, is copyright to Brian McEvoy.
Enough background.
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The
mass and resistance on the armature bar of the tattoo machine was likely the
cause of the inoperability. The added mass and resistance was due to the
dashpot which added the mass of the plunger and the resistance of the air
valve. While this was a small load it was greater than the coils of a tattoo
machine were intended to handle.
The
dashpot was disconnected from the armature bar with a ¼” wrench. The dashpot
and bracket were then removed by taking off the stainless steel #10-32
countersunk bolts. This also disconnected the electrical again and since the
traditional attachment location of the isolated front binding post won’t work
one of the stainless steel bolts was reinserted to act as the terminal. A
washer, locknut, and nut were used to attach to the chassis. The front binding
post and contact screw were reattached but not the front spring. Once the
contact screw was aligned it was fully removed from the binding post.
Disconnected dashpot
Disassembling the dashpot bracket
Bracket removed from the tattoo machine
Front binding post reattached to the tattoo machine
Electrical reattached to the tattoo machine
A
small suction cup was purchased to act as a cushion for the vibrating armature
bar in place of the dashpot. The idea was that by removing the mass from the
armature bar, but still providing a soft cushion, the natural frequency of the
spring would be eliminated but not overpower the magnetism of the coils. A 1mm
drill bit was twisted by hand to cut a hole through the suction cup directly through
the center. The contact screw was forced into the hole by pressure and twisting
to ensure it would fit once reattached to the tattoo machine. Once attached,
the machine was inspected and set up with the control box again.
Suction cup, 1mm drill bit, and contact screw
1mm drill bit through a suction cup
Contact screw through a suction cup
Suction cup/contact screw in place on tattoo machine
Tattoo machine with contact screw to act as a soft limit
Close up of suction cup pressing on armature bar
Tattoo machine attached to control box
The
first test was without using any kind of limit and only to find the natural
frequency of that tattoo machine. This is the frequency at which the armature
bar oscillates when 12vdc is applied. This could be the upper limit of the control.
The frequency was found to be approximately 79 punctures per second or 79Hz.
Finding the natural frequency at 79Hz
The
second test was to move the cushioned contact screw into place to see how the
frequency could be controlled when given a cushioned upper limit. The machine still
did not give a usable amount of travel.
Using a soft limit
The
third test used the contact screw as a hard limit to control the frequency. No
usable travel was obtained.
Using a hard limit
To do:
- Reprogram to use duty cycle
- Determine upper frequency limit at a given voltage
Journal page 2
A list showing of all the final posts of COMPLETED projects.
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