Rotary vs. Coil

[knucklehead211]

Sorry to revive an old thread. I just had my first experience with a rotary yesterday. Was very odd. We're on our third session of a calf sleeve and my artist pulls out this little ivory lookin box. I immediately asked if it was a rotary; the shop owner had just got a new machine and came to the shop next door (Exile 2) to see if anyone wanted to try out his old one. So Nathan jumped on it. When I told him it was my first time with the rotary, he also grabbed an extra coil just in case. Then he fired it up...so quiet! I was in the zone just chilling to music for the whole session. I wouldn't equate it to more pain at all, felt about the same. As far as heal time, I'm only a day in, so we'll see.

[ElizabethBee]

I have noticed rotary machines have a little more discomfort for me personally but heal really well

I completely agree with this. Plus, less noise.

[Dan]

I don't know,but I kinda miss the coil noise.

[Isotope]

I don't like them simply because I could listen to the noise of a coil all day. I have been tattooed by a rotary and didn't really notice any difference pain-wise that I could describe, even subjectively.

[BrookR70]

I was tattooed by both a rotary and a coil yesterday by the same artist. Coil for the liner and rotary for the shading. The liner wasn't bad, but I could barely feel the rotary. At some points, it was almost like I was being tickled by a feather.

This contrasts with my experience with another artist who used a rotary and it was very painful compared to when he used a coil.

It's my impression then that technique plays a big role.

[Margarita Yaschenko]

I've never worked rotor and see a lot of positive feedback on these machines. But meanwhile dearer coil, let them harder larger noisier but these machines familiar. I think they are easier to set up but it is certainly my purely subjective opinion

[MarvelAvengers]

My artist uses a rotary for both lining and shading so I have nothing compare to. The lines are pretty clean using a rotary.

[misterJ]

IMO I equate the coil with a stinging and the rotary with a burning sensation (not when I pee)

A lot of the tattoo experience for me is built around that coil sound, but I starting to equate the same thing with the new rotary noise.

Not to shift gears to hard, but the coil sound also goes hand in hand with that awful green soap smell. Those two things build that tattoo shop feel for me

[Dan]

IMO technique & the needle set has more of a role in pain difference then coil vs rotary.