Tattoo machines were first invented back in 1876 by Thomas Edison when he came up with the idea of the ’stencil pen’. Originally designed for engraving, it was refined by Samuel O’Riley in 1891 when he realised that it could be used to push ink into skin to create a tattoo.
These tattoo guns were based on rotary technology which can still be seen in use today. However, due to technological advancements the rotary tattoo machines of today are a far cry from those original models.
Modern rotary machines are known to produce consistent strokes and no matter how many needles you are using, it will push it into the skin. No tuning or adjusting is needed for a rotary tattoo machine and they are known for their quietness. They are very strong, hard hitting tattoo machines.
