Machine Building 4...trading places

Although it's been awhile since my last post, I've still been busy with the building of Machines.

Doing my bit to support Aussie Tattooing
Chris Cashmore is a good friend & a fellow Machine Builder.

While talking with Chris about buying an InkJecta Rotary, he suggested that we could do a trade...
...so putting my Jeweller skills to work, I came up this "Special" version for him.

Jolly Magnum with hand worked Tri-Color Inlays into Frame & "Black Opal" Coil Covers.

And here's the trade...an InkJecta Specific 3

Broadford Tattoo Show - 10th Anniversary

The 10th Anniversary Broadford Tattoo Show will be on in early October.

Reading through all the available info, it's going to quite an event.

• Friday       4th October
• Saturday   5th October  
• Sunday     6th October

Having never been to this particular event before, Marie & I decided we'd go & check it all out.
We're looking forward to catching up with some old friends & the possibility of making some new ones.

Machine Building 4...on the other hand

Although it's been quite some time since my last post, I've still been busy with building Machines.

Having completed everything related to the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines, it was now time to get back onto completing the Batch 4 orders.
And amongst those orders there were several requests for Left Handed Machines.

It always pays to plan ahead:
From the very beginning, I'd deliberately designed my Frames so they could be built Right or Left Handed.
Designing everything in CAD with tangs to accurately locate components within each other makes assembly easier, but the real bonus is each component can now be the opposite way, making a Left Handed Frame.

So having already planned ahead for just such a request, I proceeded to make the "Jolly Lefties".
The following photos show some of these completed Jolly Leftie Machines.

These two Jolly Lefties were ordered as Thin Armature Liner & Magnum, both to suit 3.5mm Audio plug.

Another view of the Jolly Leftie Thin Armature Liner. 

Another view of the Jolly Leftie Thin Armature Magnum. 

And yet another Jolly Leftie Thin Armature Magnum, this one to suit Clip Cord.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...purchase

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ

 How to purchase a Tribute Bundle

There will be only ONE x Tribute Bundle per person.

Orders to be placed as of  Sunday 12th May 2013 AEST

Use this Time Zone Converter if outside of Melbourne, Australia.

Orders will only be accepted at the following email address: 

colincreedtattoomachines [at] gmail [dot] com

Tribute Bundle cost is $900 including all postage & insurance.

The first 12 x emails will be sent a reply with payment details.

Profits to be shared with Dan Robinson Snr.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...final stage

Following on from my previous posts, here's more info on the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


The last week of April 2013
With the last four of the 12 x Tribute Machines almost tuned, I've now focused my attention onto the other items that form what's going to be called the "Tribute Bundle".

Tribute Bundle consists of:

• 1 x Tribute Machine bearing a number between 1 to 12 & tuned to Dan's specifications.
• 1 x Black Tea-Towel embroidered with Dan's signature.
• 1 x Allen Key (Hex Key) to suit the 8-32 UNC Socket Head Cap Screws used on these Machines.
• 1 x Certificate of Authenticity with Dan's & Colin's signatures, Machine number & the date of issue.
• 1 x Bio that covers the key points of Dan's influence & involvement within Australian Tattooing.
• 1 x Sticker made especially for "Aussie Tattoo Legends - Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machine"

Everything that's to be included within the "Tribute Bundle"

Tribute Machine sitting on top a Signature Tea-Towel.

Tribute Machine safely wrapped up within it's Signature Tea-Towel.

As previously stated, the official launch of the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines will be at the 

upcoming  Perth Convention for the P.T.A.A.

I'm taking the 4 x prototype Machines to have on display at Booth 26 alongside Tony B.

Please note that none of the prototypes are for sale, they've already been appointed to specific owners.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...production 2

Following on from my previous posts, here's more info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


From mid January 2013 until late April 2013
During discussions on how I intended to build the Machines, my wife Marie suggested it should all be documented or recorded in some way.
With precious little info about anything regarding Aussie Tattooing, it seemed like a good idea.

Chris Reid was the obvious choice to do this doco, being that he's a Tattoo Artist & Filmmaker, plus we've known each other since the very early 80's.
For Chris, this presented him with the perfect opportunity to finish a doco he'd started on Dan Robinson Snr several years ago.
So with Chris now on board, it was "Full Steam Ahead"...

The following photos are courtesy of Chris Reid aka CRTAT-2 FILMS & capture some of the various processes these 12 x Tribute Machines went through.

This last photo is of Dan inspecting one of the 4 x prototypes which we'd just finished tuning.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...production

Following on from my previous post, here's more info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


It was now mid January 2013
The prototype Frames where complete & without any major problems being encountered.
Now it was time to start building the actual Tribute Machines that would be for sale.

In consultation with Dan, it was decided upon 12 x Tribute Machines would be built & sold each year.

• They would all be built with Thin Armature (to suit Grommets & Nipples)
• They would all be built as Liners
• They would all be numbered

The P.T.A.A. National Convention was being held in Perth, in the first week of May 2013.
It was decided this would be the "official" launch for the Tribute Machines because of Dan's long history with the P.T.A.A.

So all the various components for the build were ordered, which started with the Frame components.
Here's a photo of them straight from ACT Laser Cutting.

All the necessary Frame components for the 12 x Tribute Machines.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...the prototypes 2

Following on from my previous post, here's more info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


You build prototypes for a reason...to test & check that everything is true & correct.
Read on & find out why I was lucky...

Lucky there's four prototype Frames:
With the first of the prototype Frames now welded, brazed, filed & linished, the other three were completed to the same stage.

Strangely enough, the positioning for the Signature Stamp had never been discussed in any detail.
I'd seen one of Dan's Gunmetal Machines stamped "ROBBO 3" at Brett Stewart's Australian Tattoo Museum.

One of Dan's original Gunmetal Machines that's stamped "ROBBO 3"

For whatever reason, I'd just assumed this would be where the new Signature Stamp would also go.
So I naturally went ahead & stamped the first prototype Frame in this same position.

The Signature Stamp on the very first prototype Frame

The Signature Stamp on the very first prototype Frame

I then emailed these same photos onto Dan & found out that he didn't want the stamp to be there.
Dan wanted the Signature Stamp to be located on the Side Plate section of the Frame.

That's OK, no problems...this is precisely why you build a number of prototypes.

So I stamped the second prototype Frame in what I believed was the new location...

The Signature Stamp on the second prototype Frame

Again I emailed this same photo onto Dan & found out that this wasn't where it should be either.
Dan wanted the Signature Stamp to be located on the lower section of the Side Plate, back towards the Spring Landing.

So I stamped the third prototype Frame & finally had it in the correct location...

The Signature Stamp positioned correctly on the third prototype Frame

And here's how that third prototype Frame looks with the Black Oxide treatment.

The third prototype Frame with Signature Stamp & now sporting Black Oxide finish. 

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...the prototypes

Following on from my previous post, here's more info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


Having gotten Dan's blessing via the 3D Renders, the next stage was to build some prototype Frames.
Because I already had the necessary files from those renders, I could send them off to my Laser Cutters.

I decided upon 4 x prototypes as that would allow for both mistakes & any revisions to the Frames.
Also these prototypes would allow me to construct a suitable Jig to aid in their assembly when tack welding.

The following photos show the progression of one prototype Frame through its various stages of building.
For anyone wanting more details on my construction method, check out this earlier Blog post here.

Prototype Frame having been fully tack welded

Prototype Frame having been fully braze welded

Prototype Frame having been fully filed

Prototype Frame having been fully linished.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...his signature

Following on from my previous post, here's more info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


Given that I was building these Tribute Machines, I felt strongly they should have Dan's name on them.
Coming from a jewellery background, the most logical way of doing this was via a Stamp...a Custom Stamp.

Let's do a Signature Stamp:
If I was going to be organising a Custom Stamp, then why not make it really special & have Dan's signature?
Of course this would be entirely up to Dan...to which he agreed & happily provided me with a sample.

I scanned the signature & created a digital version that would be suitable for use by a Stamp Maker.
With Christmas almost upon me, I placed my order with a company in the USA called Infinity Stamps.
Several weeks later I received a parcel with the Signature Stamp.

It was now the start of the New Year 2013...full steam ahead!!

 Dan's signature made into a Signature Stamp for use on his Tribute Machines.

Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines...the beginning

Following on from my previous post, here's more info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines.


Back in mid 2012, while catching up with Dan, I floated the idea about building a "Robbo Machine" that would only have Thin Armature, as a kind of "tribute" to him.
They'd be built by Colin Creed, on behalf of Dan Robinson & to his specifications.
Dan agreed to let me "explore" the idea further & to show him what I came up with.
And so it began...


Where to begin?
I needed to be able to build these Tribute Machines in the same way that I build the Jolly's, using all of the same tooling & processes I currently have available to me.
So the first stage was to decide upon a Frame style & proceed from there.
In my mind, the logical choice for a Frame style was Dan's last model & most iconic, the "Gunmetal" Frame.

Next I used MoI to create a CAD version of the Frame using the same process I've previously written about here.
With the Frame now modelled in CAD, I then recreated each of the components used within a Machine, so that I could do a full 3D photo realistic Render.
The purpose for these Renders was so Dan could clearly see how the Machine would look, all finished in real life.
This would also allow him to suggest any changes he'd like to make, prior to anything actually existing.

Dan liked what he saw, so it was agreed that I move forward by creating a number of prototypes.

Here's a couple of those same Renders I presented to Dan for his approval.

Render created for the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machine. 

Render created for the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machine.

Remembering Aussie Legends...Tribute Machines

There's the old saying that goes, "actions speak louder than words"...

So rather than just write "words" to remember our own Aussie Tattoo Legends, I decided to take "action" & build what's now being referred to as a "Tribute Machine".

For me it seemed a fairly simple choice...a Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machine.

• Dan is a great Tattoo Artist who's had a huge influence on Aussie Tattooing, as well as having built & sold his own Machines.

• Dan's career spans from 1959, through the 60's, 70's, 80's, till mid 90's & then part-time until 2001.

• Dan introduced the (then new for Aussies) safe pigment colors of Brown, Blue & White into the Aussie Tattooing scene during the early 60's.

• Dan was one of those early converters to the (then new for Aussies) "DC" powered Machines during the early 70's.

• Dan used, built & supplied the "Hybrid" Thin Armature DC Machines from the early 70's until the late 90's.

• Dan was the first Aussie Tattoo Artist to introduce us to the (then new for Aussies) "Japanese" style of designs during the early 70's.

• Dan was one of the founding Members of the P.T.A.A. (Professional Tattooing Association of Australia) in the early 80's.

• Dan became President of the P.T.A.A. in the mid 80's.

• Dan became one of the first "Life Members" of the P.T.A.A. in the mid 90's.

Dan Robinson Snr

Dan Robinson Snr

Dan & his wife Wendy are retired to a country property surrounded by acres of bushland & native wildlife.

Dan recently celebrated his 70th Birthday with family & friends.

Dan & Wendy Robinson

More info about the Dan Robinson Snr Tribute Machines to follow soon...