This list is not totally complete, but it is a good guideline to get you started. Few people can purchase it all at once and must slowly put it together. Don’t be fright-ened by the long list, all the equipment is quite small and portable. Compared to other businesses, this list is pretty simple and not as expensive as some practices can be. Buying in order of importance and practicality first seems to be a smart direction to follow.
Tattooists must have an organized área around them for any kind of efficient work. The universal approach is a work table in front of the worker for proper and easy location of Ítems. You may make the table, but the best and most professional one you can afford would be a wiser choice. It’s important to make sure it is fíat, sits sturdy, and is easy to clean and keep clean. It should also be large enough to hold everything you will need. It is advisable to have a knee cutout in the front of the table (rather then solid) so the customer on some occasions can get right up cióse to the table to keep your reaching to a minimum. A standard table is about 20 inches wide, 48 inches long and a comfortable height off the ground. The top can be fórmica, finished hardwood or preferably stainless steel or glass. A small sink with hot and cold faueets should be mounted in the top off to the side. Sit in a chair beside the sink, facing the farther end of the table so the sink will be on your right side. If you are left handed, everything will be the opposite.
Everything should be within easy reach. The things used most often should be located the closest to you, and the Ítems used less often are located further away. The items used the most are things like caps full of ink, the carbolated vaseline and the spray bottle of green soap. Also, the lamp and paper towels should be within easy reach. Slightly further back, but stül within easy reach, is the spray bottle of alcohol, extra ink caps, three washes to clean the ink out of tubes when colors are changed, going from the first distilled water to the second distilled water to the alcohol last. A little further back are bandage supplies, extra needle bars, tubes and inks, with machine rack just barely within reach to hold spare tattoo machines or another machine with a different set-up. One for outlines and one for shading and coloring.
