Welker tattoo machines are precision coil tattoo machines manufactured by hand in Welker’s state-of-the-art machine shop in Howell, Michigan. The company uses only parts made in the USA and carefully controls every stage of the production process to ensure that each coil tattoo machine they produce meets creator Terry Welker’s high quality standards. Once completed, each machine is hand-tuned, and every Welker frame is backed by a lifetime warranty as long as the original owner maintains the machine. If you purchase a Welker machine, you can send it in to Welker’s shop and have it tuned for free any time within the first year after purchase. Should your machine become damaged or break, you can also send it to Welker for repairs.
Every Welker coil tattoo machine frame is CNC-machined from a single piece of 1018 cold-rolled steel. After being milled, each frame is carefully inspected and hand-finished with either a black oxide or blue antiqued finish. Once the chosen finish has been applied, the frames, armature bars and coils are vacuum annealed for increased power and to minimize magnetic memory–a process that’s unique to Welker machines. All Welker machines come with front and rear brass binding posts and brass contact screws.
Welker coil tattoo machines have a unique grip that Welker calls the Quick-Release Vice. It’s an original design that will hold nearly any type of tube, including most disposable tattoo tubes. Welker machines come standard with a clip cord setup, but you can request an RCA cord setup instead, if desired.
Welker machines are known for being reliable, sturdy, precise, and quiet, and they operate smoothly. We currently offer two Welker coil machine models from which you can choose: the Nomad Liner and the El Camino Shader.
Welker Nomad Liner Tattoo Machine
As with all Welker coil tattoo machines, the Nomad Liner (shown above) comes with a frame that’s been CNC-machined from a single piece of steel, your choice of a black oxide or blue antiqued finish, brass binding posts, brass contact screws, a Quick-Release Vice, and a lifetime frame warranty. Nomad Liners are setup with 0.18 front cutback springs and 0.18 rear springs. They have 8-wrap coils, and each one comes with a 22uf capacitor.
Each of these machines is one-of-a-kind; since they’re handmade and hand-finished, no two look exactly the same. Welker treats all the hardware with their classic blueing process to give the metal a unique vintage look. The total weight of each machine is 7.73 oz. They’re hand-tuned the day they ship, so you can rest assured that your Welker Nomad Liner will run perfectly right out of the box.
Welker El Camino Shader Tattoo Machine
The Welker El Camino Shader is a solid, well-engineered coil tattoo machine with smooth performance that tattoo artists love. Each shader comes with a CNC-machined frame crafted from 1018 cold-rolled steel, a vacuum annealed frame, armature bar and coil to reduce magnetic memory and increase power, a Welker Quick-Release Vice, an impact dampener that makes the machine run quietly and smoothly, a wear-resistant black oxide finish on the frame, solid brass binding posts and contact screws, a clip cord connection (unless you request an RCA cord connection), one inch, 10-wrap coils, a 47uf capacitor, and a lifetime warranty honored for the original owner. The El Camino Shader is great for color packing as well as shading work.
This shader has a medium running speed with a long throw and a hard hit. It works best with 5- to 13-needle configurations. When using the El Camino Shader for color packing, Welker recommends using a 0.18 front cutback spring and a 0.20 rear spring. When using it as a shader, a 0.18 front cutback spring and a 0.18 rear spring work best. The machine has a free running speed of 110-115 CPS|Hz and weighs just 8.15 oz. Each El Camino Shader is hand-tuned the day it ships to ensure optimal performance out of the box.
Where to Buy Welker Coil Tattoo Machines
When you purchase a Welker tattoo machine from Painful Pleasures, you’ll get one of the finest, smoothest-running, hand-crafted coil tattoo machines on the market. When spending $100-$499.99 per order, you can buy a Welker machine from our Wholesale Store to take advantage of the discounted prices we offer industry professionals. Those tattoo artists and tattoo studio owners spending over $500 can shop in our Distributor Store to enjoy the lowest prices we offer. Sign up for our weekly emails to save even more with coupons and other special offers sent exclusively to our subscribers. Just scroll to the bottom-right corner of any page in your preferred store and enter your email address in the Newsletter Sign-up box to subscribe.
