Published January 24, 2017 © GPL3+

Custom Tattoo Machine Power Supply

A tattoo artist friend of mine and I were discussing some of the limitations of current tattoo power supplies. I custom built her one.

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Things used in this project

Hardware components

Microchip pic16f88

Maxim Integrated DS1868

Texas Instruments INA138

555 Timers

Linear Regulator with Adjustable Output

Story

When a tattoo artist friend of mine and I were talking about some of the things she wish her tattoo machine power supply did, and some of the things she wish it could do, that sparked an idea to custom build her one.

The way a tattoo machine power supply works is that it provides a DC voltage to a tattoo machine which is essentially an electromagnet that turns on and off rapidly. I explained it thoroughly in a video I created for this project:

The artist I was making this for was complaining that when she needs to tattoo multiple colors, she needed to have multiple machines on the go, all mechanically tuned different from each other. Current power supplies offered would only have one output (some would have multiple settings, but she wanted separate physical outputs). She also disliked the fact that most power supplies forced you to use a foot pedal to turn the machine on or off. And lastly she also wanted to be able to listen to music while tattooing someone, so she wanted a bluetooth speaker.

So the machine I built her, got rid of the pedal, replacing it with a large push button on the top of the unit. I also added multiple outputs, and a bluetooth speaker to it.

I learned a lot about making from panels in this project. I ended up making the front panel using plexyglass. I painted the back of it black and used a cnc mill to mill the image in reverse and filled it in with white paint. This ended up working great. If you want more info on this unit visit my web page at https://www.MRelectronics.net/tattoopowersupply

Schematics

File missing, please reupload.

Code

Tattoo machine power supply code

'****************************************************************
'*  Name    : UNTITLED.BAS                                      *
'*  Author  : Matthew Reid                                      *
'*  Notice  : Copyright (c) 2013 [select VIEW...EDITOR OPTIONS] *
'*          : All Rights Reserved                               *
'*  Date    : 9/14/2013                                         *
'*  Version : 1.0                                               *
'*  Notes   :                                                   *
'*          :   external oscillator                             *
'****************************************************************
include "modedefs.bas"
#CONFIG
__config _CONFIG1,   _EXTCLK  &  _WDT_OFF &  _MCLR_OFF  &   _BODEN_OFF  & _LVP_OFF
#ENDCONFIG

trisb = %10101001
trisa = %11000011
OSCCON = %00001000

CMCON = $07' disable comparators
ANSEL = %00000001 

'--------a to d stuff---------------

Define ADC_BITS     10  ' Set number of bits in result  
Define ADC_CLOCK     3  ' Set clock source (3=rc) 
Define ADC_SAMPLEUS 50  ' Set sampling time in uS 

adval Var Word
counter var byte: counter = 0

ADCON0.7 = 1  
'------------------------ 


'-------------- digi pot stuff
plus var porta.6
minus var porta.1
Rst var porta.4:Rst = 0
clk var porta.3:Clk=0 
dq var porta.2:Dq=0
I var byte

 
Wiper0 var byte
Wiper1 var byte

ch1_pot var byte
ch2_pot var byte 

'read eeprom previously saved values
read 5, ch1_pot
read 6, ch2_pot

'150 = 10.21 volts  , 50 = 4.27
Wiper0= 50
Wiper1=50


'-----------------------------

Define OSC 16







'vout input to micro
vout var portb.5

'channel change stuff
ch1 var portb.1: ch1 =1
ch2 var portb.2: ch2=0
sel var portb.0
current_channel var bit
'read current channel from eeprom
read 7, current_channel

last var bit


'timing measurement variables
pulsehigh var word
pulsehigh1 var word
pulselow var word
pulselow1 var word
duty var word
freq var word: freq = 100
dummy var word
signalinput var portb.3
t1on var t1con.0




gosub intro_screen

gosub cleartimer

gosub set_pot

mainloop:
 'minus 2 to wiper variable by pressing plus
if minus = 0  then

     'checks which channel unit is currently on
    if current_channel = 0  then
        'keep integer from rolling over
        if ch1_pot>5 then
        ch1_pot= ch1_pot -2
        endif
    else
        if ch2_pot>5 then
        ch2_pot=  ch2_pot -2
        endif
    endif
    'write values into eeprom
    write 5, ch1_pot
    write 6, ch2_pot
endif


 'add 1 to wiper variable by pressing plus
if plus = 0  then
    if current_channel = 0  then
        'keep integer from rolling over
        if ch1_pot<250 then
        ch1_pot= ch1_pot +2
        endif
    else
        if ch2_pot<250 then
        ch2_pot=  ch2_pot +2
        endif
    endif
    'write values into eeprom
    write 5, ch1_pot
    write 6, ch2_pot
endif



gosub set_pot




'the following code waits for a square wave, it is set up so if the vout is 
'on, and all the buttons are untouched it will properly get square wave, 
'other wise it exits while loop. pressing plus or minus exits the loop
while signalinput=1 && vout=1 && plus = 1 && minus = 1 : wend
while signalinput=0 && vout=1 && plus = 1 && minus = 1 : wend

t1on=1
while signalinput=1 && vout=1 && plus = 1 && minus = 1 : wend
t1on=0    

pulsehigh.highbyte=tmr1h
pulsehigh.lowbyte=tmr1l

pulsehigh= pulsehigh/4
gosub cleartimer

while signalinput=0 && vout=1 && plus = 1 && minus = 1 : wend
while signalinput=1&& vout=1 && plus = 1 && minus = 1 : wend

t1on=1
while signalinput=0 && vout=1 && plus = 1 && minus = 1 : wend
t1on=0    

pulselow.highbyte=tmr1h
pulselow.lowbyte=tmr1l

pulselow= pulselow/4
gosub cleartimer



'if there is power display duty and freq, if not display zero
if vout=1   then
    if  plus = 1 && minus = 1   then   'need this otherwise freq and duty  are set  incorrectly
    pulsehigh1=pulsehigh/100
    pulselow1=pulselow/100
    duty=pulsehigh/(pulselow1+pulsehigh1)
    freq=  10000/(((pulselow+pulsehigh)/100))
    endif
else
duty=0
freq=0
endif







    'only updates LCD every 6 loops to allow for smoother display
if counter = 6 then
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0]      'put curser on second line
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,[#freq, " CPS     "]  
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c8] 
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,["Duty ",#duty,"%      "] 

    
 
    gosub get_ad
    
    if current_channel = 0  then
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,["CH 1"] 
    ch1=1
    ch2=0
    else
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
    serout PORTB.4,N9600,["CH 2"] 
    ch1=0
    ch2=1
    endif
    
    
    
    counter = 0 
    
else
counter = counter + 1
endif

gosub set_channel

Goto mainloop 

cleartimer:

tmr1l = 0
tmr1h = 0

return


set_channel:  
'make sure power is off before switching banks
if vout=0   then
    'push button has pull ups, checks for  high to low transition
    if sel = 0 && last= 1 then
    current_channel= ~current_channel
    'read current channel from eeprom
    write 7, current_channel
    endif
    last = sel
endif
return


get_ad:

ADCIN 0, adval 

adval=adval*4286
dummy= div32 10000
dummy= dummy+129
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$86]
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[#(dummy/1000),".", #((dummy//1000)/10)]
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$8a]
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[" VOLTS            "] 
counter = 0 

   
return


intro_screen:

'intro screen
pause 1000
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$1]   'clear everything
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$1b,$2a,255]  '   set LCD backlight

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$1] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["   BLAKE WOOD   "] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["      INK        "] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["*  BLAKE WOOD  *"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["*     INK      *"] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["** BLAKE WOOD **"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["**    INK     **"] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***BLAKE WOOD***"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***   INK    ****"] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***BLAKE WOOD***"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["****  INK   *****"] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***BLAKE WOOD***"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***** INK  ******"] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***BLAKE WOOD***"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["******INK *******"] 
pause 500

serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$80] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["***BLAKE WOOD***"] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$c0] 
serout PORTB.4,N9600,["******INK********"] 
pause 500
serout PORTB.4,N9600,[$fe,$1] 
return



set_pot:
if current_channel = 0  then
wiper1= ch1_pot
else
wiper1=ch2_pot
endif

    pause 1
    'start transition
    Rst = 1
    pause 1
     
    'stack select
    Dq=1
    pause 1
    Clk=1
    pause 1
    Clk=0
    pause 1
    'first wiper
    
     For i = 0 to 7 
    'dq= ~dq
    Dq=wiper0.7
    'wiper0 = wiper0<<1
    
        if i = 0 then
        dq = wiper0.7
        elseif i = 1 then 
        dq = wiper0.6
        elseif i = 2 then 
        dq = wiper0.5
        elseif i = 3 then 
        dq = wiper0.4
        elseif i = 4 then 
        dq = wiper0.3
        elseif i = 5 then 
        dq = wiper0.2
        elseif i = 6 then 
        dq = wiper0.1
        else  
        dq = wiper0.0
        endif
    
    Clk=1
    pause 1
    Clk=0
    pause 1
    Next  i
    'second wiper
     For i = 0 to 7 
    
        if i = 0 then
        dq = wiper1.7
        elseif i = 1 then 
        dq = wiper1.6
        elseif i = 2 then 
        dq = wiper1.5
        elseif i = 3 then 
        dq = wiper1.4
        elseif i = 4 then 
        dq = wiper1.3
        elseif i = 5 then 
        dq = wiper1.2
        elseif i = 6 then 
        dq = wiper1.1
        else  
        dq = wiper1.0
        endif
    
    Clk=1
    pause 1
    Clk=0
    pause 1
    Next  i
    
    'end transition and set resistance
    Rst = 0
 pause 1
return

Credits

Matt Reid

2 projects • 4 followers

I make electronics! Based in Toronto Canada www.MRelectronics.net

Custom Tattoo Machine Power Supply

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Story

Schematics

Main Schematic

Main Board Schematic

Code

Tattoo machine power supply code

Credits

Matt Reid

Comments

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Custom Tattoo Machine Power Supply

Custom Tattoo Machine Power Supply

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Story

Schematics

Main Schematic

Main Board Schematic

Code

Tattoo machine power supply code

Credits

Matt Reid

Comments

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