Tattoo ink and needle?

I agree, I think you should get an apprenticeship before you try to tattoo....trust me it will be worth it. However, instead of people giving you wrong info that will be worse for you, I think some correct info will help. It all comes down to personal preference. The location of the piece will determine how far it will poke out of the tube. The machine setup (stroke length and spring length) is also a factor. Some people like to have barely any sticking out and ride the tube, some hang it way out and use hand pressure to get the desired thickness. Hanging it out is more difficult because if you are not comfortable with this method, it is very easy to go too deep and get blowouts. I prefer hanging it out (maybe 1/16"), this way I can see the needle more clearly. As for ink dipping, I see little difference in running and not running. I run it for for a second, maybe longer for thick inks. When the ink gets low, I don't run the machine. I can't tell you how many times I've run the machine with low ink caps and the needle bottoms out on the base causing ink to go everywhere. So yes, go try to get an apprenticeship and show determination and motivation and it will be worth it.