Skip to main content
Customer Review
Reviewed in Canada on March 3, 2024
This is a highly specialized thermal printer for making monochrome tattoo stencils of line art.
Use as a Dedicated Tattoo Stencil Printer
Gone are the days of painstakingly redrawing your image to get it just right, and then having to draw it yet again on your client. The stencils are also handy for those wishy-washy clients who can’t decide where they want their tattoo, how big it should be, or even which design it should be. Very large tattoos can also test-printed on multiple stencils so that the complete design can be seen on the body and perfected for fit even before beginning the first tattoo. This printer will not only streamline your workflow but result in happier clients. Stencils from the M08F are also compatible with fake skin, so it’s an ideal tool for an aspiring tattoo artist.
As this is a thermal printer, all you need for printing tattoo stencils is the printer software and tattoo transfer paper. No ink or toner is ever required. There isn’t any smearing, smudging, or bleeding through the stencil paper. Settings for saturation (light, medium, and dark) can be adjusted through the printer’s software. The stencil paper is thinner than some others so it can be more accurately placed on curved areas of the body.
If you are going to be doing a realistic style of tattoo and want your stencil to show complex shadows, dark backgrounds, and fine lines, then hacking an inkjet would be a better choice than the M08F.
For line art, though, the M08F will give you great results once you have had a bit of practice with it. The ten sheets tattoo transfer paper that are included may not be enough to give this printer a fair trial. If you don’t have A4-sized (8.3” x 11.7”) transfer paper hanging about, then I’d recommend ordering some at the same time that you order this printer. I’d also recommend watching YouTube videos in advance showing how experienced tattoo artists use this printer. You can save yourself a lot of frustration with how to initiate the paper feed, for example. In tattoo artist Rico LaMancha’s most viewed YouTube video, Rico uses this printer and you can see what can really be achieved.
Portability
This printer has a very solid, durable feel with a substantial outer shell. Especially if you are a mobile tattoo artist, if you sometimes visit people’s homes for your work, or if you frequent tattoo conventions, you’ll really appreciate the M08F’s extreme portability, its built-in battery, and Bluetooth connectivity to your smartphone or tablet. A soft drawstring pouch is probably all you need for transport, but if you plan on travelling with your printer quite a bit, consider a hardshell case available for $27 from Phomemo on Amazon.ca.
Huge Bonus! Use as a Low Volume Travel Printer for Paper Documents
The M08F doubles as a low-volume travel printer for paper documents merely by purchasing thermal document paper (AKA thermal paper) for it. The software and the printer’s thermal technology takes care of the rest so there aren’t any ink tanks, ribbons, or toner to purchase. If you are travelling and need to print out design ideas for your clients or receipts, it’s pretty handy. However, this printer is not designed to be your regular printer for a multitude of reasons and that’s why the seller didn’t mention this feature.
This particular version of the M08F is designed for A4-sized paper which is 8.3” x 11.7”. If you want this extra functionality from this printer, you can purchase A4 thermal paper for it online just as easily as the 8.5 x 11 format. Alternatively- and what I would do- is to get the 8.5 x 11 version of this same printer and purchase my consumables- both transfer paper and regular thermal paper- in the 8.5 x 11 format.
Use as a Dedicated Tattoo Stencil Printer
Gone are the days of painstakingly redrawing your image to get it just right, and then having to draw it yet again on your client. The stencils are also handy for those wishy-washy clients who can’t decide where they want their tattoo, how big it should be, or even which design it should be. Very large tattoos can also test-printed on multiple stencils so that the complete design can be seen on the body and perfected for fit even before beginning the first tattoo. This printer will not only streamline your workflow but result in happier clients. Stencils from the M08F are also compatible with fake skin, so it’s an ideal tool for an aspiring tattoo artist.
As this is a thermal printer, all you need for printing tattoo stencils is the printer software and tattoo transfer paper. No ink or toner is ever required. There isn’t any smearing, smudging, or bleeding through the stencil paper. Settings for saturation (light, medium, and dark) can be adjusted through the printer’s software. The stencil paper is thinner than some others so it can be more accurately placed on curved areas of the body.
If you are going to be doing a realistic style of tattoo and want your stencil to show complex shadows, dark backgrounds, and fine lines, then hacking an inkjet would be a better choice than the M08F.
For line art, though, the M08F will give you great results once you have had a bit of practice with it. The ten sheets tattoo transfer paper that are included may not be enough to give this printer a fair trial. If you don’t have A4-sized (8.3” x 11.7”) transfer paper hanging about, then I’d recommend ordering some at the same time that you order this printer. I’d also recommend watching YouTube videos in advance showing how experienced tattoo artists use this printer. You can save yourself a lot of frustration with how to initiate the paper feed, for example. In tattoo artist Rico LaMancha’s most viewed YouTube video, Rico uses this printer and you can see what can really be achieved.
Portability
This printer has a very solid, durable feel with a substantial outer shell. Especially if you are a mobile tattoo artist, if you sometimes visit people’s homes for your work, or if you frequent tattoo conventions, you’ll really appreciate the M08F’s extreme portability, its built-in battery, and Bluetooth connectivity to your smartphone or tablet. A soft drawstring pouch is probably all you need for transport, but if you plan on travelling with your printer quite a bit, consider a hardshell case available for $27 from Phomemo on Amazon.ca.
Huge Bonus! Use as a Low Volume Travel Printer for Paper Documents
The M08F doubles as a low-volume travel printer for paper documents merely by purchasing thermal document paper (AKA thermal paper) for it. The software and the printer’s thermal technology takes care of the rest so there aren’t any ink tanks, ribbons, or toner to purchase. If you are travelling and need to print out design ideas for your clients or receipts, it’s pretty handy. However, this printer is not designed to be your regular printer for a multitude of reasons and that’s why the seller didn’t mention this feature.
This particular version of the M08F is designed for A4-sized paper which is 8.3” x 11.7”. If you want this extra functionality from this printer, you can purchase A4 thermal paper for it online just as easily as the 8.5 x 11 format. Alternatively- and what I would do- is to get the 8.5 x 11 version of this same printer and purchase my consumables- both transfer paper and regular thermal paper- in the 8.5 x 11 format.
