Have you seen the all-new Riley Hopkins 250: Lee Stuart Screen Edition Printing Combo? It features equipment — Riley Hopkins 250 6x4 Press and Multi-Station Press Cart — you’ve come to know and love with a Lee Stuart-sized update.
To talk about this collaboration — and print some shirts for the first 20 orders of the combo — Lee Stuart joined CEO Ryan Moor and President Brandon Schmunk live on Instagram. Let’s take a look at their conversation.
#1: WHAT DROVE YOU TO WANT TO ENHANCE THE 250 PRESS?
The Lee Stuart Edition Screen Printing Combo has a few upgrades. For starters, a slick gloss black finish means the press will make any shop look professional and badass.
Beyond a shiny paint job, the Lee Stuart Edition 250 Press has a huge functional upgrade: the bearing gate. This press does away with the nylon bolts, instead using the two-point roller gates of the 300, strengthening the printhead's holding power when it's down, and maintaining consistency with each print. The tilt lever has also been upgraded from plastic to metal.
Better yet, the press comes with aluminum platens instead of wood, increasing the productivity and longevity of the platens. The platens come pre-notched, meaning printers will be able to know where the dead center is every time they load a shirt or line up a print.
“When I was a beginner I destroyed so many MDF [platens] just by leaving them under the flash,” Lee said.
“Did you ever set one on fire?” Ryan asked.
“Yes,” Lee answered. “My very first day before I even printed a shirt. In my old shop, the floor was so unlevel. I was learning to coat screens at the time and my flash slowly rotated itself back over the platen and sat there for a while. Just burnt.”
RELATED: THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WOOD AND ALUMINUM PLATENS
#2: WHAT’S THE FOOTPRINT OF THE PRESS?
The Lee Stuart Edition 250 Press comes in 6x4 format so that printers can increase production. The total diameter of the press is 90”, or 7 feet 6 inches. The leveling feet can extend the height of the press by a maximum of 3 inches. Tall printers don’t need to worry about hurting their backs. Want a height comparison of the press to the printer? Take Lee himself.
“Most people think I’m short in videos, but I’m actually 6’2” in real life,” Lee said. “ And I just hired a guy that’s way bigger than me so now people are actually going to think I’m short again.”
Even though the press has a large footprint, it’s easy to move around. The kick-down casters make the print station ultra mobile. It’s perfect for live printing or moving around a shop.
RELATED: THE BEST WAY TO SET UP A SCREEN PRINT SHOP IN A GARAGE
#3: WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS COMBO MAKING AN IMPACT?
The goal of creating a collaborative screen printing combo with the Riley Hopkins 250 was simple: to create a press perfect for taking printers from beginner to professional. The Riley Hopkins 250 is a popular option for printers looking to take their business to the next level. Lee’s inspiration was to take great press and make it even better.
The reinforced press cart has an upgraded registration gate, and aluminum platens take the Riley Hopkins 250 to the next level. Printers can run long runs, challenging runs, and more with an upgraded registration gate that’s as tough as they are. Aluminum platens won’t warp over time, and the notch in each aluminum platen lines up the center line, saving time and increasing production speed.
“It’s gonna take their next business and set them up for success,” Lee said. “This thing can go the whole distance until you get to the stage that you’re putting autos in your space.”
The best part of the press? It still earns its keep when your shop is automated. Printing bags, neck labels, small jobs, or live printing are all great options to print on the 250 rather than an automatic press.
“It’s still relevant in a shop even if you have an automatic in your shop,” Ryan mentioned.
RELATED: WHY RILEY HOPKINS SCREEN PRINTING PRESSES ARE LOCALLY MANUFACTURED
PRINTING THE SHIRT
Those shirts that Ryan and Lee printed? They’re an original Rogue Lab design. Lee printed the design wet-on-wet while Ryan flashed the print between every color.
“My shop is super hot in the summer, so any time I can keep my flash off, the better,” Lee said.
Want to pick up a shirt for yourself? The first 20 orders of the Riley Hopkins 250: Lee Stuart Edition Screen Printing Combo will get a shirt signed by Ryan Moor himself.
Thanks, Lee Stuart for punching in, providing tips, and jokes, and telling us about what brought this collaboration to life. The upgrades on the press and cart enhance print precision, stability, and longevity. You have what it takes to make it. Ignite the burning inside of you today with the Riley Hopkins 250 Lee Stuart Edition Screen Printing Combo.
