How to Assemble a Riley Hopkins 250 Press

How to Assemble a Riley Hopkins 250 Press | Screenprinting.com

So you just got your new Riley Hopkins 250 screen printing press. Congratulations! Even though it ships 90% preassembled, you’ll have to do a few things to completely set it up. In this video, Chris Drury, Director of Manufacturing and Warehouse, demonstrates how to assemble a Riley Hopkins 250 press in six simple steps.

STEP 1

Install the spring assemblies with the hooks facing upward. Lower the print head assemblies until they rest on the lower stop bolt. Repeat this step for the remaining print head assemblies.

NOTE: The hooks MUST be facing up.

Two hands hold springs in an upright position

STEP 2

Install the upper stop bolts and rubber sleeves. Two 9/16” wrenches are required for this step. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN THE BOLTS. This will cause resistance in the print head hinge point. Repeat this step for the remaining print head assemblies.

Two wrenches tighten the bolt between the springs

STEP 3

Mount the press base to a sturdy table top with supplied mounting screws. The press is shown mounted on a Riley Hopkins 2-station press cart. A Phillips screwdriver is required for this step.

A riley hopkins 250 press sits on a cart. A man measures the distance from the cart to the end of the table

STEP 4

Install the print stations with supplied hardware. Ensure the number on the print station matches the number on the center rotary. Failure to do so will shift the platens out of alignment. Do not fully tighten the bolts at this time. They must be snug, but loose enough to adjust with bumps of the hand.

A man wearing a red mask tightens the screws connecting the print arm of the press to the base

STEP 5

Install the 3/16” roll pins to locate the print station. Tap the print station to align holes visually as close as you can. This is a factory setting that ensures your platens are aligned to each other. Tap them in approximately ½” with a hammer. After pins are seated, fully tighten the print station hardware.

A hand holds a pin in place on the screen printing press

STEP 6

Install the platen assembly onto the tubular arm of the press. When the platen is in the desired location, first lock down the side knob. Lastly, tighten down the lower locking knobs. The platen can be adjusted front-to-back to help position the image onto the desired location of the substrate.

A man holds a wood platen up to a screen printing press