Ryonet Collaborates With Lee Stuart on Screen Printing Starter Press

Referred to by the manufacturer as the “Riley Hopkins 250 on Steroids,” Ryonet’s Riley Hopkins 250 Lee Stuart Edition features design input from its namesake social media influencer, Lee Stuart.

The intent of the collaboration was to “help people start off with a better business-level starter press,” Stuart told Screen Printing magazine.

Featuring 6 colors and four stations, the press offers a variety of productivity enhancements for users seeking a space-saving, portable system that fits in a bedroom or garage. According to Ryonet, the tilt lever is metal rather than plastic, and pre-notched aluminum plates last longer than wood and help ensure precise shirt alignment. Upgrading the bearing gate from nylon bolts to two-point roller grates improves printhead holding power and printing consistency.

The multi-station press cart fits eight screen frames measuring as large as 23” x 31”. Other features include a reinforced tabletop, pivot casters, and capability to hold as much as 250 lbs of ink, shirts, or supplies (including the press itself).

”When I designed this press, I was thinking of every single one of you,” Stuart told Screenprinting.com. “It’s made to be easy to use, space-saving and portable so that you can start off printing in a bedroom, garage, or basement like I did.”

The kit also comes with six EZ Grip Lee Stuart Signature Edition Squeegees, which feature an ergonomic, two-handle design that enables pulling rather than pushing without wrist discomfort. Stuart, who used to be a pusher due to injuries from motocross and freestyle riding, says he found relief when he tried the EZ Grip Squeegee.

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This shift from pushing to pulling had a significant impact on his Stuart’s print quality and consistency. “It converted me from a pusher to a puller, which means my print quality and consistency went way up,” Stuart said.

He also says advantages extend beyond pain reduction. He credits the shift for improving print quality and consistency. The squeegees also incorporate an Ink Protection System, including built-in braces that support the squeegees, preventing ink spills or unwanted ink transfer. Cleaning the squeegee is also simplified as the blade can be easily removed from the handle for washing, and then reassembled for immediate use.

Purchasers of the press also receive a private, one-hour coaching session with Stuart. “This is just the beginning of a cool roadmap we have worked out to step things up for everyone,” he says.