# What is the best brand in screen printing presses?



## theSandwichman (Feb 28, 2008)

We are looking to buy a 4 colors/ 1 station press. Which brands do you recommend? Riley Hopkins, Kodiak, Saati, Vastex, etc..?

Thx!


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## Steelheader100 (Jan 18, 2007)

My first choice would be M&R. I like Workhorse too. I don't really care for the joystick registration on Riley Hopkins presses. I've printed on the older Hopkins presses and they are good. I don't care for Hix, Rototex, Harco, or Ranar. This is just my opinion from 17 years printing and I'm sure you'll hear from others that like different ones than me.


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

I've got a new Riley Hopkins with the joystick registration and love it!
Great press!


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## theSandwichman (Feb 28, 2008)

Steelheader100 said:


> My first choice would be M&R. I like Workhorse too. I don't really care for the joystick registration on Riley Hopkins presses. I've printed on the older Hopkins presses and they are good. I don't care for Hix, Rototex, Harco, or Ranar. This is just my opinion from 17 years printing and I'm sure you'll hear from others that like different ones than me.


Thank you, opinion of experimented screen printer like you are just priceless for us, we are very newbie.


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## theSandwichman (Feb 28, 2008)

Celtic said:


> I've got a new Riley Hopkins with the joystick registration and love it!
> Great press!


We are looking at a Riley Hopkins table press 4 colors/1 station Riley Hopkins Econo Series 4 Color 1 Station Table Top Press. Do you think its a good beginners press, still we dont have the budget for a bigger one with micro or joystick?


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## Steelheader100 (Jan 18, 2007)

Everyone has to start somewhere. I think you would be ok with that press. I could never go back to a press without micros but you can always upgrade when you have more money coming in. Good Luck!


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## amp267 (Oct 11, 2006)

m & r.........................or at least something with side clamps. just dont buy a caps


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## ftembroidery (Nov 25, 2006)

I am not going to recommend one press over another. I own Antec Legend and that is not always a "starter" press for first-time buyers. I WILL THOUGH urge you in the strongest means possible to buy a press with at least as many print stations as colors. When you start doing a lot of multicolor prints and have to flash between colors, your single station press will not do well for you. You'll overheat the platen and it will warp. More stations allow the platens time to cool before the next color. If you try to print on a hot shirt & platen, you'll probably have the screen stick to the shirt and lift it off the platen destroying the registration of the shirt for the next color.


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## theSandwichman (Feb 28, 2008)

ftembroidery said:


> I am not going to recommend one press over another. I own Antec Legend and that is not always a "starter" press for first-time buyers. I WILL THOUGH urge you in the strongest means possible to buy a press with at least as many print stations as colors. When you start doing a lot of multicolor prints and have to flash between colors, your single station press will not do well for you. You'll overheat the platen and it will warp. More stations allow the platens time to cool before the next color. If you try to print on a hot shirt & platen, you'll probably have the screen stick to the shirt and lift it off the platen destroying the registration of the shirt for the next color.


Ok I see, its something I never thought of before... thx for your input, its very helpful to us.


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## marcelolopez (Jul 16, 2007)

ftembroidery said:


> I WILL THOUGH urge you in the strongest means possible to buy a press with at least as many print stations as colors. When you start doing a lot of multicolor prints and have to flash between colors, your single station press will not do well for you. You'll overheat the platen and it will warp. More stations allow the platens time to cool before the next color. If you try to print on a hot shirt & platen, you'll probably have the screen stick to the shirt and lift it off the platen destroying the registration of the shirt for the next color.


I have a 4 color 1 station Riley Hopkins and am very happy with it.. however I haven't started to do many multicolor job.. for that matter I have not started yet.
But that is a good point, I didn't think of it before, even so I didn't have the resources to get a press with more stations.
But the Riley is a very solid press.
damn hope you are wrong


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## brent (Nov 3, 2006)

I agree with amp, don't buy a caps brand press. I have one, it's a coat rack now.

I have a hix 6/6 and I think it's a lovely press. I really like the hydrolics that lift the screens slowly.
I would probably buy another hix whenever I have to hire a second printer...


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

Hi Sandwichman, 

Yes, that 4 x 1 Riley Hopkins press is good. I've done some test prints with one. 
I agree with the school of thought that you should buy as good and as many colors/stations as you can.
I'm new to the biz and I have to admit that at first I bought a 4 color/one station tabletop thinking that that would work great for me. 
Well, the more I looked into things and found out all the possibilities with more colors and micro registration, well, before I even printed with my first press, I upgraded to a Hopkins 8/4 and sold the first press.......unused.
I know that budgets are the huge concern, (to all of us) just give yourself the most options for growth now. 
Bottom line is I didn't lose with selling the first press. 
There seems to be a good market for selling/buying them.
So, Yes, start with the Riley 4/1 and when you can move up to another/bigger press, just sell the first one. You won't have any problem going with quality.


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## theSandwichman (Feb 28, 2008)

Celtic said:


> Hi Sandwichman,
> 
> Yes, that 4 x 1 Riley Hopkins press is good. I've done some test prints with one.
> I agree with the school of thought that you should buy as good and as many colors/stations as you can.
> ...


Hello Denise! 

Thx for your reply. Its probably what we will do, start small, and go with a bigger press when we will have enough money.

I'm just curious, do you sell your press by the local ads or do you sell it via a web site like _digitsmith.com_?


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## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

theSandwichman said:


> Hello Denise!
> 
> Thx for your reply. Its probably what we will do, start small, and go with a bigger press when we will have enough money.
> 
> I'm just curious, do you sell your press by the local ads or do you sell it vis a web site like _digitsmith.com_?


 
Hi Yanick, 

I sold it on Craigslist.org.
Sold fast!

Denise


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## rence12 (Sep 26, 2008)

Can anybody tell me what kind of press this is it's a really old one I think


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## garagegirl (Sep 19, 2010)

Seriously, the brand that has the closest manufacturer to you location. There are good in every brand, but when sh*t happens, I don't want to fly a tech in from across the states.


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## SammySk8 (May 13, 2012)

rence12 said:


> Can anybody tell me what kind of press this is it's a really old one I think


Looks like an Atlas press.


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## rence12 (Sep 26, 2008)

Thank you for the quick response


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## InkChemist (Aug 19, 2010)

Vastex, M&R, Workhorse


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## Ice Titan (May 10, 2013)

What brand or company is M&R?


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## ParrotPrinting (Feb 23, 2015)

I have a Riley Hopkins 6 color 2 station with micro and it does a great job


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## gardenhillemb (Oct 29, 2015)

We have an old M&R Blue Max 6 color/ 4 station with side clamps and it will do most anything you'll get into. You can find them used pretty reasonable. They are really solid printers and will last years and years. Also, M&R has any parts you might need. There are other good presses out there. Make sure you know where you'll be in 5-10 years and buy something that will help get you there.


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## jmprinting (Jun 19, 2015)

I wouldn't get a one station. I have a 6/6 and a platen got burnt up and waiting for the new one to come in. Having 5 sucks and slows me way down. I wouldn't even bother with one station If anything at minim get 2 station so you can flash between colors and print while one is flashing


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