# Lining up registration Riley hopkins jr



## carterh (Jun 18, 2015)

Hey! i have riley hopkins jr press and i do love it but it is very difficult to get a spot on 100% perfect registration, I dont know if this is me, my screen, or the machine, but there always seems to be a little section off?

It could also be the way im separating the colors in illustrator?

what are you all thinking?


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## mikepet (Mar 26, 2015)

I have the same machine. Without micro registration, it's helpful to burn your screens with the films in as close to the same position as each of the other screens. When on the press, I place one the most detailed films on the platten and line up the screens to that. I won't take credit for this. I saw it done on some YouTube videos from CatSpit Productions and Ryonet.

I printed a sample shirt last week where I needed to line up two pinholes for eyes on a wolf. Came out perfect.


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## BasecampDesignCo (Aug 17, 2015)

I have a Riley Hopkins Jr., too, and I was struggling with one of the print heads as I set up and printed up a 2-color design last week. Despite lining the image up with my registration marks and holding the screen firmly with the palm of one hand while carefully tightening the print head to hold the screen, I could see the print head pulling my screen askew. Didn't matter how slowly I tightened or how firmly I held the screen down while tightening, it just kept pulling it. Hoping to find a solution soon (at least something better than having to offset the screen on purpose to compensate for the press knocking the screen out of registration.) Hope you've had good luck in finding a solution!


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## sirlouisgreen (Dec 6, 2015)

mikepet said:


> I have the same machine. Without micro registration, it's helpful to burn your screens with the films in as close to the same position as each of the other screens. When on the press, I place one the most detailed films on the platten and line up the screens to that. I won't take credit for this. I saw it done on some YouTube videos from CatSpit Productions and Ryonet.
> 
> I printed a sample shirt last week where I needed to line up two pinholes for eyes on a wolf. Came out perfect.


I am going to try this method. I usually get an old shirt and Print the underbase or most detailed color, flash and then i line up everything to match that. Your process is much easier, cleaner and definitely less wastage.


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## dynamikgraphics (Jul 21, 2013)

A few tips to improve registration:

1) In Illustrator (if you don't already), _Windows > Swatch Libraries > Color Books > Pantone Solid Coated.

_Use this palette when coloring your artwork. Be sure to use the same "red" for every part of the art you want to be that color. When you go to print your seps out of AI, you should be able to change the Mode to "Separations" under the "Output" section in the Print Dialog box. This will allow you to select the Pantone colors you used, and the printer will automatically generate separations. 

2) Include a registration mark at the top of the artwork, and instead of taping the sep to the exposure unit glass, tape it to the back of your screen, but measure the distance between the inside edge of the frame & the reg mark. Use this measurement on the additional seps. 

3) Since the press has no micro-adjustment, you'll need to account for this possibility during initial setup: When setting up the 1st initial screen, don't place the frame flush against the back of the print head - allow 1/4" -1/2" of space. This will give you wiggle room on the subsequent screens. 

4) If printing an underbase, apply a 1pt outline (in a color other than what you used for the sep itself) to the objects to "choke" the underbase. 

Probably just went over everything you already knew


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## BasecampDesignCo (Aug 17, 2015)

I hadn't even considered #3. Thanks so much, dynamikgraphics! That's a great tip!


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