Supplies typically ship the same day when orders are placed before 3:00 PM PST (Please see lead times next to the checkout button on product pages as some products are specialty and may be dropped shipped from the vendor. Also live inventory exists below the checkout button as well [usually - we are human, and don’t always catch things in time. Be a pal, and help us catch that])
For equipment, please check the lead times that exist below the checkout button on product pages.
We have a number of warehouses (WA, & TX). Typically, your items will ship from the closest warehouse it is in stock in. (Also please note the lead times or if the product is being drop shipped)
We will send you a shipping notification as soon as the order is ready to ship! As soon as you receive it, there is a tracking number attached (please note there can be multiple tracking numbers for your order). Please note there can also be multiple locations your order will ship from. If you have difficulty accessing the tracking, please respond to your notification email, our team is here to help you!
It depends on the following items:
It's possible that your order is shipping from more than 1 location. An email is sent each time a part of your order has shipped. If the item that's missing was not listed on the shipping confirmation email it is likely coming separately.
You can use the live chat function on our website to speak with a live team member or call us at 1-800-314-6390. One of our reps will happily help you find out what is going on.
Most Likely. Sometimes you just need to plug in the tracking number on the carrier's website, especially if it is shipping freight. Email us at success@ryonet.com if you can’t bring it up, and we’ll help you out!
Our ability to ship our products around the world is limited. Here are our limitations: - We are unable to process orders under USD $5,000. - All products will be shipped via pallet & ocean freight only. - Provide your US based Freight Forwarder address - All shipments will go to the Freight Forwarder. Our standard shipping charges apply. - Wire transfers are the only form of payment accepted. Not all of our products can be shipped outside of the USA. The products that are available are: Riley Hopkins presses, Green Galaxy inks and emulsions, Sgreen chemicals, Aluminum screens, Squeegees, Transparency film, Conveyor and flash dryers.
A freight forwarder is a company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer, or final point of distribution
It is up to the customer to find and set up an account with a freight forwarder.
Also note we can only guarantee shipping to the freight forwarder. Any damage or loss once in the forwarders hands is between the forwarder and the customer. ALWAYS INSPECT BEFORE SIGNING BOL. Most vendors will not warranty any damages if no damage is noted on the BoL before signature.
A lift gate is the deck that lowers the heavy items on a freight truck/trailer to the ground, to you. If you don’t have a loading dock or a forklift to help you with this, please be sure you add one. If you ever find a delivery driver doesn’t use one, and you have paid for it, please let us know and we will make this right. (Please note the Semi Pro package does not require a lift gate.)
It is vital that when a freight order or any equipment arrives that someone on staff takes photos and opens the crate/packaging.
Examine and document any and all damages found - this is incredibly important.
You paid good money for an amazing piece of equipment, so why not make sure it arrives undamaged.
If damaged in any way, take photos and make sure to have the damages annotated on the BOL (Bill of Lading). DO NOT SIGN the BOL before inspecting the cargo and noting any damages.
Once signed, you are releasing the carrier from all liability and if damages are found later on it becomes very difficult to hold them accountable.
Once you sign the BOL, if no damage is noted, you are stating that your equipment arrived in good condition and that any further damage that may be found did not occur in shipping. So it is in the best interest of the purchaser to examine the equipment before signing.
Note: Drivers are eager and will push you to sign the BOL. They may even get frustrated while they wait for you to examine for any possible damages. They have quotas but they can't leave until the BOL is signed for. MAKE THEM WAIT. Again You paid good money for an amazing piece of equipment, so why not make sure it arrives undamaged.
Ready to make your own apparel, but not sure where to start? Sounds like you need a guide on how to print t-shirts. In this 10-step guide, you'll learn about every process: making the artwork, preparing screens, printing, curing, and cleaning. Learn how to print t-shirts today, and start printing tomorrow.
READ THE ARTICLE
If you'd rather watch videos than read a blog, check out these video series. It goes over each step of the process. Learn today, start printing tomorrow.
Please read this blog to learn more about the essential supplies and equipment needed to get your screen print business off the ground.
We can help you with that! Please allow us one business day to get the information together, and then we will share it with you for your consideration.
You can contact us through our chats, emailing us at success@ryonet.com, or by calling in 800-314-6390
We are sorry but, no. Tax exemptions must be in place prior to the order being processed.
- Promo codes can only be used once per customer.
- Promo codes cannot be used in combination with other sales, events, or codes.
- The wattage. Riley Flash Dryers have higher wattage compared to Ryo Flash Dryers.
- Higher wattage means less time waiting for the flash to heat up.
- Riley flashes come with on/off switches and more robust stands.
- Depends on the flash you are looking at and how much power you have.
- Ryo 16x16 works on a standard household plug, 120v 15 amps (standard house socket).
- Larger flashes (like the Riley) have specific power requirements and sockets, so check the specs on the product page.
- See plug type in product specs on the flash’s product page. This is a good visual to check your outlet and see if they are compatible.
Riley Hopkins Conveyor Dryers are made by BBC.
It’ll depend on your situation.
Here is a great link for setting up off contact and registration
The Riley JR is no longer available. We are looking back towards our racing roots. Enter the 150, 250, 300, 350 Riley Hopkins Presses.
The best means for help is to submit a support ticket with solutionsforscreenprinters.com
They’re the software manufacturer and know this software like the back of their hands!
It means that the all black ink feature is no longer available.
How do you unlock an All Black Ink System (ABI)?
If you have already achieved 175 points you will see a free ABI license serial number waiting.
Yes, we are an authorized seller of Freehand products. That being said, we are not their product experts. Why not seek answers from the pros? They make the product, so they know the product. They also have a team dedicated to solving any issue with their products.
Light status Condition/solution The power light is on The printer is turned on. The power light is flashing The printer is busy. Wait for the power light to stop flashing before turning off the printer. The WiFi light is green The printer is connected to the wireless network. The WiFi light is orange Wi-Fi connection error. Press the Wi-Fi button to clear the error and try to connect again. The paper/cancel light is on Paper may be out. Load more paper in the sheet feeder and press the paper/cancel button to continue. If multiple sheets have fed, press the paper/cancel button to eject the paper. If printing on a CD or DVD, the CD/DVD tray is not inserted correctly. Load the CD/DVD tray correctly and press the paper/cancel button. Light status Condition/solution The paper/cancel light is flashing Paper has jammed in the printer or the output tray is closed. Remove any jammed paper and make sure the output tray is open, then press the paper/cancel to resume printing. If printing on a CD or DVD, the CD/DVD tray did not eject correctly. Pull out the CD/DVD tray and press the paper/cancel button. The ink light is on An ink cartridge is not installed, installed incorrectly, expended, or cannot be used with the printer. Make sure all ink cartridges are installed correctly and replace any expended or incompatible ink cartridges. The ink light is flashing An ink cartridge is low. Make sure you have a replacement cartridge. The power light is off, and the paper/cancel and ink lights are flashing fast The print head is obstructed by jammed paper or another foreign object and cannot return to the home position. Turn the printer off. Open the printer cover and remove any paper or other obstructions from the paper path. Then turn the printer back on. If the error does not clear, contact Epson. The paper/cancel and ink lights are flashing alternately The printer's ink pads are nearing or at the end of their service life. Contact Epson to replace the ink pads. If the ink pads are nearing the end of their service life, printing can be resumed by pressing the paper/cancel button. The paper/cancel and ink lights are on The firmware update has failed, and the printer is in recovery mode. Visit Epson's support website at www.epson.com/support (U.S.) or www.epson.ca/support (Canada) for instructions on repeating the firmware update.
There are a multitude of issues that have popped up regarding the Dmax Cartridges and the Pixma Pro-100. Here we will describe and address some of the more frequently encountered. Ultimately these issues come down to determining whether this is an issue with the DMax Cartridges or the Printer - to do this
- Pull all the carts out from right to left, Power down the printer, unplug power, hold the power button for 10 sec, plug back in, turn on, and install OEM (Canon) cartridges.
- If the error doesn't clear, power cycle the printer again (turn off and then back on). If this doesn't clear the error, Call Canon - 800-652-2666 - as this is an internal error from the printer that we cannot support.
- If it does come down to calling canon, please let us know Canon's resolution.
- If the error does clear, the issue can be pointed to the D’max Cartridges, which then should be replaced with another manufacturer's cartridges. Let us know your results.
Streaking/Banding - This is due to low ink, clogged printhead, something caught on the printhead (hair, dust, etc), printhead out of alignment Check ink levels Run printhead alignment Manually clean print head with Amaze Ink Not laying ink down - This is due to either low ink or a clogged print head Check ink levels Manually clean printhead with Amaze Ink Job sent to printer but not printing - This it usually a corrupt driver or a ripcore error Clear print queue In AccuRIP, Change green toggle to red then back to green Delete and reinstall printer and AccuRIP driver Printer just feeding paper through and not printing - This it usually a corrupt driver or a ripcore error Delete and reinstall printer and AccuRIP driver Try printing directly to the printer If it prints, submit a support ticket with Freehand If it justs feeds the paper through, contact Canon Canon: 1-800-652-2666 Dmax cartridges/light issues - Please refer to this link below https://support.usa.canon.com/kb/index?page=content&id=ART152956 Solid white with flashing amber This set is pretty straightforward. The only one to watch out for is when the printer is flashing 13 amber lights Press and hold the resume button for 5 sec to clear the error - this may have to be done 8 times in a row as it needs to be done for each cartridge that has the error.
Choosing an exposure unit will depend on your budget and what kind of prints you plan to do. You definitely should get an exposure unit that at least has LED bulbs (check out this article to learn why LED is the new standard).
Another factor you’ll run into is whether you should get an exposure unit with a compression or a vacuum lid. This blog goes in depth between the two, but again, your budget and prints will determine which unit to get. Have a low budget and/or plan to print mainly spot color prints? A compression unit will work great. If you have a bigger budget and/or plan to do highly detailed prints, you’ll need a vacuum unit.
Check out this blog to educate yourself on the different kinds of bulbs out there to determine what bulbs you WANT to use to expose a screen with. Learn more about different bulbs.
We’re currently working on upgrading our entry level exposure units, so stay tuned!
Picking an emulsion will depend on your darkroom, inks, and exposure unit. This blog goes in-depth on how to pick an emulsion.
What ink are you using?
What exposure unit and bulb type do you have?
A number of factors may determine why screens aren’t burning correctly. If you’re new to the process, please read the following blogs.
Otherwise, let’s look at the most common issues.
I can’t get the emulsion to stick.
I can’t spray the image out of the emulsion.
I followed directions and I am doing everything right to creating an optimal darkroom (I have dry screens, a new exposure unit, it’s light-safe), but I keep having issues.
Easiest way to maintain a dry darkroom is to use a dehumidifier.
Also, you should have a device, whether it’s a dehumidifier, fans, or a small heat source to keep the room at 70°-80°.
If you'd like to learn more about creating an optimal darkroom, check out this blog.
https://www.screenprinting.com/blogs/news/how-to-dry-reclaimed-screens-and-build-a-drying-cabinet
If your darkroom, the space where you dry and store coated screens, is too humid, the screens will not be dry enough to properly expose. Screens that are not correctly exposed will experience on-press breakdown of the emulsion and difficulty in reclaiming the screens.
The dehumidifier will pull moisture from the room, creating an optimal environment for drying coated screens, which will help create an optimal stencil.
You want your darkroom to be as dry as humanly possible.
You want to be at least below 40% humidity.
Unless you are running an inkjet direct to screen, there is zero drawback to being at 20% humidity or lower.
A hygrometer is a tool for checking relative humidity and temperature and is considered an essential tool for every dark room. Learn why in this blog.
You can pick one up from hardware stores or online marketplaces like Amazon.
Until it is bone dry: You do not want any moisture left in the emulsion before exposing.
How long it takes to completely dry a screen is 100% dependent on the dryness of your room/the space the screens are drying in.
If you are in a space with fans, 80° temps, and 30% humidity, you can have a single screen done in under 30 minutes.
If your space is 80°, no fans, 60%+ humidity, you may never have a screen that is dry enough to expose.
To learn more about drying screens, please read this blog.Always place screen(s) parallel to the floor (a rack is a great place).
Always place screens so the squeegee side is up and the t-shirt side is down.
You want fans blowing warm dry air directly over the emulsion/coated screen.
You want to make the space AS DRY as possible — below 40% humidity. To do this you need a dehumidifier.
You want the space to be warm, around 80° is good, but can be done at 70° or 90°.
The heat and fans will actively evaporate the moisture from the emulsion and the dehumidifier will keep the space as dry as possible, allowing the emulsion to evaporate quicker.
To learn more about making an optimal darkroom, please read this article.After exposing and removing the film, place the screen in the washout area. Wet the screen on both sides with a hose. Using a shower spray type attachment is best. Let the screen soak for a little bit, about 10-30 seconds (maybe longer depending on emulsion thickness); you can keep spraying gentle water during this time. Then use high pressure, either with a strong spray attachment, fan spray, or a pressure washer. A pressure washer is HIGHLY recommended. Spray from the t-shirt side of the screen only. Do not use any kind of water pressure on the squeegee side. There’s a high chance of blowing out the image if you spray on the squeegee side. Continue to spray out the image from the t-shirt side until the image is completely resolved.
To learn more about the washout process, please watch this video.As unexposed emulsion soaks up water, the emulsion starts to fall off the screen. Using higher pressure quickens that process.
Using the pressure washer actively removes the unexposed emulsion quickly, which is important when rinsing out fine details and dots. Why? As a screen is being rinsed out, the emulsion (exposed and not exposed) soaks up water. As it soaks, it expands. The expansion can actually close up small details, so using a pressure washer is like hitting a fast forward button: it’ll rinse out the details before the exposed emulsion can swell.
To learn more about the washout process, please watch this video.While the Drying Cabinet is an amazing tool for quickly drying screens, it is bringing in air from outside the box. If the air outside the box is humid or full of moisture, it will be difficult for the coated screen to evaporate. It may take hours for the screens to completely dry.
If the outside air is dry, the emulsion can evaporate easily. Screens may be ready in as little as 20 minutes.
Check out this video to learn more about Screen Room Drying Cabinet.
Supreme Wash is an on-press cleaner, best used on plastisol inks for color changes, cleaning squeegees and spatulas, and on press clean up.
Ink Degrader is just as the name entails, but rather than on press, Ink Degrader is used in your wash out booth to remove plastisol inks.
Check out this blog: it goes in-depth about selecting mesh counts.
Think of mesh counts being like monitor or TV resolutions.
The tighter the detail is packed in or the finer the dots are, the higher mesh count you need to use.
If you are printing halftones, follow these rules:
Independent of mesh manufacturers, there are two main types of mesh in use today.
Good mesh tension is at least 20 newtons.
Better mesh tension is closer to 25 newtons
Best mesh tension is at or above 25 Newtons.
What does this mean?
High tension mesh just prints better.
For thinner garments like t-shirts, you should use water-based adhesive. It's cleaner since it doesn't get all over your shop and you're not breathing it in. The adhesive also lasts much longer than spray tack. Plus, it doesn't leave a residue on garments. Water-based adhesive is a game changer.
To learn more about water-based adhesive, check out this article.
If you've never used water-based adhesive before, read this blog to learn tips.In our attempt to make screen printing a more chemically friendly environment, we have been phasing out all aerosol propellant products like spray glue. Water-based adhesive, like Sgreen® Adhesive, has proven to be just as effective as aerosol spray glue in print shops over the last 20+ years.
There could be several factors involved in your white ink being difficult to print. Before you try to make adjustments, know that white ink has to be thicker than all other colors. If you try to make the ink thinner and easier to print, the opacity and coverage of that ink can diminish drastically. It may even look faded or vintage. What's the process to figure out if the ink is too thick to print? First, warm the ink up to production temps, which is around 80° or warmer. If the ink is still too difficult to print, add a little curable reducer to lower the viscosity. Try 1-3% at first and do not exceed 5% by weight. Test print while the ink is still warm to confirm.
You also need to know that there are two types of inks:
Learn more about printing white ink in cooler temperatures in this article.
Think oil and water:
Printability:
Look and feel:
Clean up
Want to learn more about printing with plastisol ink? Check out this blog.
Wondering if water-based ink is right for you? Read this article to find out.
Now there’s a loaded question!
FN-INK™ is short-bodied, creamier, and easier to print compared to the Wilflex Epic. FN-INK™ also has a much softer hand feel.
Epic (previuosly Lava), is a long-bodied ink with a standard print feel.
Discharge compatible emulsion like Baselayr Complete. You'll also need Discharge ink and discharge agent.
Printing White or Red? It’s best not to mix but rather print a premixed discharged ink.
Printing custom colors? Fusion Mixing System (pigments only), discharge agent, and discharge clear base Use the formulas from the Fusion Mixing System. Use discharge base in place of Clear and Opaque Core combined.
Base: a finished ink designed to have color concentrates or pigments added.
Additive: an ink designed to be added to a finished ink to change its properties.
In this screen printing tutorial, Josh wells teaches us when to push and when to pull your squeegee. One is easier on your body, the other works better for specific purposes. Which one is right for your job?
When printing white ink (but this can happen with all inks), you can sometimes see the shirt fibers stick up through the ink, making the print fuzzy or rough. Fibers stick up usually because the screen mesh is sticking in the ink as the squeegee moves over the design. The screen needs to snap off the image (ink deposit) as soon as the squeegee goes over it. If it does not, then it will pull up the shirt fibers and ink surface with it. The easy fix is to increase off-contact until the screen snaps off the design quickly.
Watch this video to learn how you can smooth down fibers.
You have a few options to smooth out prints.
One way is to make a smoothing screen. A smoothing screen mattes down the fibers of the shirt. Smoothing the print helps boost the vibrancy of the ink. To make a smoothing screen, all you need to do is grab either a 200 or 230 mesh screen, coat the screen with emulsion, expose it without any imagery on it, and place it on the press as a blank screen. You're going to need a lubricant like Curable Reducer. When using the smoothing screen, you'll want to use enough pressure to flatten the fibers, but not too much where you're jamming it in. Check out this video to learn more about smoothing screens.
Do you have a heat press in your shop? A heat press can make a print buttery smooth if you do it right, or it can make it too smooth (making it look more like a heat transfer). Many printers are under the impression that the ink needs to hit cure temp in order to smooth it out. That’s not true. To smooth out a print, all you have to do is get the ink warm enough to be pliable. Say you want to smooth out an ink that cures at 320°. Set the heat press to 270° with light or medium pressure and press for five seconds. The print will be smooth while still maintaining the screen-print look. Now, these exact settings will not apply to every heat press and shop. Press time can range from 3-7 seconds. The heat may need to be adjusted. In the end, your goal is to apply the right amount of pressure and heat to press down the fibers. If the pressure or heat is too high, the heat press will push the ink into the fibers, thinning out the ink deposit. The thinner, flatter print will look more like a heat transfer. To learn more, please read this blog.
While a general statement of 1/8 inch off contact is usually thrown around here. It does not mean that 1/8 will work for you.
Note: The exact recipe really comes down to personal preference.
Use the squeegee that you are most comfortable with since your control and comfort will have more of an impact than using a squeegee you are unfamiliar with.
The harder your squeegee is, the more you are cutting the ink and making the ink deposit thinner on the garment. Now, while a hard squeegee may cut the ink easier, the ink deposit may not be thick enough. With a harder squeegee it will be more difficult and you will have to work harder to create a bright ink deposit or an ink deposit that covers the fabric well enough.
It may be happening due to a few reasons:
It’s an under cure issue.
If you don’t have forced air equipment, you need to use Warp Drive. It’s an ink additive that chemically cures the ink in 48 hours. Add it to the water-based ink, print, evaporate all the moisture from the ink, and set the shirt aside for 48 hours. Do a wash test and make adjustments as needed.
Learn more about how to achieve proper cure here.First off, a stretch test isn’t an all-tell test on whether or not the ink is cured. It shows if the top layer of ink is fused enough for the top layer to stretch.
Some garments have more stretch than others and will stretch the ink layer too far, so laying down a thicker deposit of ink is necessary to help with the extra stretch.
You could also add a little stretch additive or stretch ink to help the ink layer not crack on the stretchier garments.
It’s most likely that the ink deposit is too thin and you are seeing ink film split, Ink film split is where the ink layer is thin and it doesn’t have enough support (from the shirt fibers or shirt mass) so when the ink is stretched to its maximum - the ink splits. The cracks are typically fairly small and would be following the weave of the garment in between the shirt ridges.
It could be undercured. Ink will not necessarily crack if it is really close to being cured (this is where a thicker ink layer will stretch on the surface) but the bottom is not completely attached to the fabric. The only way to test is to wash the garment several times and look at the print closely after each wash cycle.
Undercured ink shows up more like a shatter pattern; if you tug on the ink deposit, it will “shatter.”
Typically the ink will crack if it is undercured.
To learn more about using a flash dryer to cure inks, watch this video.
It's very difficult to actually over-cure plastisol ink, but it is easy to get the ink hotter than is needed. If you overheat an ink, you may notice one of few things:
When dye migration (bleeding) happens, it happens 99% of the time on garments with polyester threads.
There are a couple ways to stop bleeding:
You need a dye blocker base when you are printing on the following fabrics:
Due to the nature of the screen printing business, we realize that many times our customers are relying on our products and shipments to produce time sensitive orders. The Ryonet shipping department has a + 98% shipment accuracy rating, but from time to time something may be missed or the wrong item may be in an order. We ALWAYS rectify these problems immediately and re-ship the correct product via UPS Ground or USPS Priority Mail. Our strategically placed distribution centers can reach anywhere in the US in 2-3 business days using these methods of shipment. If an expedited shipping method was selected on the original order, then an expedited shipment method will be used to rectify the order.
If your product was damaged during shipping please call: 1-800-314-6390 or send an inquiry to our Support Team. ScreenPrinting.com and Ryonet offer a 30 Day Limited Return Policy. This return policy applies to all of our products and equipment unless otherwise specified on a particular product or piece of equipment. (All returns must be authorized.)
Software/ Artwork, DVDs (any disc content) and Downloadable Content. Inkjet Printers Custom Pantone Matches Custom Equipment Configurations Returns are only accepted if a product has not been used, UNLESS authorized by a customer service representative. Return shipping charges are the responsibility of the customer. However, return shipping charges are not the responsibility of the customer if the item being returned was damaged in transit, received in error or the incorrect item was shipped. Original shipping charges will not be refunded/credited. Customers must contact Ryonet within 30 days of receiving a product if they desire to return it for a refund. All returns made after 30 days of receiving a product are ONLY eligible for in store credit. (All returns are subject to restocking fees.)
Due to processing, receiving and credit card fees a standard 20% restocking fee will be applied to all returns* *Depending on the item, whether it has been used, the condition in which it is received, when the item was purchased, etc. this restocking fee is subject to change.
Please call or email us within 30 days of receiving your order: Phone: 800-314-6390 Please send an inquiry to our Support Team
Once this information is received (covered in: If you want to make a return) we will issue you a return authorization number. This information will be emailed to you along with the address to send your items back to. If you do not receive our email within 2 business days, please check your junk mail folder and notify us immediately. Once the return has been authorized, you will have 30 days to send back the return. If the return is not received within 30 days, you will need to go through the authorization process again.
Package your return carefully with your RMA# written on the outside of the box or visible on your return shipping label. We are not responsible for any damages that may occur when your return is in transit back to our location. Additional restocking fees may apply if damage occurs.
If you have ordered a product (such as a screen printing kit) and start using it only to find out that it isn't for you, what do you do? First, please contact us if you have any questions that we could answer. Also, be sure to let us know the condition of the product. Another option for you is to sell it on Ebay or Craigslist.org. Screen printing products and equipment (especially packages) sell great on Ebay. If your package has been used and you would like to return it, placing an auction on Ebay is probably the best way to recoup your investment. By selling on Ebay, you can get over the fair market value for your product, you won't be charged a restocking fee, and the person buying it from you will pay for shipping-not you. If you need help doing this, please contact us and we would be happy to help you. Our goal is to ensure that all our customers are happy, you will not be disappointed!
