Author Topic: advice on a reloading bench (Read 2789 times)

williamlayton · « **on:** February 06, 2004, 07:28:36 AM »

OK boys, nows tha time to tell me what to do an how to do it. I'm bout through with that dang shed. I have posted this below but all the help I can get is what i'm looking for.
I got bout 8 feet to work with but i would rather not take up the entire wall. What is an optimum length without crowding up or going into overkill.
Would ya rather sit to work or stand. If standing bout how tall to make it.
What depth do ya like.
what accessories would ya add.
is 3/4 plywood ok fer tha top. I'm gonna put hardboard on it too.
Would ya put a lip on it.
Lotta discussion an input is what i'm seeking.
Thanx fer it all.
Blessings

savageT · « **Reply #1 on:** February 06, 2004, 09:38:07 AM »

PLANS FOR LOADING BENCH....under Mix & Match
http://stevespages.com/table3.html

Jim

HWooldridge · « **Reply #2 on:** February 06, 2004, 10:23:05 AM »

I have a shotgun loader, a RCBS Rock Chucker, a SAECO lubrisizer and a SAECO lead pot on a table 30x48. Both loaders are on one side and the other stuff is on the opposite side. The top was 3/4" plywood but the Rockchucker made it flex so I added another piece of 3/4", glued and screwed to the existing top. The table has a drawer underneath for dies and little stuff, plus wheels on two legs and a handle on the other end so I can roll it around by myself.

Re your other questions, I have never seen the need for a lip if the table is level and I much prefer to sit than stand since I can get more leverage on long cases by standing up if required. Make sure you have plenty of light - put it under a window if possible.

Prof. Fuller Bullspit · « **Reply #3 on:** February 07, 2004, 06:27:17 AM »

I really like to have shelves above the bench. Make the depth of the bench sufficient to allow for shelves above it but not so deep so that it is hard to reach the back of the shelves.

I also like to sit for some operations but stand for others. Because of this I would make the bench tall enough to stand at and get a tall stool.

No lip for me.

No matter what top you use (3/4" etc) make sure you have enough bracing to take the leverage you put on it with your press operation.

I can get by with a top surface that is 4 feet wide or so. But this would depend on how many permantly mounted things you have on your bench. Give yourself enough room between them.

Lots of light!

savageT · « **Reply #4 on:** February 07, 2004, 06:54:34 AM »

williamleyton,
I have a steel commercial workbench with 2 drawers and a lower shelf. It was used originally as a lathe base. I covered the top with a smooth hardboard to eliminate any cracks and crevices. Now, if you're building one, I would strongly recommend that your top be made of 2x4's on edge cross bolted, to give you the top you will need for your press and a good, sturdy vise. Cover it with hardboard or plywood....your choice. I have mine against a wall so I hung pegboard and a 1x6 inch shelf to hold my books, scale, (and a stereo system....got to have my tunes

). As you mentioned, be certain to provide plenty of light as in a 4 ft. dbl. flourescent lamp and outlets on the benchtop or wall. I hung a lockable wooden cabinet next to my bench to hold powder and bullets and keep the tool box on a shelf under the table. The steel bench is really a wonderful addition, much better than building it from scratch. My dad had picked it up at a surplus sale from work.

Rifled Slug · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2004, 03:15:23 AM »

I have a big bench but it always seems to be full of stuff and I use it for other things not just loading . So I mounted my presses and lubersizer on seperate boards about 12"x 12"x 1" thick so they can be C-clamped to the bench .

wolfy · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2004, 03:03:27 PM »

The first reply was, imho, the best. I and several of my friends have built this bench and it is very well thought out. I actually bent the ram on a rockchucker on this bench re-forming .348 brass for a .43 Spanish before
Buffalo Arms came out with their stuff. I got the handle of the RC level and my brother hung on it from there with me helping and the front edge took the strain with no worries. It's HEAVY and won't budge....you'll never be sorry for going this route.
wolfy

howdy doody · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2004, 03:24:30 PM »

My bench is actually a desk. The company I work for was throwing out a pretty nice Steelcase desk and chair, I got to have it. I find the drawers handy to keep supplies in and on the desk top I have a 1 inch piece of nylon slab. I drilled the bottom of the slab and countersunk for 51/16 bolts to mount my dillon, loadall, Lyman and my lubersizer. I leave the dillon mounted on one side all the time and I just stick my other stuff on the other and secure with flat washers and nuts. I can just swivel the slab around for dillon or the other pieces. It is heavy and solid enough that it doesn;t move around in use. Works great for me and I can sit in the secretary chair in comfort and roll around. I load in my garage and for casting I set up a bench made of plywood outside my garage door and I cast outdoors and lube/size at the desk and then reload there too. I like my arrangement a lot. It was a stroke of luck it worked so well and I keep powder, bullets, brass and other stuff habdy in the drawers. :grin:

williamlayton · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2004, 10:36:45 PM »

Howdy-
I would sure love to see a picture if its handy. I am having a hard time picturing the nylon on the swivel thing. Sounds interesting. Where did ya get the nylon?
Blessings

howdy doody · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2004, 04:55:40 PM »

Well I will run out to the garage and take a picture of my setup and email it to you. I don't know how to post it to this thread as I am confuser illiterate. I'll do it.
BTW the slab is not on a swivel, it just sits on the top of the desk, but I can swivel it.
I'll do the picture thing right away.

The Shrink · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2004, 01:32:13 AM »

William

Sometime in the next year I'm gonna rebuild a bedroom (when my son gets out on his own) and am planning to build an L shaped loading table in the corner. The long arm will be for loading, the short arm will be for lube/sizing. Commercial bullets and bullets sized and lubed to be stored under and over the long arm, unsized bullets stored under and over the short arm. Powder, primers, cases, place for eye level powder scale, powder measures mounted, etc. all on the long arm. Drop tube there as well. I plan on building it standing height, with a tall stool to sit on. This gives the best of both worlds, leverage and comfort.

The rest of the room will stay guest bedroom or maybe a sewing room for LOML, who hates to sew but does anyway.

Wayne the Shrink

williamlayton · « **Reply #11 on:** February 12, 2004, 02:12:02 AM »

shrink-
I'm still thinkin about an L shaped bench. The only problem, an it is a concern, is that it takes up more room than a straight bench an its got a very deep corner that is pratically useless.
Do some measuring fore ya start construction. If'n ya come up with a thought give me a holler.
My thinking, an I might be wrong, is if the bench is 30" wide Ya got to make it 30" longer to have the same space plus an extra length on tha L to have any room to work.
If I make it the 6', straight, that I'm thinkin about, then I doan have the big ol unusable corner.
Correct my thinkin if ya see an error in it.
Blessings

The Shrink · « **Reply #12 on:** March 08, 2004, 02:11:18 AM »

William

No error in your thinking, but I've got to work around existing furniture and have a closet in the way. The closet's gonna become my gun storage area, at least for now, and the reloading setup will be beside it.

Casting remains out on the back deck, and the vibrator stays in the garage. I'll move my arbor press up from the garage and use it to compress black powder loads with a wooden dowel plunger. It works fine.

Wayne the Shrink

Roy Cobb · « **Reply #13 on:** June 12, 2004, 11:47:39 AM »

I got a Waterloo work bench from Home depot for I think it was 179 complete with a fluorescent work light and power strip I made a quick mounting plate kit to swap between the shot shell press and the Pistol Press
(I use a progressive in each) then on the other end I have a single stage press that I use for rifle shells, lots of real estate on the top and has a pegboard back that I mounted bins on for storage of items I usually need.
Mine is the two drawer model but the rest is as shown here.

Cactus Cris · « **Reply #14 on:** June 20, 2004, 09:20:34 AM »

Lots of good idea's here. The one thing that I did on all 4 of my loading/size'n/ casting area's is to put 1/4" policarbinate plexiglass on top. It won't break, can't be hurt by droping stuff on it, won't be damaged by anything. Can send pics via email to anyone that is interested as I am like H. D. "putor stupid"

Shane in WI · « **Reply #15 on:** August 04, 2004, 09:01:33 AM »

I build some pretty fancy benchs for my reloading room. The shotgun bench has a maple lip around the top (1 1/2" laminated PB) to prevent shot from rolling all over the room. The loaded trap shells drop through the counter into a pullout drawer. there is room for 4 presses on a 6' bench. 36" high seems about right for standing or bar stool work.
The metalic bench I built is 8' long w/ 2 knee holes with upper and lower storage cabinets. The counter top is made from a section of bowling alley which is unique and very sturdy. The nicest design feature is the balance beam scale sits on a shelf @ eye level.
I have photo's of both of these benches to e-mail to any one who is interested. I built a few more 6' benches w/ upper and lower cabinets and a 1 1/2" thick maple butcher block countertop to sell if anyone is looking for a nice finished bench. All cabinetry is laminated an almond color. Makes reloading much more enjoyable to have a nice clean place to perform your tasks.
E-mail me for photo's and details.

Shane
sandenwood@centurytel.net