Reloading bench advice

[williamlayton]

OK BOYS, well, i'm almost afraid to ask, but here goes. I'm pretty close to building my reloading bench. Now is your chance to tell me what you would do if'n it was yours.
I got bout 8 feet to work with but ireally doan want it that long.
Tell me how long is optimum without crowning up and without goin overbaoard.
Tell me if you would rather sit down to work or stand. If standing how high.
Tell me how deep you would make it.
What are some things ya would put on it, over it, ect.
Is 3/4 plywood strong enough fer tha top. Gonna put hardboard over that.
Good discussion is what i'm after
I really did appreciate ya'lls advice bout that room even though it was a chore and I'll appreciate your advice on this issue.
Blessings

[Old Syko]

Last things first.  I went to a construction salvage place and bought a solid oak door that's 80" X 36" X 2" that makes a great bench top for $8.  3/4" plywood just don't cut it.  The door is set at 36" from the floor with a single shelf underneath.  4 tube 4' light above with cabinets off to the side for easier access.  Found a beauty shop going out of business and bought an adjustable height, very comfortable chair for $15.  Have plastic multi drawer storage cabinets from Walley World on the back side of the benchtop that are used for cleaning supplies, lube size dies and top punches, and the usual assortment of small items we all have.

In my opinion, build it stout, and bigger is better.  When I load I only have supplies out on the bench for what I'm loading at the time but I don't want to be cramped.

By the way.  Put in enough light to get a sunburn.  You won't regret it.

[Castaway]

One of the "smartest" things I've ever done related to reloading was a mistake.  When I built my bench, it ended up higher than I planned (i'm not a carpenter).  It's 4" above my belly button.  What that translates to is I can stand and work without bending over, or sit on a bar stool and have nearly the same height as I do when standing.

[longwinters]

I would always be sitting down.  Castaway's advice about height is good too, that is about what mine is and I would not want it lower.  Old Syko is right on the beam with the lights.  You do not want shadows anywhere on your bench.  My bench is 5'long and 2'deep.  I have 6" wide shelving on the back of it that is  2 shelves high.  I built them so that my powder scale is right at eye level (on the top shelf)  and my powder dispenser/measurer is mounted just a few inches off to the left side on the bottom shelf.  It sticks out infront of the shelf as the RCBS one has a bracket that you can just screw down to whatever you want.   This has been a  very convenient and comfortable set up for me.  Some people like cabinets, but I like shelving better for powder storage, bullets etc...  I like to sit there and look at my "stash" of reloading stuff.  So I have lots of shelves all around me.  Of course my reloading room is only 8' x  6'.  On one side of my bench I have a space for my reloading manuals.  I can reach everything that I need with little movement.  One other thing that works great is getting one of those computer chairs with the wheels.  A little scootch here or there is a lot nicer than pushing a regular chair back and then moving a foot or two over to your press etc......   A guys reloading bench is something that he will either love or hate So make it a good one. :lol:

long

[jhm]

Williamlayton :  My NEW bench is a pre made counter top bought from Lowes for I believe $39.00 its 8 foot long but can be cut to length I built the framework out of 2x6 lumber bolted together and mounted the top on it, BTW I wished I had gone to a 10 foot length as I also like to use the bench to work on some guns and would like to have a little more room to place things,    JIM

[Flash]

I went the counter top route myself and also am using a bottom kitchen cabinet with two doors and drawers. The shelves and drawers are on roller tracks that make storage so easy and Closet Maid shelves makes the back wall for dies, bullets and powder. I have an RL550 with a strong mount, a Forester trimmer, a Lyman Turret press and powder measure all mounted. I sit on a bar stool or stand, depending on how long I'm reloading.

[California Lawdawg]

My loading bench is 6 feet long by 4 foor wide. Top made out of 2x4's on end and supported by 4x4 legs with a shelf below. Next to impossible to tip over. :-D


Lawdawg