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How would you build a reloading bench?

scooter

scooter

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I know we have the reloading bench photos. I wanted to know what you think and how you think the optimal bench setup would be.looks like I will be acquiring some real estate in the basement and wanted to try to do it right. Possibly a 10x14 space will be dedicated for reloading. Nothing in the way ready to be built/designed. Any ideas?????

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IMO the key is a sturdy bench. I like 4x4 legs or equiv., at least 3/4 Plywood top. Pegboard behind. The bench needs to be solid and not move. Give yourself a number of outlets to work with. The rest is whatever you need to hold and store your stuff.
 
Why not look at all the pics and decide which will suit your needs?
That is the only way short of floggin the donkey again.

Sent from the Hyundai of the droids, the Samsung Replenish, using Tapatalk.
 
I got a commercial solid core door that my company was throwing out. It was almost 4 feet wide and 7ish feet long. I cut maybe 6 or 8 inches off one edge and reattached it as a backsplash. I put it on steel workbench legs that I picked up at a yard sale. If I didn't have the legs I would have done something with black pipe. I put a keyboard drawer under it to hold small tools and parts that I like to keep handy. I have a progressive press, a single stage press, and 2 shotshell presses bolted to it. The rest is covered with boxes of bullets, dry storage boxes filled with primers, loadbooks and assorted other clutter. It is a solid set up...doesn't shake, wobble, or tip no matter what I do to it.

You could probably get a similar door at a wrecking yard-building material recycler.
 
Couple of tips:

1) Make it the right height for YOU. Take the mounting of the equipment into account. Making a bench too high or too short for you might be a comfort issue, if you are tall or short. If you mounted your gear on something the same height as kitchen counter tops, would that work for you?? You can gauge your bench height needs by using the kitchen counter top (which you are more familiar with) as a baseline for height.

2) IN much the same way, I decided that my bench needed to be DEEPER (front to back) than a standard kitchen counter top. The cheap way to work plywood/MDF is to rip it down the middle, and get two pieces. But a 2 foot deep bench is not deep enough for my needs. 4 feet is too deep. So, I sacrificed some material to the bench gods when making mine.

3) Be mindful of overhanging edges when designing your bench. An overhang is desirable (clamping etc), but MDF is weak, even when doubled, when pulling hard on a handle. I built a weldment for mounting a couple of the presses, so that it puts press stress further back, away from the overhang edges. I also did cross brace reinforcement in those areas to make the bench stronger.

4) You'll spill stuff on your bench! It happens. Don't leave the bench top as bare MDF or plywood. Paint it as a minimum. Laminate isn't all that expensive, and surely helps with cleanups of spills.

5) Bolt the bench to a back wall. 2X4's and 4X4's are fine for framing. But the best way to get the bench to NOT MOVE is to secure it to the wall behind it. Use anchors and bolts if the wall is concrete. Even 3" drywall screws will hold a LOT if the back wall is wood studs. Anchor into studs if you can.

6) Don't forget lighting. Get some 4 foot lights installed over your bench. No such thing as too much light.
 
let me try to highjack this thread.

I am also looking to build a bench in my basement, except that in my case, I have limited space and like with many other tools, I'll need to have a modular setup where I can break it down at least partially to make space when not in use. I would also need some way to protect the setup from dust. I was thinking about something like a cabinet, on 4 lockable casters (so I can move it out of the way) that's about 3" square with lots of drawers to store things. It doesn't need to be all wood, I can weld a steel frame and make the top wood. I was thinking about laminating a bunch of 2x4s, like a butchers blocks, but sideways, planing the top or gluing a plywood on top to make it perfectly flat. I like wood to absorb vibrations. So anyone had seen plans for a small, mobile reloading bench or I am nuts to even suggest this?
 
Boris, my first attempt at a gun bench was using milled pine for a butcher block look. The issue was the expansion and contractions of that soft wood eventually broke the glue joints, and the wood started warping. I would recommend against that approach. I even used "biscuits" but that didn't seem to help much, maybe dampness was also a problem.

I ended up with double layer of 3/4" (1.5 inches total) MDF (medium density fiberboard) which is cheap at the big box stores, easy to cut (wear dust mask), and takes laminate easily.
 
DukeInMaine said:
Boris, my first attempt at a gun bench was using milled pine for a butcher block look. The issue was the expansion and contractions of that soft wood eventually broke the glue joints, and the wood started warping. I would recommend against that approach. I even used "biscuits" but that didn't seem to help much, maybe dampness was also a problem.

I ended up with double layer of 3/4" (1.5 inches total) MDF (medium density fiberboard) which is cheap at the big box stores, easy to cut (wear dust mask), and takes laminate easily.
Click to expand...

many thanks for that tip, I'll skip that route then.
 
DukeInMaine said:
Hardwood (maple, oak, etc) would be fine for that design, but usually too expensive.
Click to expand...

I doesn't have to be. Most Hardwood is sold as FAS ( First & Seconds ), which allows for very few imperfections on the face of the board. Butcher Block is stacked on edge. You should buy #1 Common which is much cheaper due to knots, shakes & other imperfections on the face of the board. Chances are you'll be able to find one good edge on each piece, turn the bad edge down and all the knots n'crap on the faces won't be seen anyway. Just as strong for less.
 
If space is a real problem try a grinder stand or build one simular. then bolt it to the floor. I first started on a small cabinet on casters for the same reason.....it sucked
moves way to much. I have seen guys use the work mate portable work stations @ the shotgun shoots?

http://calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=252444 check out post 18 this is so close to my friends set up with the pillar type mount. He has his set up under the stair well of his basement in the corner, his basement is a partial basement with hardly enough room for a burner and tanks. I often kid him and tell him to remove the stairs and install a ladder your gian some footage
 
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mine is 3feet wide by 8 feet long it a great bench ehrn I put it together I use screws it was a lot easy to take a part when I move. put a shelf under neith it to store stuff.
 
mac1911 said:
If space is a real problem try a grinder stand or build one simular. then bolt it to the floor. I first started on a small cabinet on casters for the same reason.....it sucked
moves way to much. I have seen guys use the work mate portable work stations @ the shotgun shoots?

http://calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=252444 check out post 18 this is so close to my friends set up with the pillar type mount. He has his set up under the stair well of his basement in the corner, his basement is a partial basement with hardly enough room for a burner and tanks. I often kid him and tell him to remove the stairs and install a ladder your gian some footage
Click to expand...


That's kind of what I was thinking. I got some scrap metal lying around, I can weld up a sturdy frame with a place to put weights at the bottom. 100-200#s of weight should hold it down. Then have some shelving for plastic shoeboxes containers to keep relevant things with it. I'm thinking about three full time casters and have three 1/2 inch bolts that I would raise to move it out of the way.

I got plenty of bench space, but most of it used for other things and sometimes I may need to clear the benches completely, so that's the reason I want it move-able.
 
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=12392&page=6 post # 120

You could mount your press onto a plate of steel or some plywood and if your bench can handle it drill mounting holes and mount with bolts. I know of another loader who bolted his shotgun press to some T shaped steel beam and clamps it into his vice.

also this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ABR7coHjdM&feature=related

I spent a ton of time reading up on this stuff, trying to come up with better and better Ideas for my limited space. I have come to the point where now my reloading set up has its dedicated area/space and every thing else is mobil.. I do have to move my tablesaw/drillpress and other tools when doing a reload session. I tend to crank out a good amount in one sitting
 
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Cuz said:
Here are the best plans I've seen for building a nice solid, inexpensive work bench. It's so easy even I could do it. I built 2 and they are awesome:

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/workshop/bench/below20.html

-Cuz.
Click to expand...

I built one of these over the weekend and slightly modified it so there's a bit more storage space. I put a Perf board across the back to store cleaning and other itemsand on the right side to store tools that don't see much use or are too bulky.
 
+1 on the hammerzone link.

i have one full size like that and one not as long, to fit in my back hallway.
i doubled up the 2x4's on the legs and added some more 2x4s under the top front edge, to help with something to attach the press to, without it the top would flex a bit.

i don't even own a table saw or anything, i just brought all the lumber to the saw in home depot, and if you get the right length lumber, after all is said and done you end up with something like 4 scrap 2x4s that are a foot long or so.

it can easily be modified to make a smaller or larger bench, looking back on it now, i think i'm going to buy some more OSB and make a back and sides for the bottom half, and even make a set of double hinged doors for the front.

good luck
 
Well, I got a nice, crazy heavy bench already, but I like to use it for various projects (which I have many at one time) I don't want to swing hammer next to the press. For now, I just drilled a couple of holes and bolted it with 1/2 bolts. I figure that I'll setup the press and when I'm not using it, I'll have to unbolt and set it in a big enough box. I just want to keep dust away and flying debree. When I get a handle on ergonomics, I'm thinking about welding together a stand, like a grinder stand with some room for weights below and a seat for my fat ass. That would keep it from moving, for sure. That's not going to happen anytime soon, for now I'll have to deal with a static bench.
 
if i had to do it over again, i would probably have a smaller table for setup and then a 2x12" lagged to the wall with 4x4 legs for the presses. right now my 3x8 table collects alot of crap
 
cyphirx said:
I built one of these over the weekend and slightly modified it so there's a bit more storage space. I put a Perf board across the back to store cleaning and other itemsand on the right side to store tools that don't see much use or are too bulky.
Click to expand...
thats pretty much what i have except my top is a huge hardwood door from an office building. 30"x96" IIRC
 
when i moved in here 22 yrs ago my buddy worked in the shipping dept. of a computer paper company. he told me he could get me 4x4 beams eight feet long and they were solid oak (they were pallets). thats what we made my bench out of. its 8 foot long and 4 foot deep with 6 4x4 inch legs and the top is 1 inch partical board that i painted white. i paint it every 5 yrs. that bench is very solid. we also put it together with lag bolts so that it could be taken apart for easier handling if we ever moved again.
 
I use a surplus steel work bench that is grounded to eliminate static electricity. Whatever you build I suggest a ground wire from your press to a good ground.

Dave [jihad]
 
Weight is your friend.

Don't build it too deep - 2 1/2' to 3' at the most - it will clutter up ready quick otherwise.

As said, 4x4 legs. I used 2x4's for the top and then 3/4 GIS plywood on top of that, which was painted white. You can put a piece of painted Masonite on top of the plywood to be used as a sacrificial top.

I used 3/8" aluminium backup plates under the presses - it spreads out the load.

Put a strip around the edge of the bench - raised about 1/4" above the top, to stop stuff from rolling off the bench.
 
Another good source of (realtively) inexpensive butcher block tables is at a restaurant equipment dealer. I went to Westermans out in WOrcester and they had two flors of "bread tables", which were 3x6 ft maple butcher block tables on steel frames/legs. The table is about 3/5" thick, solid maple, and cost me about $300 out teh door. Smaller tables are cheaper, obviously. Mine sits in the garage as a workbench, although when I eventually get into reloading, I'll go back for a smaller unit for downstairs.
 

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