Need ideas for reloading workbench

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So I have the rest of my reloading stuff ordered and should be in by the end of next week. Now my next obstacle to tackle is the reloading bench. I don't have tons of room since I realized the bench will need to go in my garage (single car bay) since I found that there are no electrical outlets wired into the basement of where I rent. This is probably better anyways so lead in the air will be easier vented out and also wont be settling on the items we store in the basement.

With that said I would like the bench to not have a depth of more than two feet so that my gf can still fit her car in the garage. I was looking at a couple items at the store that may work but wanted to see what you guys may know of for options.

I saw the Gladiator Garageworks items at Lowes and thought it would be an option, but for the money it would cost me for a setup similar to this picture it may not be worth it...

GACK04KDSX-3_large.jpg


Plus something with some leg space so I can sit down and reload would probably be best. They make workbenches also which would cost more that the above but may work better giving me legspace if I only used one locking cabinet under it

GAWB06MTRG-1_med.jpg


So what other options can you guys come up with? I have been looking on Craigslist also and here but missed out on one bench, and nothing else seems to be popping up. I am not all to handy when it comes to working with wood but my mom's boyfriend is a carpenter and makes wooden furniture and sculptures.

On another note, do they make a bracket or antyhing for the Hornady LNL AP to raise it up so there isn't any overhang (so it wont block drawers or anything) or would I need to make something myself to do this?

Thanks.
 
This is a good basic design..... You can build it pretty cheaply with or without the cabinets for pretty short money....

Link
 
This is a good basic design..... You can build it pretty cheaply with or without the cabinets for pretty short money....

Link

Thanks for the link. I will take a look at it.

I forgot to mention that in a few months I will be moving and do not know yet what my available space will be yet, so I was trying to keep something a bit on the smaller side so that if space is cramped wherever I end up moving to, I can still just move in the reloading setup to wherever it fits.
 
Yeah I browsed through it last night. Some nice looking setups, was hoping to find something premade though. pr else I would need my moms boyfriend to build me something.
 
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/workshop/bench/below20xl.html

this is what i made, except i beefed it up in some places, and not the exact dimensions. its pretty damn sturdy.

i went with this option because i could build it to fit my workspace, and i was about to have lowes cut all of the pieces and not have tons of scrap with the dimensions i chose. (i think it was 24'X48") i threw away a couple of nubs of 2x4 and a few squares of OSB where i put cutouts for the lower shelf.

easy to make, cheap, sturdy and you can customize it with some extra shelving if need be. not the best option but it worked for me
 
http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/workshop/bench/below20xl.html

this is what i made, except i beefed it up in some places, and not the exact dimensions. its pretty damn sturdy.

i went with this option because i could build it to fit my workspace, and i was about to have lowes cut all of the pieces and not have tons of scrap with the dimensions i chose. (i think it was 24'X48") i threw away a couple of nubs of 2x4 and a few squares of OSB where i put cutouts for the lower shelf.

easy to make, cheap, sturdy and you can customize it with some extra shelving if need be. not the best option but it worked for me[/QUO


like your idea, but the top could be 1/4 birch ply possibly with a coat or 2

of urethane...
 
http://www.shotgunsportsmagazine.com/downloads/bench_plans.pdf
I built this, I modified the length to fit my space....3' long.

This is the bench I built. At 10 years old it is holding up very well. I do not have mine bolted to the wall. It is a heavy bench to begin with and I keep my lead shot on the shelf underneath, about 300 pounds. One reccomendation: when I was cutting out the plywood I used a panel saw. Much easier to keep everything square.
 
I know of one reloader who has a heavy duty grinder stand bolted to the floor of his very small cellar. It does not move.
 
good idea on bolting it to the wall.

jim,

i did beef up the top with a few layers of OSB, and i added some extra 2X4s to the inside of the frame to give some extra support for the bolts that hold the press on. i found it would bend under the pressure of sizing rifle cases before i beefed that part up.

you could make the top out of 2X4s with one sheet of OSB on it. that would work too.
 
I'm using a metal bench that I got from a surplus auction and I grounded it to the water pipes to eliminate static. Then I found a set of metal drawers from a contractors van and bolted that to the top. Solid with plenty of storage.
dave
 
I used a fire rated commercial wooden door. I cut 6 inches off the edge where the hole was for a doorknob and made a backsplash with it. I put it on a set of prefab metal workbench legs that I picked up at a flea market cheap. The door was new but supposedly damaged and rescued from a trip to a dumpster. I didn't see any real damage other than some dirty spots that would have showed with the clear laquer finish all the other doors have. Its rock solid and I currently have 4 presses mounted on it.
 
BE4TNUT--

If space is a concern AND you are concerned about residue from fired casings, have you considered separating your decapping and tumbling operations (Garage) from your sizing/reloading operations (Cellar)? That's the direction I went.

Buy a cheap little LEE press and use a LEE universal decapping die. Do all your prep and tumbling in the garage--and only have clean brass in the house.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=807734

It also keeps the ram of your primary press clean of all the grit, grime, and blackened residue.

Just a thought.

--Eight_Ring
 
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Ok so after looking at the information here and also scouring the internet I stumbled upon someone who makes workbenches, and reloading benches. Its a little more money than I wanted to spend originally but I love how they look and also they offer them in the sizes I need to stay compact, but still plenty of room to work. They are called American Workbench and made by Lou Alessi's brother.

http://www.americanworkbench.com
newmapleconstdimmedduo.jpg
 
those are nice benches but for 400+ on the "reloading benches" I would be hard pressed not to learn how to build a bench myself. The little john bench is a small size but still not cheap with shipping.
I found 80% of my wood free. I spent about 40.00 on hardware. For the kind of money they want you could ask your moms boy friend to help and actually pay him for some time, teach you a few basics and even buy some decent hand tools for future projects.

One thing to keep in mind, you mention this will be in your GFs garage. I assume you do not live or share the rent space with her. Believe me you want nothing valuable in here possesion if things suddenly do not work out. You may never get it back. Keep looking for some work benches on craigs list. My buddy scored a large, what I would call CEOs desk in rough shape but solid and heavy. With a few mods it has become a very good reload/cleaning/gun smith area for him.
Other than paying for someones time to build these benches for you I dont see a 400+ value in a bench that is basically the NRA/Rifleman bench plan.
Good luck. It is a nice looking bench and the engraveing is a little add touch. Im currently revamping my mini reload area as I need to get more creative on storage space.

If I had the space to swing open the doors I like this corner unit. http://reloading-bench-plans.blogspot.com/

Dont over look old kitchen cabinets and counter tops they can be easily reinforced with plywood and 4x4 ect ect this is what I made my shed bench out of. Again get creative a frugal......TONS of good wood gets tossed daily. Most of all my bench tops have been made with old solid wood exterior doors topped with osb/plywood or even a old kitchen counter tops.
 
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Lot's of great ideas here! I built mine using a countertop purchased from Home depot six feet long formica top and the frame made up with 2x6. It is extremely sturdy and I added shelves above it with one cabinet
for storing powder, primers etc. I like the formica for easy cleanup as well. I did bolt it to the wall for even more support. All in all I think it all cost $100. total but that was ten years back.
Good Luck and have fun!
 
Yeah I am not all to handy with wood, and I hate asking my moms boyfriend to make me something because EVERYONE asks him to make them stuff lol. The bench I liked above and am leaning towards looks like something that will last for a very long time, and if I do move to a smaller place like I anticipate I can put it in a room and it will look nice if kept neat.
 
If you plan on moveing to a smaller place ask your moms BF if he would build you one for a fee....If you build one that is simular to what you and us have shown you will not worry if you need to modify the size to fit future spaces. mine is a whopping aprox 3' wide....I just used a discarded kitchen cab for storage above.
 
Ok so after looking at the information here and also scouring the internet I stumbled upon someone who makes workbenches, and reloading benches. Its a little more money than I wanted to spend originally but I love how they look and also they offer them in the sizes I need to stay compact, but still plenty of room to work. They are called American Workbench and made by Lou Alessi's brother.

http://www.americanworkbench.com
newmapleconstdimmedduo.jpg

OMG .... Those are gorgeous!

I certainly couldn't make anything like that even if I had the space to try.

That's the type of craftsmenship I really respect, and I'd be honored to own one of those. My favorite it is the Ben Franklin...

TomokoHaberlowboy-652x408.jpg
 
Yeah when I stumbled across it I started thinking "I could spend a few more bucks and get this and it will last forever, plus if I end up even putting it in a living room in a corner, if kept neat it won't look like a workbench but a piece of furniture" haha. The justifications going through my head ;) I love the quote across the top though:

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch... Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Framinkln
 
Yeah when I stumbled across it I started thinking "I could spend a few more bucks and get this and it will last forever, plus if I end up even putting it in a living room in a corner, if kept neat it won't look like a workbench but a piece of furniture" haha. The justifications going through my head ;) I love the quote across the top though:

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch... Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Framinkln

I also wouldn't hesitate putting it in a den, bedroom, family room, etc., and my mind works the same way, in terms of justifications.
 
I sure would hate to drill the mounting holes for the press in one of those though. I built a bench based on the link Spangler posted. I bought a nice pre-finished panel at HD for the top and built the frame/legs to fit it.
 
I sure would hate to drill the mounting holes for the press in one of those though. I built a bench based on the link Spangler posted. I bought a nice pre-finished panel at HD for the top and built the frame/legs to fit it.

Lee has a trapezoidal shaped mounting 'bench plate' that mounts to the bench. You then mount any press etc. to the trapezoidal blocks of wood that fit into the surface vise....

LINK
 
if space is a big concern, i have seen pressed that are made from 2x12 on the wall. you really done need any more than that for most presses. my table is like 3 feet deep the press takes about 6 inches, the rest collects junk.

Whatever you get/make, bolt it to the wall.

this
 
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