reloading without bench

I have used a fold up black and decker workmate with a lee pro 1000 and it's completely workable for pistol cartridges. If you are going to reload rifle rounds you'll need something pretty solid.
 
I have used a fold up black and decker workmate with a lee pro 1000 and it's completely workable for pistol cartridges. If you are going to reload rifle rounds you'll need something pretty solid.

I used the same setup with a Rockchucker when I reloaded a few years back while apartment bound. Worked great - I had the powder measure mounted as well.
 
I've used a Sears version of the Workmate with a sheet of 3x2x1 1/2 wood I got at the Depot. Worked well with my RockChucker.

You can also get a set of Wilson dies to use in an arbor press but that probably would not work well if you wanted to reload a lot.

B
 
You could bolt your equipment to a piece of 3/4 ply and clamp it to your kitchen table, thats how I started when I started building fishing lures. Just be careful and make sure your screws don't go into the table and you take care of the finish.

The workmate idea is a great idea too, whole thing folds up.
 
Yeah, I have my Lee Pro 1000 bolted to a 16 inch long 2X8, (carriage bolts from the bottom up in barrel drilled holes so they won't hit the table)
I place a kitchen towel on the table, board on that and clamp it with three clamps (next to a corner to prevent rocking) I use those "squeeze" clamps that have plastic clamp faces on them. The more you squeeze, the tighter thay get and fast release!

This works really good for me as long as I lock the cat in the bedroom because she likes the shells and primers, thinks they are toys for her. [smile]
 
Reloading on a temporary work surface is like masturbating with no hands: Yeah, it can probably be done, but it's not worth the trouble.

I tried this for a while (both with a Workmate, and using the clamped base board onto the table method). You don't want to resize many .500 cases dry, or even .30-06 cases lubed on a setup like that.

Is it a space issue? You don't need much room. My reloading "bench" is 4 metal workbench drawers (that I took out of a dumpster at work) bolted together with an MDF top. The whole thing is 3' square and I've had 3 presses bolted to it.

Here's a pic:

bench.jpg


I keep bullets and loaded ammo in the (lockable) drawers which adds greatly to the stability.

If I was really pressed for space, I'd go with something like this:

http://www.redmondmachinery.com/browse.cfm/4,2.html

Believe it or not, these are way more stable than any kitchen table and they're available used for next to nothing if you know where to look.
 
If space is really a problem you could try the Lee hand held press, as shown here. I have never owned or used this. I have a mental picture of mashed fingers or hernia surgery....[shocked]

I wonder if anyone here has ever actually used one? I'd be curious as to how effective it actually is.
 
Like Eddie Coyle my bench is a homemade bench. I got hold of a heavy steel base for a
phototypsetter (Compugraphic) and obtained some 1.0" laminated panels from a discarded
workstation and put this together. The top is 30"x30" and the base a skoosh shorter than
that from front to back (29") so it gave me the lip I needed for the 550B. The work
surface is 37" high so I use a work bench stool when I am reloading.

I obtained a used kitchen cabinet at the town disposal area (re: dump) that wasn't in bad
shape and was just about as wide as the bench and 12" deep so that is my storage for my
reloading gear.

If you notice I put my Dillon Swager and my Lyman trimmer on the bench to illustrate that
I have them on pieces of hardwood and those get clamped to another bench (table) when
I am swaging or trimming so they don't take up any permanent space. Like EC's bench the
interior of this is wide open and is a great storage area.

2_18_2009002.jpg
 
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Jim, where should I look for one of those? I need one for my grinder!

Industrial auctions. If you find a large shop being liquidated, you can get them for $10 with a broken grinder or buffer attached.

EC, is that a case trimmer next to the arbor press?

Nope. That's a hollow chisel mortising machine.
 
I bought a small stand for a single stage press years ago from Midway. I use it for pistol cartridges and occasionally for 5.56. Not sure if they still carry them but it works pretty good considering what it is. www.midwayusa.com
 
If space is really a problem you could try the Lee hand held press, as shown here. I have never owned or used this. I have a mental picture of mashed fingers or hernia surgery....[shocked]

I wonder if anyone here has ever actually used one? I'd be curious as to how effective it actually is.

I have that press and it works well.
The fired primers are ejected into a smallish cavity in the ram that fills up fast.
I decap with another lee tool before sizing.
If you don't put your finger over the stop that projects from the handle, you won't smash yur fingers. If you do, you won't do it twice.[wink]

Jack
 
I have that press and it works well.
The fired primers are ejected into a smallish cavity in the ram that fills up fast.
I decap with another lee tool before sizing.
If you don't put your finger over the stop that projects from the handle, you won't smash yur fingers. If you do, you won't do it twice.[wink]

Jack

You're right about that! [laugh] I "deprimed" my finger years ago when I first started reloading.....haven't done it since! [laugh]

Thanks for the info on the hand held press.
 
I started reloading .45 ACP on a stand like this: (also mentioned in pervious posts)

image


It is very stable and worked well. I could also hide it in my wall locker in the barracks!

When I built my reloading bench, I bought a second one and turned them into speaker stands for the stereo.

P2190106-1.jpg




.
 
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