Non-permanent reload bench?

[bottlerocket]

So I am about to move into my new place on base which is a rental townhome type thing, so I really cant go anchoring a bench to the wall or floor. Anyone have a good source of plans for a reload bench that is stable enough to use un-anchored? I saw a few in the Cabelas catalog but otherwise nothing useful. Already have a couple barstools so seating is not a problem. I will be mounting both a Lyman S-T and Dillon Square Deal B if that helps.

 

[capreppy]

A lot of folks just use a 2x6 (or 8) and then c clamp to something a little more sturdy.

Check this thread for a lot of good ideas. I got a lot of the ideas for my reloading area from this thread.

 

[bottlerocket]

Some nice setups there. I'll have limited tools: radial arm saw and a hammer.

 

[capreppy]

I don't even own a saw

I had Home Depot do the wood cutting for me. I used Deck Screws for my setup and it is definitely not going anywhere. I did bolt my setup to my home office desk (via a riser to get it high enough for me to use when standing) and it is pretty sturdy. Could it more sturdy, sure, but it is plenty fine for even the toughest sizing job (as long as I use a little Imperial Sizing Wax to ease the up/down stroke).

 

[LiveLife]

I like portable reloading benches on casters, even the 6 foot bench in the garage is on casters.

Have you considered building a 2'x3' castered bench? It will go through any hallway/doorway and you can put it away when you are done. I use mine to resize even heavy walled military .308 cases and it doesn't move, even when empty. I use the casters from Harbor Freight furniture dolly ($10) and they will support plenty of weight and not mar the floor.

And when you move, you can take it with you.

 

[gamestalker]

Yep, a 6" or 8" C- Clamp and you can load just about any where. I've set up in my van and motel rooms when traveling with a C-clamp. If your worried about scratching a table top just use a towel or a rubber type mouse pad between the press and table top.

 

[ReloaderEd]

Apartment Style Reloading

I had the same problem. I bought a workmate portable bench (the smallest one) got some 3/4" scrap plywood and made a cover for it. If you PM me your email I wil be glad to send you pics and a drawing or two. Be Safe!!!!

 

[bottlerocket]

bds: how did you do those legs at the bottom, just cut holes through that plywood and mount them to the bottom support?

 

[dbldown]

portable

I did the workmate idea and it works great. I bolted a board over the existing wm. Folds up and stores nicely.

 

[Red Cent]

The only evidence left is three screw holes.
I have taken a 2"x4" long enough to span three (two would work) studs and attach it horizontally to the wall at table height. Attach a 1/2" piece of plywood to the 2x4 with a hinge. I used a piano hinge. The "table top" will fold down out of the way. Use your imagination on the legs. I used a stool under the "table". Hold down on the up stroke and the downstoke is solid.

 

[LiveLife]

bds: how did you do those legs at the bottom, just cut holes through that plywood and mount them to the bottom support?

Yes, the bottom was done by boxing the 2x4s and cutting holes through the plywood (drill corner holes and use sawz-all). Front legs are attached to the inside of the side 2x4s and back legs are attached to the outside of the 2x4s (they are attached with 4 nails and 2 drywall screws).

Plywood was then countersunk with a larger drill bit and pre-drilled to be attached to the 2x4 frame with drywall screws.

I used kiln dried 2x4s and pre-drilled all the nail/screw holes to prevent splitting. The finished bench is very sturdy with no flex during heavy military case resizing yet rolls easily on carpet even with several hundred pounds of bullets/powder.

 

[dbarnhart]

Right now I amusing a Workmate with an extra sheet of melamine bolted to the top. I'm probably going to try one of these in the garage and see how it works out:

http://www.harborfreight.com/work-station-42606.html

 

[hanno]

My workmate bench. It has 3/4" oak plywood for the top. The photo was taken when it was new. I've been using it for years.

The press and powder drop are attached with bolts and wingnuts and can be removed easily if I need to fold the bench away.

 

[Sunray]

A loading bench doesn't need to be bolted to anything.

 

[Dudemeister]

I've now used a Franklin Arsenal stand for about 3 months, and reloaded about 2000 rounds on it. It's just as sturdy and wobble free as the day I got it.

My Appartment Reloading bench

The beauty of it is that you can take it apart in about 5 minutes and stow it away in the corner of the closet. Oh yea and it's really cheap (< $60).

 

[1SOW]

Be careful that there isn't a "powder"/flammables limitation or storage requirement in base housing. (Ft Walton Beach wasn't far from P-Cola, we could shoot on base and at the FOP range nearby)

The press itself is the only real issue. A press mounted on a 2X12 C-clamped to a table or something like the Workmate will work smoothly.

 

[bottlerocket]

@1SOW: Where are the good ranges around here? There aren't any open to our use on base that I know of so far.

 

[oneounceload]

IF you go with the Workmate, replace the pressboard top with a few layers of plywood glued and screwed for strength. A few old canvas shot bags filled with something heavy on the back lateral support will aid in keeping it from wanting to move when operating your press

 

[MEHavey]

Go get one of these at your local Unpainted Furniture:

and turn it into one of these:


All the loading/casting junk in the drawers keep this thing from moving anywhere.
Eglin AFB 1986
Edwards AFB 1989
Kirtland AFB 1991
Virginia 1998 -