Mounting a press?

I have used a number of methods. If yours has been good and isn’t now did the mount change or did you change what you are loading that calls for more force, maybe “super cleaned” the cases so now there is more friction. Try lubing/change lube. Lots of factors involved.

I have used a range of acceptable mounting solutions.



And the most ridged of all.

Get the press riser from Inline Fabrication. Your press will then have a footprint on top of the bench, not off the side and the flex goes away. With bolts at each of the four corners, the weight, stress and pressure is spread out over a wide area. I have one for each of my metallic presses, including a LnL AP

The MDF is the weak link in your setup. Normally 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together are what most are using. It's the gluing (screws to hold it tight while it sets) of the 2 pieces when gives it stiffness.

May want to try putting a board under the top (front to back) to stiffen it up. Make sure you have a leg support close by if not framed in 2x4's.

I used a 3/8" steel plate, about 6" square. It's bolted to the bench at each corner, and my RC is bolted to it. As far as the benchtop is concerned, the press has a 6" square footprint; you can stand on the handle and it won't move.

I had a little flex until I bought an Inline mount. It amazed me how much more consistent my ammo was after the mount was added.

-Jeff

Make and install a "leg" to go under the press. 1" thick mdf will flex if it not supported by a rigid floor (not carpeted). Your bench needs to be anchored to wall studs and supported by a solid rigid floor. jmorris - I once cracked a kitchen counter top doing exactly what you are showing. The wife was not happy. Counter top materials will not tolerate any flexing over the unsupported edge. Put a leg under the center of the press.

Adding a 2 x 6 and a leg or brace underneath should do it unless the whole bench is flimsy.

Blue68f100 said:

The MDF is the weak link in your setup.

Click to expand...

^^^That. My workbench in the garage, which also has my sizer press, a Rock Chucker, mounted, is 2 pieces of 3/4" MDF stacked on top of each other... it still flexes. To do it over again, I would have gotten birch ply or something a little stronger.

I also have an MDF as the table top. Had too much flex.

Ordered an Inline Fabrication Ultra Mount. Problem solved.

It will elevate the press about 9-10 inches higher which for me works ergonomically great. I prefer to be on my feet when reloading - extra unwanted calories burned

Bartojc said:

I had a little flex until I bought an Inline mount. It amazed me how much more consistent my ammo was after the mount was added.

-Jeff

Click to expand...

^^This^^

Highly recommend Inline Fabrications mount. It isn't cheap, but it is sturdy.

ohihunter2014 said:

It does it with all my calibers from 9mm-45-70. The stump is hilarious.



The rest of the bench is very well reinforced its just the section the press is. The press almost feels like its going to snap off the bench. Almost like its unbolting but the bolts are tight.

Click to expand...

You really should look into the Inline press riser; as I said before, your press then sits on top of the bench, so NO weight or flex on the edge

https://inlinefabrication.com/

And cheaper to order direct than go through Amazon

Blue68f100 said:

The MDF is the weak link in your setup. Normally 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together are what most are using. It's the gluing (screws to hold it tight while it sets) of the 2 pieces when gives it stiffness.

May want to try putting a board under the top (front to back) to stiffen it up. Make sure you have a leg support close by if not framed in 2x4's.

Click to expand...

Actually, I have 2 pieces of 1 inch plywood glued and screwed together but 3/4 inch I'm sure is quite adequate.

Build a Roubo bench....or some variation on that theme.

Any bench has to be strong enough from the legs up to withstand any pressures from the typical work you will be using it for.

By starting with something suboptimal, any modification, unless done from the ground up will also be suboptimal.

I have found that reloading benches need to be made a lot heavier and stronger than what one would typically suspect.

. . . 2x4 and a 1'' thick MDF top with an oak 1x6 . . .

Click to expand...

If I'm adding correctly, I read you have a full 3 to 3½" of stable table-top thickness.
Can you, perchance, post a picture ?

earlthegoat2 said:

I have found that reloading benches need to be made a lot heavier and stronger than what one would typically suspect.

Click to expand...

I agree.

The constant loading on the bench's joints from cycling the reloading press can weaken the bench's joints over time and allow flexing to enter the reloading process.

All of my presses are mounted on free standing welded metal floor stands and do not flex. But, metal is not a medium that everyone has the ability or tools to work in.

Rigid wood reloading benches can be easily made with adequate design with particular attention paid to the joint design.

earlthegoat2 said:

Build a Roubo bench....or some variation on that theme.

Any bench has to be strong enough from the legs up to withstand any pressures from the typical work you will be using it for.

By starting with something suboptimal, any modification, unless done from the ground up will also be suboptimal.

I have found that reloading benches need to be made a lot heavier and stronger than what one would typically suspect.

Click to expand...

I over built my bench. 2 guys can barely move it when it was empty. Solid as a rock, though.

No flex on this sturdy bench with my Redding press. Ohihunter, focus on a more solid bench design and construction.

Get rid of the MDF and put down a 3/4" sheet of plywood on top of the MDF and then use the Lee Bench Plate. The Lee Bench Plate spreads out the the weight and forces real well. My LCT never flexes

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item/0000690251/bench-plate

ohihunter2014 said:

I currently have a homemade bench of 2x4 and a 1'' thick MDF top with an oak 1x6 screwed to the top with my LCT mounted to the board and the bench top. Lately I have felt a lot of flex in the press, so I'm trying to figure a way to remount this so its rock solid.

Click to expand...

I built several portable castered benches over the years (I used kiln dried or seasoned 2x4s that were dry/hard and pilot drilled nail/screw holes to not split the wood) and always reinforced the bench top with 2x4s under the presses and never experienced bench top flex, even when resizing thicker walled military .308 cases.

While I prefer 11 layer plywood as shown below, I have even used cheaper OSB with success (No flex of bench top when resizing .308 military cases).



Single 2x4 under bench top and nailed/screwed to 2x4 frame at the ends.



I used single 2x4 under the C-H 205 single stage press and even with an empty bench on casters, I can resize thicker walled LC .308 brass without moving the 2'x3' bench or flexing the bench top.

2'x3' bench is the bench I use to load rounds with .001" OAL variance using pre-resized brass and Pro 1000 (You definitely need no flex and stability of bench/press to produce that consistency) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...progressive-press.833604/page-2#post-10779806

BTW, if anyone is interested, pdf of plan, rough drawing and parts list of 2'x3' portable bench - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=210769&stc=1&d=1432610198

Construction details and more pictures - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...stand-suggestions.839458/page-2#post-10887626



I built this 2'x4' portable castered bench for a friend on the "cheap" by using old seasoned 2x4s and OSB I had leftover. Since it was going to be used to sort and reload .308 primarily with LCT, I doubled up 2x4s under the OSB bench top. There was no flex when resizing military .308 brass. OSB was pretty rough so I wrapped/stapled the top with cheapest heavy duty fabric from Walmart. (After almost 10 years, friend is still happily using the bench)

Eugen said:

Ohihunter, focus on a more solid bench design and construction.

Click to expand...

Absolutely. I do believe those are keys to "no flex" bench tops.

>
> . . . "Add cup holders for hydration . . . "
>

luvit

ohihunter2014 said:

Very nice setup!

Click to expand...

FWIW, if you are short on space or just looking for a smallish setup I highly recommend BDS's bench. It is simple and strong, and since he has given the plans very easy to assemble. You could build it without the casters if you did not want it to be portable. I built one a couple years ago, and although I do not resize on it it is used for many other things and is very sturdy.

-Jeff