Lee reloading stand.

As mentioned earlier, I am using a weighted Lee stand and I find it works quite well. The tripod design is more stable than similar weight tables with four legs. Because the Lee is also narrow, it is stiffer in the verticle direction that if similar legs were supporting a much broader surface. The three legs don't look especially sturdy, but realize all three are supporting only the little triangular press mount plate, not a big work surface that can exert more leverage.

The Lee does not seem to flex in the legs. With weight on it, it does not move either. What does appear to happen is the steel base block, which is the quick-change steel plate the press mounts to, flexes. This is a 9/64" steel plate. I've tried putting washers under it (between the base block and the top of the press stand) to limit the flex, but it still flexes some.

The Lee stand also vibrates. This is going to happen with a stiff material like steel. The only way I can think of to stop this is to dampen it with a softer, more flexible material, or to increase the mass. Just using the concrete block and much lead weight on the shelf does not fully dampen vibrations. I have a much more massive 20-ton shop press, and it can still be vibrated with a light hammer blow. I would think a mass closer to 500 pounds would dampen better. I want to cast a press stand from reinforced concrete.

It was very easy to adapt an Inline Fabrication quick change base plate to fit on the Lee stand quick change plate then by attaching a press specific Inline Fab quick change top plate, virtually all flex is removed from the stand and press changes can be made very quickly. I’ve also attached an Inline Fab press storage dock to the lower shelf of the stand which allows me to store the press that I’m not using at any given time to the stand. All of this has the added benefit of adding a lot of weight and making the Lee stand even more stable and rigid than it already is.

I have my Lee Turret attached to a board that I clamp to this:
https://www.amazon.com/Keter-Folding-Workbench-Sawhorse-Capacity/dp/B001CWX26Y

It feels more solid than a work mate, it's really study, and it stores and sets up easily.

It's a little low for my tastes, but I have a low stool I use, and I make a point of getting up and moving around every 25-50 rounds. I'm thinking about making a riser as someone pictured above.

My reloading "room" is a walk in closet. The Lee stand works perfect in the limited space I have. With the cinder block and a full tool box on the shelf, I don't notice any movement. However, I do not load rifle rounds. For my needs, it was the best $100 I spend for my hobby.

tcoz said:

It was very easy to adapt an Inline Fabrication quick change base plate to fit on the Lee stand quick change plate then by attaching a press specific Inline Fab quick change top plate, virtually all flex is removed from the stand and press changes can be made very quickly. I’ve also attached an Inline Fab press storage dock to the lower shelf of the stand which allows me to store the press that I’m not using at any given time to the stand. All of this has the added benefit of adding a lot of weight and making the Lee stand even more stable and rigid than it already is.

Click to expand...

I like this idea and looked into it. As far as I can tell, I would mount the QC base plate on the Lee tripod stand. Then I would install the 7.5" QC riser -- not necessary but would solve the problem of the Lee stand being too low. Atop that, I would insert and screw-down a press-specific QC top plate for my ABLP. The riser adds quite a bit to the cost and it looks like it would be about $112 for the three parts. I didn't check shipping cost. The nice thing about it is it would bolt together quickly. That's why I originally bought the Lee stand. I just have too many other things going on to build my own stand soon.

So the Inline Fabrication parts are 3/16" steel and since they stack two plates one on top of the other, it's almost like a 3/8" plate.

labnoti, old age and a poor memory caused me to make a mistake when I described the Inline Fab parts that I used.

I couldn’t use the QC base plate directly on the Lee stand because the top plate of the stand is too large and after moving the base plate forward enough to allow the necessary clearance over the front edge of the stand, the slot where the press-specific top plate flange slides in was directly over the shelf of the stand. What I ended up doing was to attach the spacer for the flush mount base plate directly on the stand and then attaching the flush mount quick change base plate on top of that. When I attached the press-specific top plate to that, it ended up being like adding a 5/8” plate to the top of the stand.

I don’t use any sort of riser because physical problems prevent me from standing for more than a few minutes at a time so I reload while sitting in a desk swivel chair and that puts me at a perfect height with my setup.

All of this being said, however, I just saw a new Inline Fab product which might be the answer to your issue of needing to add height and keeping the entire setup at a reasonable cost. The now offer an Elevating QC Workbase in either a 4” or 7.5” height....

https://inlinefabrication.com/colle...tem/products/elevating-qc-workbase-4-7-5-tall

As far as I can tell you would only need the riser ($50) and the flush mount QC base ($39). I can’t tell from the pictures and description but you might still need the spacer ($12.50). That would make a total cost of $101.50 and solve the height issue. Shipping is free over $60 so I believe that would be the total cost.

My explanation probably sounds more complicated than it is but my setup is perfect with my limited space and it’s more rigid and flex-free than many of the reloading benches that I’ve seen. I would advise you to call Inline Fab and talk to the owner (Dan?). He helped me with the dimensions and told me exactly which parts I needed.
The photo doesn’t show much other than how compact my setup is. Good luck.

See post #18 on page 1 of this thread.

Axis II said:

What's everyone think about this stand or even clamping a 2x8 with press onto a work bench? I would weight the stand down with pavers or weights. Looking to load 223, 38spl, 9mm, 44, 45-70 on it. I am thinking the 45-70 sizing will be the most pressure.

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-3184.html

Click to expand...

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/lee-reloading-stand.858252/#post-11274428

When I was looking for a portable stand I bought the Frankford Arsenal and was pleased with it and still am. I am not a high volume reloaded, but just ordered this for $157.00.

About 1984 I was living in a rent house and needed to get my reloading up and running, but couldn't build a bench like I'd always had. So I found a 4X4 landscape timber. Built a base and bolted on a couple of pieces of angle iron to the top mounted the press to that. It was just a temporary fix. I have a 70's vintage rock chucker mounted on it and it's still in my basement shop. I found I really like not having it bolted to my bench. When I'm not using it, I just push it over into a corner. I've used it to make .25/06 from .30, make .35 whelen from '06, .260 from .243 708 and .308. So it does fairly heavy duty tasks and it's not bolted to a bench. Over the years I've had buddies who have seen my set up and we've built similar setups for them. Mine cost me nothing since it was just temporary I used scrap I had laying around. I guess I built it sturdy enough, cuz it still soldiering along even today after almost 30 years. I could use some paint, never did that, but it was a treated post.

chickasaw_hunter said:

About 1984 I was living in a rent house and needed to get my reloading up and running, but couldn't build a bench like I'd always had. So I found a 4X4 landscape timber. Built a base and bolted on a couple of pieces of angle iron to the top mounted the press to that. It was just a temporary fix. I have a 70's vintage rock chucker mounted on it and it's still in my basement shop. I found I really like not having it bolted to my bench. When I'm not using it, I just push it over into a corner. I've used it to make .25/06 from .30, make .35 whelen from '06, .260 from .243 708 and .308. So it does fairly heavy duty tasks and it's not bolted to a bench. Over the years I've had buddies who have seen my set up and we've built similar setups for them. Mine cost me nothing since it was just temporary I used scrap I had laying around. I guess I built it sturdy enough, cuz it still soldiering along even today after almost 30 years. I could use some paint, never did that, but it was a treated post.

Click to expand...

Pics ?

Axis II said:

What's everyone think about this stand or even clamping a 2x8 with press onto a work bench? I would weight the stand down with pavers or weights. Looking to load 223, 38spl, 9mm, 44, 45-70 on it. I am thinking the 45-70 sizing will be the most pressure.

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-3184.html

Click to expand...

I've got a picture earlier in this thread where my presses are lag bolted to 2x8's. It works well for me, it keeps my work space free when I have other projects and doesn't take up floor space like a dedicated stand does. Other's might have more room to spread out, but we've got 4 kids in an 1,875 sq ft home and space is tight!

I'll try and get some pics and put them up

OK, I got some pics. Please bare in mind that this is just temporary......since 1984. I haven't done anything to make cosmetic effects. The goo you see on the post is a big crack that was there, so for a few years after I finished up on a stock bedding project I'd use the excess to fill the crack. It's filled now and needs to be sanded, probably never happen and probably never needed to be filled.
I built a little side shelf that can be folded down and make the footprint of the thing smaller. I find most of my reloading chores don't involve the press, so when it's not in use it's pushed off into a corner and out of the way. It's worked great for me for a lot of year. I did the workmate thing and it worked, but this pedestal has a far less of a footprint and has no setup to get going. It's ready to go when you are. Hopefully some pics will appear below.

chickasaw_hunter said:

View attachment 910236 View attachment 910237 View attachment 910238 View attachment 910239 OK, I got some pics. Please bare in mind that this is just temporary......since 1984. I haven't done anything to make cosmetic effects. The goo you see on the post is a big crack that was there, so for a few years after I finished up on a stock bedding project I'd use the excess to fill the crack. It's filled now and needs to be sanded, probably never happen and probably never needed to be filled.
I built a little side shelf that can be folded down and make the footprint of the thing smaller. I find most of my reloading chores don't involve the press, so when it's not in use it's pushed off into a corner and out of the way. It's worked great for me for a lot of year. I did the workmate thing and it worked, but this pedestal has a far less of a footprint and has no setup to get going. It's ready to go when you are. Hopefully some pics will appear below.
View attachment 910236 View attachment 910236 View attachment 910237 View attachment 910236 View attachment 910237 View attachment 910238 View attachment 910239

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting
I love the fold-down shelf with the rim around the edge to keep small stuff from rolling off.
What is the clear cover on the shelf for ?
I see the shelf has a removable center too, that turns it into "window", why is that ?

Looks like the press is mounted at an angle/tilted back, is that for a better view of the powder in the case?
sorry for the questions,

Yes it is tilted back. That is because the linkage will hit the post if it's completely vertical. I learned that the hard way.
If you notice when the shelf is folded up in the usable position the cutout in the center is the strut that holds it up. That creates a "window" a window that stuff can fall thru, so I cut up a one liter coke bottle and stapled it over the hole. That coke bottle stuff is actually a lot tougher than I expected it to be, it's been there since '84 too. If you look closely there is a short length of an old broom handle that sticks out the side of the post and that is what the strut rests on to hold the shelf up. When you put the shelf down the strut has a hole in it and the broom handle slips into so that the shelf can hang straight down against the post.
I think you can see from it appearance, it was all made from scrap

chickasaw_hunter said:

Yes it is tilted back. That is because the linkage will hit the post if it's completely vertical. I learned that the hard way.
If you notice when the shelf is folded up in the usable position the cutout in the center is the strut that holds it up. That creates a "window" a window that stuff can fall thru, so I cut up a one liter coke bottle and stapled it over the hold. That coke bottle stuff is actually a lot tougher than I expected it to be, it's been there since '84 too. If you look closely there is a short length of an old broom handle that stick out the side of the post and that is what the strut rests on to hold the shelf up. When you put the shelf down the strut has a hole in it and the broom handle slips into so that the shelf can hang straight down against the post.
I think you can see from it appearance, it was all made from scrap

Click to expand...

As a re-user & re-purposer from wayback, I find your setup has the kind of elegance an ingenious skinflint can apreciate.

I've used the Workmate and the Lee stand. I found the Lee more stable and with less flex with a cinder block weighing it down. It works for F/L resizing of 45-70 and 30-06. I'm tall enough that I have to sit to reload with either platform. It's worked fine with the small Lee single stage press, the Classic Cast and the Lee Turret press.

Jeff

I made up a loading bench using an old Black and Decker Workmate and a cheap plastic copy made by the same folks (same height ) and used 2x12's with a 2x4 screwed to the bottom and clamped in the Workmate and it's real solid - works and looks great with a few coats of poly urethane varnish. You can make the length to suit your space. Way better than the bench I was using based on an old radial arm saw table. The new bench now holds a couple of Lee classic cast presses and other stuff. What I do is recess T nuts in the bottom and screw the presses to the T nuts so I can easily remove and replace the presses if I want to.

I use a Dewalt work table with press clamped to plywood

Some crappy pics of my new homemade riser for my single shot lee reloader. this is screwed to my workbench in an old shed.
never mind the clutter, it's due to get picked up. I drilled a hole in the base so I can catch the spent primers in a box that fits in the base.
The lee has to share the bench with 5 mec shotgun reloaders.

I have 2 Lee stands.
My Dillon750 on one and a Lee auto breech lock on the other . Both are rock solid during down stroke and priming.

I have one of Lees and one of Frankforts. Both too light and move too easy. Using an old business desk right now and for case sizing I clamp a C press to a Workmate. My workmate was given (NOT Gifted) to me in about 1969 and it still is a solid piece of machinery. Built two houses using it for a little of everything.

I use the Lee stand and like it right well.

Yes, it's not as unmoveably solid as having my press bolted to a heavy workbench, but I can't put a heavy bench in my living room.

This thing has now resized several thousand rounds of 223, 30-30, 308, and pistol calibers. Has worked quite well.

The only time I need to put my foot on the bottom shelf is when I'm resizing a way oversize case. There seems to be a lot of 30-30's with oversized chambers.

Otherwise it's as solid as I need it to be and when I need to move it out of the way (it's in my living room) the job is easily done.

If you're reforming large caliber brass to some other cartridge type this may not be for you, but for any other job requiring less sheer torque it'll get the job done.