About to build a new bench

I think a pic of what you're working with would help.

I can't even imagine what a treadmill deck (stripped?) looks like to help give suggestions.

Are you using lag bolts or regular bolts and nuts to fasten your presses to the bench? That can make a difference on if you want the beams flush with the front edge or not. And I agree, pictures would help.

I would leave some overhang. I had a bench that didn't, and I was constantly irritated. You'd be surprised how much stuff is convenient to clamp to a bench.

The way I like to build a bench is to build a torsion beam out front of 3 2X4's glued and screwed, and a wall cleat at the back to anchor the 3/4" plywood top to the wall.
the beam, I prefer flush with the front. Then once finished and presses mounted, I like to add a 3/4"X 1-1/2" edge, out of hardwood is nice, but not necessary. That way my presses are drilled through the beam and bolted with 5" long carriage bolts, fender washers and nuts. I don't do musical chairs with my presses, but do have a speed mount for my newest little Lee APP to change out with my RCBS bench primer.......there is a limit to what 8' of bench can do....

My plans are here on THR, downloadable in "resources". https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?resources/inexpensive-no-flex-bench-how-to.6/

With such a torsion beam out front, your rubber covered particle board, should work fine.

To clarify... with bolts through the beam all the twisting torque is handled 100% by the beam. So the top is just a place to put stuff.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Give yourself about an inch and a half minimum at the front to either allow clamping or thru bolts.

back off around 2 inches. you want a over hang. if you need to c-clamp something you will need a over hang.

bernie said:

Sorry, no pics available. Treadmill deck is a thick kind of particle board with a slick plastic surface on the top and bottom. I know that people will say particle board is not strong enough, but these things are rated to take a 350 lb person running on them with no supports underneath except at the side. They are pretty strong. I will be using regular nuts, bolts, and washers to mount the "mounting plates" that will have the press and lubrisizer on them.

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It should be a good surface, but do consider adding a beam under the front (double 2x4s or the like). Even though it came off a treadmill, the particle board will flex under the torsion stress of a press arm lever. It's way more pressure on the side of the board than walking or running on the board supported on both sides. I would leave a couple of inches overhang for clamping and bolting-- just my opinion.

Remember:

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.

Archimedes

bernie said:

I know that people will say particle board is not strong enough, but these things are rated to take a 350 lb person running on them with no supports underneath except at the side.

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Particle board is strong, but it will fatigue and start to break apart when stressed locally... like where a press is mounted. I have 1" particle board as my garage work bench top, and after about 6 months of my Rock Chucker used as a resize press, I had to reinforce it or I'm convinced it would have finally torn out of the mounts.

Highland Lofts said:

A picture is worth a thousand words.

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Then here's my 2 cents.....2 thousand words....

Back when I built it.....



Years later when it got crowded.......you will fill yours up so make it as long as you can....

That's a beautiful bench. I have found that there is some kind of law that says horizontal surfaces will be filled with stuff. Therefore I make an effort to avoid them. I use a press stand instead of a bench. "Stuff" is still so insidious on other surfaces that I'm considering installing pigeon spikes.

Nature abhors a vacuum... or any empty space on a bench or shelf. Or floor space. Or...

I built my bench like a sturdy workbench from screwed and glued 2X4s and 2X6s and 3/4" fir plywood, with a screwed and glued shelf and a backboard to stiffen it.

I used a 1 1/2" laminated plywood top and 1/4" masonite with a 3" overhanging lip at the front. An 2X6 apron reinforces the bench at the front.

It's not a large bench so that lip has been invaluable to clamp accessories to. I bolt them to 1 1/2" thick plywood bases from the bottom up with a counter-bore for the bolt head and washers. I use two four inch C clamps to fasten them down.
It's very secure and lets you move stuff around or remove it quickly without drilling more holes.
Powder measures, spare press, bullet sizer, bench vise. Whatever. The main press stays bolted to the right end.

Reloading benches should be heavy and level. If you can't do heavy then it should be solidly attached to something and level. Level is important. Stuff won't roll off, your scales all want to be on a flat level surface. Everything else is personal preference.

I found these 6x6 plates with a hole in each corner($4 each) at my local steel yard and mounted every press on one for a uniform mounting hole pattern.
I cut off one corner and mount the presses katty-cornered the get the mounting holes further back from the bench edge.



I only have 1 press on the bench at a time and store the others on a shelf around the corner from my small/short bench.
Rock solid
works for me,

bernie said:

It is slightly overbuilt.

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and

kidneyboy said:

Reloading benches should be heavy and level. If you can't do heavy then it should be solidly attached to something and level. Level is important. Stuff won't roll off, your scales all want to be on a flat level surface. Everything else is personal preference.

Click to expand...

What these guys said.....

My $0.02 worth.

I used 2x4s and double stacked plywood. 2X4s flush with front of plywood. No issues, strong as can be. Used all heavy duty decking screws. If it’s flexing...which it doesn’t...I’m probably doing it wrong.

What I did -
Started with a relatively solid steel table, used elevator bolts (carriage colts with a totally flat head) and bolted 2x4s down, pulling the bolts in tight enough to where the heads were counter sunk or sucked below the surface of the wood, squirted wood glue all over the 2x4s and wood screwed a 3/4 sheet of oak plywood to the 2x4s. Filled the screw holes, Sanded and put a few layers of polyethylene down. It sounds weird but worked great. I can't think like a carpenter , I'm an auto mechanic, fondling dead tree carcasses isn't my bag but my bench is probably 300+ lbs and it would be near impossible to remove from my basement.

Excuse my mess...

Build as tough as you can, pay once/cry once.