Show us a picture of your reloading bench

gahunter12 said:

I have out grown my garage space, and my wife wants the garage back. I have been working on my new reloading shop for the last month now. I still have to terminate my perminate power to the house, and build my last 16ft bench down the left side. The Left bench will be for my Dillon presses, and the back wall will be for my single stage presses. My right bench will house my drill press, case prep station, and gun care area. I will have 12" deep shelving above the left bench, and wall cabinets above the right bench. I will have a 36"W x 72"H x 24"D storage shelve at the end of my right bench. The cut out on the back wall is for my A/C unit.

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Looks a lot like the 12x20 building I have setup now for reloading and hobbies. I insulated mine very well, and paid a lot of attention to the weatherstripping on the doors, I can heat the inside > 40 degrees above ambient with just 600w (oil filled radiator on lowest setting). I added the weatherstripping since I first posted the photo below, that made a hugh difference.

Did you use OSB for the walls/ceiling? That is what I used, less expensive than sheetrock and strong enough to mount things on the wall anywhere I want.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=9628115&postcount=3448

Quote:
Originally Posted by gahunter12 View Post
I have out grown my garage space, and my wife wants the garage back. I have been working on my new reloading shop for the last month now. I still have to terminate my perminate power to the house, and build my last 16ft bench down the left side. The Left bench will be for my Dillon presses, and the back wall will be for my single stage presses. My right bench will house my drill press, case prep station, and gun care area. I will have 12" deep shelving above the left bench, and wall cabinets above the right bench. I will have a 36"W x 72"H x 24"D storage shelve at the end of my right bench. The cut out on the back wall is for my A/C unit.
Looks a lot like the 12x20 building I have setup now for reloading and hobbies. I insulated mine very well, and paid a lot of attention to the weatherstripping on the doors, I can heat the inside > 40 degrees above ambient with just 600w (oil filled radiator on lowest setting). I added the weatherstripping since I first posted the photo below, that made a hugh difference.

Did you use OSB for the walls/ceiling? That is what I used, less expensive than sheetrock and strong enough to mount things on the wall anywhere I want.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost....postcount=3448

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Yes it's a 10x20 with 16" OC walls. I also installed 2x6 sister joist for the flat ceiling. The original joist were shaped like an "A", and didn't feel like piecing that together. Also the 2x6 joist are screwed to the existing trusses. I could see paying for the 12' building since its 12' eve to eve, which only made it 1 ft wider . I did use 7/16" OSB with an oil based primer. The paint is a water based interior paint. The oil based primer keeps the water based paint from lossening the chips up since the Osb glue is also water based.

Here's a pic of the rafters before the ceiling went up. The walls, and ceiling are insulated with R13 in the walls, and R19 for the ceiling. I also plan to use a oil filled radiator heater.

gahunter12 said:

Yes it's a 10x20 with 16" OC walls. I also installed 2x6 sister joist for the flat ceiling. The original joist were shaped like an "A", and didn't feel like piecing that together. Also the 2x6 joist are screwed to the existing trusses. I could see paying for the 12' building since its 12' eve to eve, which only made it 1 ft wider . I did use 7/16" OSB with an oil based primer. The paint is a water based interior paint. The oil based primer keeps the water based paint from lossening the chips up since the Osb glue is also water based.

Here's a pic of the rafters before the ceiling went up. The walls, and ceiling are insulated with R13 in the walls, and R19 for the ceiling. I also plan to use a oil filled radiator heater.

Click to expand...

Awesome! My ceiling joists were on top of the wall, so no piecework there luckily. The walls are 16" OC studs, but the ceiling is 24" OC. When I went to buy insulation, the only thing 24" wide I could find was R30 , so that is what I used in the ceiling. I also added the foam baffles since the shed has soffit vents and a ridge vent. Mine also has the metal roof.

The walls have R15 insulation. I wish I had told the builder to add spray foam insulation under the floor, but I did not think about it until after is was installed - can't reach one end of the building from underneath now. So, what I did to insulate the floor was to add one thickness of 3/4" foam over the sub floor, with small squares of wood every 16" to act as hardpoints. Screwed the flooring down through those blocks. The entire inside has a continuous plastic vapor barrier, taped at the bottom to the foam. I even spray foamed behind the outlet boxes and electrical panel.

The oil radiator works very well. I bought an external thermostat to plug it into. I normally set it to about 55 degrees when I'm not going to be working in the shop. In the summer I have a 5000btu window unit that is more than adequate to keep it cool.

I'm sure you are going to love it, I sure do like mine!

I'm loving these creepy little man-cave hidey holes! I just hope you guys don't smoke, that would ruin the serenity for sure.
Question for you. I have a smaller hidey hole down in the basement, under my large shop, and it's very far from the main house/front door. I feel a separation from the real world while I am working in there which is good for focus, but I feel like a separatist and uncomfortably disconnected from the world, like the front door if someone knocks, or my spouse who sometimes feels neglected if I'm "hand loading" for a long time (over 5 minutes)
Just wondering if that disconnected feeling is felt by you and if you care.

Yes.
No.

Yeah, I feel a little disconnected, but I don't consider that to be a bad thing. I have the radio playing in the background, sometimes a TV going (but not when I am dropping gunpowder). I am usually concentrating on what I am doing and I don't like distractions. But I also have an old lazy boy chair that I sometime sit down in and just take it easy.

I'm loving these creepy little man-cave hidey holes! I just hope you guys don't smoke, that would ruin the serenity for sure.
Question for you. I have a smaller hidey hole down in the basement, under my large shop, and it's very far from the main house/front door. I feel a separation from the real world while I am working in there which is good for focus, but I feel like a separatist and uncomfortably disconnected from the world, like the front door if someone knocks, or my spouse who sometimes feels neglected if I'm "hand loading" for a long time (over 5 minutes)
Just wondering if that disconnected feeling is felt by you and if you care.

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Not a smoker here. As for feeling disconnected.... Not really my wife and kids have no problem coming out to see me in my building now while I'm working on it. My kids usually want to watch, or help where they can. Don't take this wrong, but I enjoy being alone away from the world at times. It gives me a chance to refelct on the day/week/month. Some of my best days at the bench have been during the week when I'm off work, and while my wife is at work, and my kids are at school.

Paddy said:

I'm loving these creepy little man-cave hidey holes! I just hope you guys don't smoke, that would ruin the serenity for sure.
Question for you. I have a smaller hidey hole down in the basement, under my large shop, and it's very far from the main house/front door. I feel a separation from the real world while I am working in there which is good for focus, but I feel like a separatist and uncomfortably disconnected from the world, like the front door if someone knocks, or my spouse who sometimes feels neglected if I'm "hand loading" for a long time (over 5 minutes)
Just wondering if that disconnected feeling is felt by you and if you care.

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My dad smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish. In hindsight I'm amazed something didn't happen. We reloaded a ton together. I don't recall him having a cigarette going when we were *actually* reloading - but I can't imagine that not being the case. He always had a cig going. The workbench that had his ash tray was overflowing with butts.

I have an extremely small place where I reload. It's barely big enough to hold the Workmate that is my reloading bench. I love it. It's my own little world. Yes - I'm disconnected from the world - but that's part of what I enjoy. And I think it helps focus on the (important and fun) tasks at hand.

OR

No shortage of power supply there gahunter12. Nicely done.

No shortage of power supply there gahunter12. Nicely done.

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Thank you sir! I wanted to make sure I had plenty outlets. Outlets 2,4,& 6 are on separate circuits just for my scales, and charge master. Outlets 1,3,5 & 7 are for my case feeders, bullet feeders, and sky lights. The A/C, and drill press outlets have their own circuit.

gahunter12 said:

Thank you sir! I wanted to make sure I had plenty outlets. Outlets 2,4,& 6 are on separate circuits just for my scales, and charge master. Outlets 1,3,5 & 7 are for my case feeders, bullet feeders, and sky lights. The A/C, and drill press outlets have their own circuit.

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Well thought out!
My lights are on a seperate circuit from everything else so I don't loose lighting if a circuit breaker trips.
Just my 2c worth.
JD

Quote:
Originally Posted by gahunter12 View Post
Thank you sir! I wanted to make sure I had plenty outlets. Outlets 2,4,& 6 are on separate circuits just for my scales, and charge master. Outlets 1,3,5 & 7 are for my case feeders, bullet feeders, and sky lights. The A/C, and drill press outlets have their own circuit.
Well thought out!
My lights are on a seperate circuit from everything else so I don't loose lighting if a circuit breaker trips.
Just my 2c worth.
JD

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Jell-Dog I have my lights on a separate circuit also. I have a total of 6 circuits in my sub panel.

Lights on a separate circuit is code if I am not mistaken, for the reason mentioned. In my case, I have overhead lights plugged into duplex outlets in the ceiling.

I have one circuit for lights, one circuit dedicated to the window AC or heater, and two circuits for convenience outlets. I went with quads instead of duplex, a little less work on wiring. All circuits are ground fault (required per the inspector). I have space for two more breakers if I need them.

Here is mine. I just moved into new house so having to start over. More to come. - wish i knew how to attach full size pictures.

I added a loadmaster to mine & a diy case feeder & primer alarm. The load master ties to the same piece of plywood as my rockchucker. I just took it down otherwise I would have had a pic with me not in it. So you guys will have to see my bearded & bald head. Lol

I finally built my last bench tonight. All that's left is building my shelf below the benches, and stain/poly the new bench. We have baseball practice Tuesday, and I have Lodge practice Wednesday night. I hope to work on the lower shelf Thurs/Fri, and stain/poly Saturday. If so I should be ready to mount my presses, and drill press Sunday or Monday.

I used contact cement to attach laminate sheets to my workbench. I makes it a lot easier to clean.

Here is my post from 2011. http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7420946&postcount=2118

My first post, after lurking for long time. Joined to look at pictures.
Did 2-3k rounds with the the Lee press on the stand and kitchen table. You can work with little. But the whole are was a mess with stuff all over. Made it hard to do gun smithing and cleaning.

Novice wood worker, so I am practicing on stuff like this. I got oak plywood top with glue drying right now, 5x30. Was going to do it like NRMA bench. But not sure I want to give up table space in the back. After looking at pictures here, I think I will build a shelves in the back, but bottom of shelves will be open.

I'm loving these creepy little man-cave hidey holes! I just hope you guys don't smoke, that would ruin the serenity for sure.

Click to expand...

I smoke cigars in mine but I have two big ventilation fans and a leather recliner far enough away from the combustibles that nothing real exciting happens.

My work in progress! New to reloading, so I am learning as I go.

Framed in half of a utility room that wasn't being used, insulated the walls with fire rated insulation, and then skinned the walls with 3/4" ply and drywall. Just finished installing the butcher block work bench that measures 3" x 30" x 12'. Now to start designing a layout for shelves to go on the wall above the workbench...

I appreciate the feedback! Good to hear from people much more experience than myself.

Gahunter, thats a nice looking set-up. You might consider mounting your tools in a temporary manner and making a trial run before drilling holes and bolting them down. "C" clamps work well for this. What do you plan for shelving?

I feel really fortunate having a room in the house, but I would do like you are doing if I were outside. Nice Job!

eborch said:

My work in progress! New to reloading, so I am learning as I go.

Framed in half of a utility room that wasn't being used, insulated the walls with fire rated insulation, and then skinned the walls with 3/4" ply and drywall. Just finished installing the butcher block work bench that measures 3" x 30" x 12'. Now to start designing a layout for shelves to go on the wall above the workbench...

I appreciate the feedback! Good to hear from people much more experience than myself.

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I have a "little" less bench space, but I only reload for pistol/revolver.
Top measures 40" wide, 20" deep in front of 8" deep storage shelves.
I have the same storage racks as you and wouldn't be without them!
(In the next room)
I also have the blue t-slot hold down rails routed into my bench-top, VERY handy.
You have a very well thought out reloading area, great job!
JD
PS
My sanctuary for reloading:

"A man's house is his castle, but the reloading bench is his sanctuary..."

Thanks for the kind words. I am excited to get my setup completed and start using the t-track system, seems like a good way to be able to move things around to suit whatever I might be working on. I've been thinking about trying to cut some inserts that could fill portions of the track that aren't in use to keep out small pieces of tumbler media, powder, etc.

I have been trying to figure out ideal dimensions for shelves to go above the bench. Got the lumber to start building them, just have to commit to a plan!

This forum, and this thread specifically, has been a great resource as I work on my little man cave!

Gahunter, thats a nice looking set-up. You might consider mounting your tools in a temporary manner and making a trial run before drilling holes and bolting them down. "C" clamps work well for this. What do you plan for shelving?

I feel really fortunate having a room in the house, but I would do like you are doing if I were outside. Nice Job!

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I have my press lay out figured out based on my old bench. I had my Dillon's 2.5' OC, and felt cramped. I knew going in I wanted 4' OC. I have enough room for 1 more Dillon between the XL650, and my RC. I will be ordering a new XL650 this summer. I also have the fare back bench for another single stage of I should need it. As for shelving, I am running a 12" shelve the length of my bench behind the presses. I will also have corner cabinets in both rear corners, and above the right bench. I have a Plano HD 36"x18"x74" free standing shelf in the right corner about where I was standing during the pics. I will also have a cabinet to my left below the power panel. Here's a few pics after mounting my presses last night. I am really liking the extra room between presses!

jell-dog said:

I have a "little" less bench space, but I only reload for pistol/revolver.
Top measures 40" wide, 20" deep in front of 8" deep storage shelves.
I have the same storage racks as you and wouldn't be without them!
(In the next room)
I also have the blue t-slot hold down rails routed into my bench-top, VERY handy.
You have a very well thought out reloading area, great job!
JD
PS
My sanctuary for reloading:

Click to expand...

Looks great to me jell-dog