My first setup was in an apartment and it worked quite well. I had a good sized old desk that I picked up for next to nothing. All my equipment was mounted on small boards and I just clamped the boards to the desk using C clamps (press, powder measure, trimmer, etc.) The desk was fully functional for regular paper work and I could still set up to reload in a couple of minutes. There were several large drawers, most everything fit inside so the whole thing had a "stealth" mode if someone nosey wandered into the room.
Apartment Reloading Bench
- Thread starter robotboy175
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db_tanker
Member
mark up another suggestion for a B&D workmate.
I have the large model and it works great. Press and case trimmer mounted on 2x4s and a lyman powder measure with the built in clamp. When your done get a couple big rubbermaid totes and your workmate folds up and out of the way.
I have the large model and it works great. Press and case trimmer mounted on 2x4s and a lyman powder measure with the built in clamp. When your done get a couple big rubbermaid totes and your workmate folds up and out of the way.
amlevin
Member
When I lived in an apartment I used the B&D Workmate. Mounted my presses each on a piece of 3/4" High Density Particle Board and then just c-clamped the one I was using at the time to the workmate.
Word of caution. Get a small Shop Vac and use it FIRST around the loading area. If you drop a primer or two into the carpet they can only be found with a vacuum cleaner. If you go at it with an upright with a "beater bar" the primers leave nasty little burn marks on the carpet. (why do apartments always have light colored carpet
) If they don't go off when hit by the beater bar, they will when they go through the fan blades and may cause the vacuum some real grief.
I still use the small shop-vac (the one that hangs on the wall if you want it to) to clean around my bench. The trash is sucked into the bin without getting beat up and is collected in a paper filter bag.
My big problem wasn't so much the loading area but moving that big safe up to a third floor apartment (which I chose for more security than a downstairs apartment).
Luckily I now have a house and a wife that encourages my shooting/reloading and has ceeded me one whole room of the house. Apartment living is a distant memory.
Word of caution. Get a small Shop Vac and use it FIRST around the loading area. If you drop a primer or two into the carpet they can only be found with a vacuum cleaner. If you go at it with an upright with a "beater bar" the primers leave nasty little burn marks on the carpet. (why do apartments always have light colored carpet
) If they don't go off when hit by the beater bar, they will when they go through the fan blades and may cause the vacuum some real grief.I still use the small shop-vac (the one that hangs on the wall if you want it to) to clean around my bench. The trash is sucked into the bin without getting beat up and is collected in a paper filter bag.
My big problem wasn't so much the loading area but moving that big safe up to a third floor apartment (which I chose for more security than a downstairs apartment).
Luckily I now have a house and a wife that encourages my shooting/reloading and has ceeded me one whole room of the house. Apartment living is a distant memory.
Lost Sheep
Member
My setup
Recently, I just repackaged all the stuff I regularly use and will share with you the pieces of my reloading setup and how I store/transport them.
3 Toolboxes:
One is 23" x 10"x10" and contains my press (Lee Classic Turret), mounting system (a 2"x6" board that I clamp into a portable workbench or anything handy), priming systems, and a small "4"X8"X1.5" fishing tackle box to contain all the small parts & tools and the priming arms. There's room for a couple of manuals in there, too, but I store them on my bookshelf, with one next to the computer.
The second (15"x8"x8") contains all the gunpowder handling parts. Scale, funnel, Powder measure/dispenser and a set of Lee's measuring scoops/dippers and my loading safety glasses (as opposed to my shooting glasses).
The third (15"x7"x7") contains seven sets of reloading dies, mounted in their turrets inside their plastic storage cylinders, ready to plug into the press and use.
With my folding workbench, I can set up my reloading room anywhere in just a few minutes.
Lost Sheep
Recently, I just repackaged all the stuff I regularly use and will share with you the pieces of my reloading setup and how I store/transport them.
3 Toolboxes:
One is 23" x 10"x10" and contains my press (Lee Classic Turret), mounting system (a 2"x6" board that I clamp into a portable workbench or anything handy), priming systems, and a small "4"X8"X1.5" fishing tackle box to contain all the small parts & tools and the priming arms. There's room for a couple of manuals in there, too, but I store them on my bookshelf, with one next to the computer.
The second (15"x8"x8") contains all the gunpowder handling parts. Scale, funnel, Powder measure/dispenser and a set of Lee's measuring scoops/dippers and my loading safety glasses (as opposed to my shooting glasses).
The third (15"x7"x7") contains seven sets of reloading dies, mounted in their turrets inside their plastic storage cylinders, ready to plug into the press and use.
With my folding workbench, I can set up my reloading room anywhere in just a few minutes.
Lost Sheep
Dudemeister
Member
I too am an apartment dweller, and I just got into reloading recently. The bench I found, is actually a stand. It's made by Frankford Arsenal and sold by MidwayUSA.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=155024
The nice thing about it is that it can be disassembled in 10 seconds, and stowed away in a closet or under a bed. It's quite stable, and the 9"x9" surface is large enough to mount a couple of presses. I mounted a Lee Turret press on it for my pistol rounds, and I plan on mounting a single stage press on the opposite side for loading rifle cartridges.
The base is quite large (18" diameter), which is what gives it good stability. The height is about 27-28" which makes it high enough to be used while you're sitting down in your favorite chair.
I've already used it this weekend to load about 100 rounds, and I'm quite happy with it. Highly recommended.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=155024
The nice thing about it is that it can be disassembled in 10 seconds, and stowed away in a closet or under a bed. It's quite stable, and the 9"x9" surface is large enough to mount a couple of presses. I mounted a Lee Turret press on it for my pistol rounds, and I plan on mounting a single stage press on the opposite side for loading rifle cartridges.
The base is quite large (18" diameter), which is what gives it good stability. The height is about 27-28" which makes it high enough to be used while you're sitting down in your favorite chair.
I've already used it this weekend to load about 100 rounds, and I'm quite happy with it. Highly recommended.
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