Built a new bench. funny story, and advice on press placement needed

[anothernewb]

Due to a gutter collapse this spring, I ended up having to tear out 22 feet of basement wall and start over with the interior (in addition to the wonderful groundwork for preventing further water incursion)

At any rate, the old bench was a causality of the war..

With the wall now repaired and back to paint and finish work, I set to work on a new bench. I was bound and determined to remedy all of the previous shortcomings of the previous mode. reinforcement everywhere. While not exactly furniture grade - The new bench is a masterpiece of over engineering. 4x4 posts braced and re braced. 2x8 and 2x10 and laminated "superstructure" 2 1/4" thick work surface. I built in anchoring blocks right to the foundation wall during the repair phase, so it's anchored with lag bolts directly to the concrete at the base, and 6 feet high. 3-point style. The shelving should easily hold 100,000 rounds of loaded 45. There's as much liquid nails and screws in it as there is wood, lol. Smooth white laminate top for easy cleaning.

Sadly, While I clearanced the overhang for the SDB, I neglected to allow for the added thickness of the top and now I cannot remove the primer catch cup without removing the press! Geez I feel like a doufus. There's no removing the top and thinning it down. So looks like it's a little bit of chisel and sawzall (construction eraser) time to cut a groove for removal. I laughed myself to sleep over it last night. Haven't even set up the bench yet, and I'm already cutting it up.

Anyway - the the meat of the question. The new bench is a shade over 5' in length and is tucked into a corner. The wall is on the left side of the bench. I need to mount 2 presses. The SDB and a Lyman single stage. How would you recommend placing them? I was thinking of putting the lyman on the left side, near the wall, leaving myself enough room to put a loading tray on the left. Then mounting the SDB as far right as I could go, leaving the largest free workspace I can. I also have 2 powder measures and I was experimenting on setting up a plate near the single stage which I could use to interchange/remove them as needed I think Lee had some sort of plate system like that.

Thoughts? ideas?


On the bright side,I have also worked out a stand for a SDB toolhead which will hold the setup, complete with the powder measure. The prototype seems to be working well, and I will soon be transferring it to metal (it's a little tippy without a decent counterweight.

 

[bigarm]

I have no answer for you on setting your presses as I am no expert, but I think you should post pictures of this bench as it sounds like a wonderful engineering feat.

 

[kcofohio]

I have no idea of the Dillons' specs or design. Just a quick question. Will making some riser blocks give you the clearance you need to remove primer catch cup?

 

[ARJJ]

Not having a photo of the problem or a Dillon press I can't be sure, but could you use a router to do the clearance? It would likely be much cleaner than a sawzall.

 

[Steve2md]

My bench is similar in size, though much less intense...I also have a single stage and a progressive mounted on it, along with a shotshell press. I am right handed, so my setup is based on that. My shot press is at the far left of the bench, as I use that one less frequently than the others. My single stage is my workhorse for sizing and depriming prior to the wet tumbler, so it is on the far right, with a few inches for a bin next to it. My progressive is mounted in a lee quick change plate 2 feet to the left of the single stage (almost centered). I usually leave it mounted, but if I need extra bench space, the plate system lets me slide it off the bench and I have plenty of room then. Eventually, I'll set up with a separate bench for non press things, and will be able to mount a 4th press to my loading bench.
YMMV

 

[buck460XVR]

I think it comes down to whether you are right handed or left handed. If you are right handed, I would think you would want room for yourself to be on the left side of the press so you can operate it with your right hand.

 

[anothernewb]

I should have posted that I'm left handed, but pretty good with the right. that's a good point

bigarm, I can easily post a picture of it, and will when it's finally set up - but nearly all of the structure itself is mostly hidden. IMO it looks like a pretty basic crude bench. albeit with heavy legs.

ARJJ, I could probably use a router, hadn't thought of that. it might leave a cleaner edge. Certainly a much more square channel. May actually look into that. However, not too keen on holding a router upside down and being underneath it while I work.

The clearance I have to make isn't too bad. just a channel about 1/2" deep and about 3" long. basically through the bottom of one of the home made laminated 4x4's.

I'm actually kinda impressed with how sturdy my homeade laminations came out. I had a bunch of dimensional lumber and plywood chunks leftover from years of projects. Most of it was 4' and smaller chunks. Since I'm inherently cheap, and having recently installed a laminated beam in my house. I thought why not make my own LVL and se what happens. So, rather than just buy $50 worth of lumber - I probably spent $100 in electricity and saw blades cutting everything up into 3 1/2" wide, and 1/2" thick. Then went to work making 4x4 bundles out of them, mixing and matching with the plywood scraps. Lost count of how much wood glue I went through, and the hours I spent on it. but I kept telling myself. Hey - I'm saving money using up stuff I was gonna have to pay to dispose of, lol.

 

[mahansm]

Check with Dillon; they've got a different design primer cup for use with the Strong Mount for the SDB. If it will physically fit the primer cup slides out horizontally. They may sell it to you as a separate part.

 

[ambidextrous1]

The Dillon primer cup is a potential problem. Remove & discard it, and install an adaptor & plastic tube that leads to a large container (I use a beer bottle). You'll find what you need an Uniquetech or the Brian Enos site.

Your press location sounds good to me.

 

[spitballer]

Presses should be mounted for use by dominant hand, to give a better feel for delicate operations like primer seating. In a perfect world this might mean an island of sorts, kinda like what you'd find in a nice kitchen. Fat chance of that happening at my place! Good luck.

 

[anothernewb]

It appears that my initial thoughts are mirrored by others. I'm going to proceed with mounting them in the approximate locations I was thinking, but move them inboard until I can comfortably access both sides.

Had another brainstorm with regards to a few other items I tend to use a bit and want secure mounting, but don't always want them set up in limited space. I'm going to recess a pair of those really strong neodymium magnets in the top, then make metal bases for my powder measures, scale, and case trimmer. Should anchor them firmly enough for use, yet allow them to be moved as needed.

 

[41 Mag]

Since your still in the looking phase you might take a gander over at Inline Fabrication

He might have everything you want and more to set it as versatile as you can.

 

[highlander 5]

Just built a new bench myself from 2x12s and 4x4 posts 10 feet long 2 feet deep with a top made from 2 pieces of 3/4 inch plywood. I use a Dillon strong mount but went with the Rock Dock system from Pat Marlin.

 

[joem1945]

I built one of my benches from framing chanel. It's bolted together and anchored to the concrete wall. Bench is 24" deep and 6" long. Other benches were made with 2X4's and 1.25" tops. 2X4's work better for legs when you screw them together in a L shaped pattern. Then assemble them to the inside of a oblong 2X4 box, the legs look like 4X4's from the outside. 1 bench is 8', 1 is 10' another is 12' and last is 6'. The basement is my Man Cave.