New Loading Bench ??

[kirk37r]

Finished painting the new room for my reloading and Gun room today.
I am building A L shaped bench, 6' L x 2' D with A 2' x 2' extension.
It will be constructed with doubled 2x4's for the legs with 2x4 framing.
36" finished height.
I am putting A shelve 18" off the floor also for ammo storage.
I plan on topping it with 3/4" birch Plywood.
My ? is would you guys double layer the top or just use the sheet to do both the top and lower shelve wth one layer each?
It will also be secured to the wall.

Thanks

 

[ReloaderFred]

My two loading benches are constructed of 2x12 planking for the deck, and then that's covered with one layer of 3/4" plywood. I also ran 2x4 stringers from front to back to tie it all together, especially where my presses are mounted. The legs are 4x4's, and they're braced with steel telephone crossarm braces at an angle, front to rear and side to side in the rear. I also have a shelf below them which is half the depth of the bench top, so I can get my legs under the benches when sitting down on my stool. I have two 4' long benches bolted together in the middle.

You can't make the bench too sturdy, since you don't want any movement while doing the heavy work. I swage bullets on mine and it doesn't move.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Ccctennis]

I built one using strong tie bench braces plan. They have an actual reloading bench design on their site. I too used 3/4 inch plywood as the top. I stained it and it works perfectly. I added a 2x4 block on one corner that I mounted my rock chucker too. That way I mounted it through 2x4 block, and another 2x4 joint in the corner. I have built two more since last year.

 

[BCRider]

I would double layer it unless you've got on edge 2x4 framing so that there's nowhere on the top where there's more than 12 inches between supports. The cost isn't that high and the potential added rigidity is worth it.

If you go with a cabinet grade plywood for the second layer I'd also suggest you screw it from below through predrilled holes so the top surface is clean. And don't spare the screws. You want to use enough screws that it's like "sewing" the two layers together so they act as if they were glued. To achieve that I would not go to anything more than an 8 inch grid with the screws. So on your 24 inch width that means about 2 inches in from the front and back and then two more rows for a total of 4 rows and the "columns" spaced about 8 inches apart.

I'd also cap the front with some sort of trim so it finishes up easier. This isn't just for appearance either. You want to cover the edges so the end grain doesn't tend to pick up any spilled liquids. And it's just easier if you cap it with something that is glued on.

While you are at it consider the idea of a line of regularly spaced holes about 6 inches back off the front along the whole length at about 6 inch spacing. The idea is that you use these to bolt down presses, gun vises and anything else which you first mount on 3/4 inch plywood sub plates. The holes I suggest would be drilled to 3/8 and use 5/16 top hat nuts inserted from below. Dowel plugs that can be pushed out from below with a little stick would avoid small parts falling into the holes.

I went with a similar setup on my own recently built reloading area and it's proven to be amazingly flexible and tidy to use.

This first shot shows a rather lumpy looking plate for the metal vise. Perhaps it's a little overkill but it spreads out the impact loads better when hammering something in the vise. It also shows my Dillon 550 mounted on its plate.



Here's the other end of the reloading area with the Lyman turret featured in the foreground along with what the line of holes is like and the Hornady LnL in the background.

 

[X-Rap]

I've built a number of solid reloading benches using 3/4" form plywood which is very dense and strong. I frame with 2x4's and use4x4's for legs.
Build the top 32" and the shelf 16".
My next bench will be made from savaged solid core doors from a school or hospital. I think they would be tough as well for a bench top.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

The top of my bench is 2 x 12 boards. I covered them with 5 mm underlayment plywood. I put a couple of heavy coats of polyurethane on it. The work surface is very smooth. Oil doesn't soak in.

 

[Ccctennis]

Bench

Here is my single stage bench

 

[Berserker]

I just did a oak plywood top and did plain 3/4 underneath. I would not screw them together, just glue them.

You can leave the plain one a little longer and use trimming router bit. It is hard to get both lined up perfect, not that you really have to.

If I had to do it again I might just leave the non factory edges long and cut both at once, clamping a guide.

Mine was not perfectly straight, and I tried to trim an 1/8 off, tore up the plywood. I should have put masking tape on the good side, or cut more off.

You may want to do the top, and then build the frame, in case anything goes wrong.

I did 7 coats of poly, but it scratches easy, I might try something else next time.

I also ran real oak around the edges. All of this was over kill, but I did it to practice wood working.

I like the idea of doing an L. I had to fit mine through a door though. Since I already had the reloading room, I had to build it elsewhere. You could attach it together at final spot.

I do prefer the hardwood plywood, since it a smooth surface . I had another project to use the scrap for. if you have extra you could put the birch as your bottom layer, in case you ever flip it over.

 

[konertjm]

The bench I currently used was re-purposed from general garage work.
I have built several of these, and they have served me well.
I do plan to build a re-loading specific bench using ideas garnered from across the web, however the build will follow the same general design.
Doubled 3/4 inch A/C plywood. May use birch or oak for top layer of new bench.
I believe that a single layer is pretty rigid, but doubled not only complete removes all flexing, it also adds weight.
For the frame around the top, I have been using 2X4 with a 3/4 X 1 1/2 in routed on one edge to cover and support the top.
Legs are 2X4 braced at 2 places on sides and back, with a 12 inch wide shelf for storage. The legs have always seemed to be plenty strong to hold bench and accessories.

You are getting a lot of good ideas here, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Potatohead]

Ccc,
Love the disco effect

 

[CraigC]

I think one sheet of 3/4" birch plywood would be enough but two certainly wouldn't hurt. Easier to do it now than later. I'm using 3/4" oak and the reloading bench is fine but I kinda wish I'd doubled up on it for the leatherwork bench.

 

[gahunter12]

I have a 40' bench that wraps my shop. The entire bench is built using 2x6s for the frame with 3/4" cabinet grade plywood for the top reinforced with 2 2x6s laying flat running the length of the bench, and 2x6 joist every 2 feet running front to back to pull everything together, and help support the top. This gives me a total thickness of 2.25" for my top where the presses are mounted. All of my legs are 4x4 posts front, and back every 8ft along the bench. I also screwed the benches to the wall studs using 3" Deckmate screws every 16" OC.

 

[gahunter12]

I will also add that I went 30" deep on my bench for the presses, and 24" on the right bench for the drill press, and gun care area. If I had it to do over again, I would have gone 30" on that side also. I like a little more room on the back of the bench.

 

[WestKentucky]

In my rental house I found that the framework was all 1955 oak true 2"x4" boards. I have a few of those earmarked for my next bench. I will have to drill every hole, but that lumber is strong enough that it simply will not move. I plan to build a U shaped bench with one leg out in the middle of the room for gun work so I can get to it from all sides. The back will be pegboard, and there will be drawers in, and shelves over the bench. I have a range hood that I intend to use as a light source, but that may change. Lights are cheap, and I may want something better looking in that application...sadly that is a few years out as we are quickly outgrowing our current house and my bench is in storage, but my tools and press are on mobile stands. My JR press looks like it is on top of r2d2

 

[Berserker]

I thought about 2x under plywood, but unless you plane them you are defeating the purpose of having level plywood,IMO.

 

[Dentite]

I have three layers of 3/4" plywood glued together. Overkill but it works. It would get expensive on a large bench but I was able to make my bench top from one sheet of plywood.