Portable/Apartment Bench

[HB]

I have likely posted on this before and know I have spent hours researching.... but does anybody have ideas for apartment dwellers?

I currently have 2 Harbor Freight saw horses that Id like to make into a reloading bench. My kitchen is not suitable for a clamp on set up.

When I live in St. Louis I had a 14’ workbench but a 2 hour drive to hunt/fish/shoot. Now I have a gun club 10 miles away but nowhere to reload!


Any and all advice would be welcomed. Currently envisioning a 2x6 bolted to the saw horses in a way that leverage would not tip them.

 

[HB]

The current horse set up is not stable, the horse “surface” does not stay level when force is applied

 

[Rule3]

Does it need to be taken down after each use? What press are you using and what calibers (handgun and/or rifle)
You can get something like these or make one.
https://www.brownells.com/reloading...y&utm_campaign=itwine&utm_content=100-032-381

https://www.brownells.com/reloading...tand-sku100010152-54234-103488.aspx?rrec=true

For years I uses a BD Workmate but it was an old HEAVY duty one. The ones they make now are less substantial I cut a 3/4 plywood and bolted to the top, plus made a shelf for in in between the legs that slid in. I could put heavy boxes of bullets/ammo on the shelf and reloaded with one foor t on it. It did not move!.

 

[Herman B]

Have a look at rolling tool chests with drawers. Roll it out for loading, roll away when done, with all equipment/components stored in drawers makes for a clean look. Put a bunch of lead in the drawers and it won't rock. Can even remove/replace the work surface with something more robust and a few inches longer/wider for more work area. Very practical.

 

[badkarmamib]

Have a look at rolling tool chests with drawers.

This is how I set my Dad up for reloading with limited space. Added a thick plywood top to a 4-drawer chest from Home Depot (think it was $100).

 

[Hokie_PhD]

Before I moved I used a Workmate

I bolted the press to a board then clamped it in to reload
Took it out to put away

 

[troy fairweather]

+1 Workmate. But for the price of a new one you cold build what you want.

 

[kmw1954]

The current horse set up is not stable, the horse “surface” does not stay level when force is applied

Wow, you can't get any simpler or basic than that in the picture. What if you fastened a 2X4 across the back two legs and used it to put your feet on to apply a down force when using it? Or on each side bolt a leg on the bottom to extend the bottom legs contact out towards the side you are working on. Let mechanical advantage work for you.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

+1 Workmate. But for the price of a new one you cold build what you want.

Maybe. If you have one it’s “free”. If not many of the clones aren’t that expensive.

I already had one.

As for my current bench it cost more than I expected and I already had the plywood and mdf

 

[jmorris]

Northern had these on sale with free shipping awhile back.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/t...MI3ZKNiJah5AIVT9bACh0P9w1-EAQYASABEgJhVfD_BwE

It would work for a loading bench. As would most any flat surface one can clamp a board to.

I like it better than the black and decker workmate, that’s another choice.

 

[reddog81]

Is your current setup anchored to the wall? If not get some heavy duty brackets and attach it to the wall studs in the rear.

My current reloading bench is a muscle rack shelving unit anchored to the wall. If you google "muscle rack shelving" I am using the 4'x2' unit that Walmart sells for $62.87. I'm only using the bottom half... I reinforced it with a couple extra plywood boards as the particle board that comes with the unit are junk. I raised the unit by placing it on concrete blocks so it is a good height for me to stand. The shelves are useful for holding reloading supplies.

 

[possumbelly220]

I use a rolling tool chest, store all my equipment in the drawers ( dies, scales, powder measures, molds, etc.) I made a top out of 2x6 boards that fits nicely and have my press and lube/sizer bolted to it. Oh, it has a nice open space at the bottom and I store brass there. Works well for me.

 

[George P]

Harbor freight or Northern Tool (can't remember which at the moment) sells a small machine/grinder type of stand with flared legs at the base for stability. The top is ~18 x18 inches and it's height will work with a basic chair. I used that for a long time before I moved where I can now reload under AC. I would STRONGLY recommend the Inline Fabrication press riser stand as it allows mounting on top of whatever you wind up with so there is ZERO torque on the edge

 

[Bwana John]

Ridged brand router table from H.D., double plywood for the top.

Ammo boxes on the lower shelf for stability.

Adjustable for height, width, and depth, very stable.

Used for both full sized single and progressive press.

Completely dissesembleable for moving.

 

[HB]

It doesn’t need to move much but it would be nice to hide it depending on company.

It looks like the work mate or similar is the favored option.

The horse I use now is stable. However when I pull the lever, the entire platform shifts.

I will likely look into the work mate... which is admittedly what I should have done in the first place.

 

[labnoti]

Lee tripod stand. The only real problem I have with it is it's too low. It needs to be at least 8" taller so I'm not bending my back on the down-stroke of the handle, and I have the handle on my press shortened considerably. A Workmate will have the same issue, maybe worse.

 

[kmw1954]

For a long time I used just an old Student computer desk as a Bench. They can usually be found on Craigslist in the Giveaway section. The one I had was about 4' wide and easily fit into a corner. This can also then be drilled to bolt a 2X8 onto it with wing nuts so the press and the 2X8 can be removed.

 

[George P]

Something like this will work well:

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-3184.html

 

[George P]

or this:

https://www.harborfreight.com/29-inch-heavy-duty-tool-stand-95128.html

or this:

https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-tool-stand-69805.html

Just add a top

Small enough to hide in a closet without having to dismantle your setup like you would with a B&D Workmate

 

[Tilos]

Something like this will work well:
View attachment 857013
https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-3184.html

Yes it will
I have a riser on mine, made of 2x6, and a drill press

 

[Moon]

I use this one: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012719865?pid=629993.

 

[labnoti]

I looked extensively at the bench-grinder and tool stands. The heavy cast pedestal type should be more rigid than the bolted-together four-legged stands, but all of them are too short. Maybe they're ok if you sit down when you're reloading. I always stand.

 

[joneb]

I would prefer a design I could bolt to stud in the wall.
You will need to be handy at wall patching when you move out.

 

[troy fairweather]

Any chance you have a buddy with a welder. I used to make nice stands from truck drums and old worn out well drilling bars.

 

[George P]

I looked extensively at the bench-grinder and tool stands. The heavy cast pedestal type should be more rigid than the bolted-together four-legged stands, but all of them are too short. Maybe they're ok if you sit down when you're reloading. I always stand.

Then you add that Inline fabrication press rise that I mentioned. It adds height AND puts all of the torque on the stand top, not on the edge