Reloading bench set up advice?

[fariagaurd]

A complete newbie to reloading.

A Redding T7 Turret press is what I will be mounting.

Can you guys post some pictures of your benches?

I'm thinking a bench that is 5ft long and 30" deep would be OK. Is this enough room for all the accessories? I want a birch or maple 1.5" - 1.75" thick bench top for rigidity, also a shelf on top of the bench with a peg board back and a shelf beneath for storage.

I will not be reloading thousands of rounds at a time but a hundred or two at a time on a weekend here and there. I don't want to outgrow it.

Thanks.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

Some people don't have a lot of space, so we make do with what we have.

 

[nettlle]

My T7 is mounted on a bench 6' long x 36" deep with a 1.25" thick top. A 30" deep x 5' long would be plenty enough bench for me. 36" deep would make it harder to reach stuff on your pegboard or shelves.

 

[Grumulkin]

A complete newbie to reloading.

A Redding T7 Turret press is what I will be mounting.

Can you guys post some pictures of your benches?

I'm thinking a bench that is 5ft long and 30" deep would be OK. Is this enough room for all the accessories? I want a birch or maple 1.5" - 1.75" thick bench top for rigidity, also a shelf on top of the bench with a peg board back and a shelf beneath for storage.

For years my Redding T7 and a single state RCBS press were mounted on a MUCH smaller bench than you're describing. I loaded thousands of rounds there from 204 Ruger to 458 Lott.

I recently got rid of that bench. I bought two Kobalt work benches from Lowe's. I screwed and glued 1 inch plywood together and made a 12 foot top to go between the benches. I made a reinforceing frame under the lowermost shelf so I can load a ton there withoug bending the shelf. I now have plenty of room for the Redding T7 press, the RCBS press, a Lee Classic Cast press and a Ponsness Warren shotshell press.

By the was, 1 inch plywood screwed and glued together is probably cheaper and stronger than the birch/maple top you're planning on using. Said plywood held up well for years after the first top broke.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

This bench at $74 from Home Depot is a steal and it's plenty strong and a great size.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Signature-Development-72-in-Fold-Out-Wood-Workbench-WKBNCH72X22/203083493

 

[Cemetery21]

I used a 2'x4' benchtop for 30+ years and now have 2 benches, the largest being 2'x6'. The only things bolted down are press and vise. Everything else is mounted on oak flooring scraps or 5/4" deck board that can be c-clamped where needed. Cabinets and a lot of shelves handle the supplies.

 

[pcgunner]

Agreed - the home depot would work - also Harbor Freight has one on sale for $99 it comes with a power strip, backing (peg board) and a light!

Otherwise, you can make your own pretty easily - lots of plans around to do this - I make my own

 

[lpsharp88]

This bench at $74 from Home Depot is a steal and it's plenty strong and a great size.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Signature-Development-72-in-Fold-Out-Wood-Workbench-WKBNCH72X22/203083493

I have the same bench that Pietro linked, and it has been pretty good. It has a little wobble to it, but would easily be fixed if attached to the wall.

 

[stoky]

I like to tie them into a couple of wall studs with steel L brackets.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

I noticed you asked the same question over on TFL forums, that cad drawing in your TFL thread is epic - if you can build that, build that!

 

[joem1945]

24" deep has been plenty for me. I've made several benches but my main bench has a steel frame with a sheet of 1/2" plywood cut in have and glued together, then screwed to the steel frame. It's 8' by 2' and has 3 presses mounted to it.

 

[Bullseye]

Check out this thread on THR, something you could look at all night.

 

[horsemen61]

Ttrl

 

[9mmjld]

Old picture of my bench. The front 2X4's are doubled up and the back is mounted to the wall studs. The top is two pieces of plywood sandwiched together. Very sturdy. Only 2'x4' but works for me.

 

[DM~]

Can you guys post some pictures of your benches?

I'm thinking a bench that is 5ft long and 30" deep would be OK. Is this enough room for all the accessories? I want a birch or maple 1.5" - 1.75" thick bench top for rigidity, also a shelf on top of the bench with a peg board back and a shelf beneath for storage.
Thanks.

Here's my main loading bench, it's 8' long and I made it out of ash,



DM

 

[judgedelta]

I like to load standing up. These benches came from Sam's.

 

[horsemen61]

Damn DM every time I see that bench I still drool

 

[joem1945]

A clean bench is a sign of a sick mind, or is it a clean desk is a sign of a sick mind?

 

[LiveLife]

A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind.

A clean reloading bench is a sign of safer reloader less prone to mistakes.

But a reloader who has a clean desk and a clean bench? Not sure

I keep a clean reloading bench but my desk and shop benches are messy as heck.

 

[tcoz]

My "bench" consists of a heavy desk in our guest bedroom and my T-7 press is attached to a Lee Reloading Stand through an InLine Fabrication quick mount system. It works well for my purposes.