Reloading bench

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I don't think a 3/8" thick particle board top is strong or rigid enough for any kind of reloading. I'd replace it with 3/4" plywood, preferably doubled, glued and screwed, if I were to buy this bench.
 
Sam's also has a very nice work bench with a laminated butcher block type top. The bench is about 2'x6'. I think it cost about $100. WELL worth the money if you ask me. It is a very sturdy bench.
 
I bought one of these from Cabelas and set it up in my downstairs office.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602007-cat20849&id=0031351215763a&navCount=1&podId=0031351&parentId=cat20849&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20849&hasJS=true

Was pretty easy to set up. I thought the screws supplied with it were a tad short, so I used my own for that. To keep it simple I went to Home Depot and bought pre cut plywood and such for the shelves and benchtop, I just had to cut 2x4's to match. Went with plywood for the bottom two shelves and 1'' pine slab for the benchtop.
 
Here's the plans for the bench I built:
http://www.dennymac.com/bench/
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=3026408&postcount=25
The only thing I didn't add were the doors for the compartments. I didn't want to have to search for stuff, much easier to find out in the open. My lumber yard was nice enough to cut everything to size except some of the notches for the legs and such. Probably have about $150-$200 in materials in it. You might be able to get cheaper stuff from Home Depot or Mennards.

It is going nowhere. It's heavy, especially loaded with powder, bullets, cases, etc. It still moves a bit when I have a stubborn case to form or primer to seat. When I built it, I put putty over the screws, so the only way it's getting out of the basement is with a chainsaw. And even though it is big, I'm now looking for more space. A few thousand cases and bullets, only 10 pounds of powder, about 10K primers, 2 manuals, 3 load books, plus misc gun "stuff" takes up a lot of space.

The pics are old and don't show how much new stuff has been dumped on it!
 
Any of the above would likely suffice. If you find it is a little unsteady, you can always anchor it to the wall studs in a few places... I did and it worked great!
 
strat81

I built the same bench with a couple mod's to suit me better, I also didnt put the doors on. It has been great Im very happy with it my only compliant is why didnt I build it sooner. I will be building one for my buddy as a christmas present think Im gonna put some rope light in the back of the shelves and trick it out a bit plus should help with lighting.
 
Besides the 3/8" thick top, the bench first bench from sams has a full length drawer that might not work with a press mounted on the front edge. Reloading presses extend below the bench top fairly far depending on the make/model of press, which may block the drawer from opening.

Andy
 
strat81,

Thanks for the links. I'm going to use the plans for the cabinet and apply them to the old, rectangular, hardwood, kitchen table that I use for a bench. Just what I needed.

Skunk
 
A firm platform with no bounce on down or up stoke eliminates many problems with powder throws, scales (consist) and primers staying in place ect .

Frank
 
you can get 2x4x84's for about $2 at home depot in my parts.
3/4 nonsanded plywood is about $25 per sheet.

if you have a circular saw I can draw you up some plans for a very sturdy bench that should cost less than $40 (with screws) at about 4' wide x 30" deep and about 36" tall (good for both standing and sitting positions)
 
Get the gorilla shelving if they have it. You can assemble it in a bench configuration and it is sturdier. You will have to add a more substantial top than comes with the shelving.
 
My neighbor fabricates metal for a living so he and I drew up some plans last night on CAD. It'll be very sturdy. The height is 3'6" - length 5' and the depth is 3'. There will be two shelves recessed back about 6" so my legs don't hit into them when I'm sitting there slaving away :)

We will be cutting the metal tomorrow and drilling the holes. His son is taking a welding class in HS and they are checking to see if it's okay to use this as a project.

I know this post is worthless without pictures - so once we get it done, I'll post.

As for the top - I wouldn't think that bare wood is a good choice as a finish - what would be the best?

Thanks!
 
elkhuntingfool
I used " Varathane" fast drying polyurethane. It drys to a hard finish you can go semi or gloss finish, I have had all kind of powder and cleaning supplys get on it and it just wipes off no stain, only thing that seems to stick to it some bullet lube once in a while but it wips right off. Looking forward to the pics of you new bench.
 
Elkhunting fool. My bench has a three quarter inch plywood top with a sheet of one eighth inch hardboard over the top. After a few years I unscrew the top sheet and flip it over. A few more years and I replace it. By the way, my reloading bench consists of two old kitchen cabinets separated by three feet of open space spanned front and back by 2X6 doug fir on edge topped by the plywood. The cabinets give plenty of storage space as they are eighteen inches wide and about thirty deep. This provides a six foot wide workbench that is heavy enough to stay put with any reloading I do.
 
0001764120206_L4.jpg


I'd highly recomend this one from Sams Club. Their entire butcher block line is very sturdy and commerical grade.

Here's a pic.....

room-2.gif .
 
I just screwed an 8 foot 2x4 to the wall, used that ledge as the "back legs" built some simple front and middle legs... and put 2 3/4 sheets of plywood down on top of it all screwed the top one down from the underneath, so i have a smooth work surface.
my description is kinda lame, so here.

4.jpg

6.jpg
 
+1 on what Scrat said. You need to find a way to keep the top from moving. I am using a gorilla rack as a reloading bench. It's what I had and works well enough that I haven't wanted anything else.

reloadbench.jpg


I used an oak board to reinforce things. It's bolted through the metal lip where possible.
 
The easy way is a Black & Decker Workmate folding workbench. There are two ways to mount the press:

1. Build a fixture onto which the press bolts. Then clamp the jaws of the Workmate onto the fixture. VERY easy to break down quickly, but you have less work/storage space.

2. The Workmate already has holes drilled in the top. Bush those holes with cut-off hardwood doweling, drilled through. Mount a sheet of plywood to the top using bolts through the doweling. Bolt the press to the plywood sheet. It's still easy to break down, just not as quickly as with the fixture.

I've used both methods. They're highly effective, especially in an apartment.
 
No pics, but today we were able to cut all of the steel - not that much of a job - took a bit over an hour. Marked the angles to be cut and my neighbor cut them. We'll punch out the holes for the bolts in the next day or two and have it welded up. I'm going to spray paint it to give it a better look than bare steel.
 
Built the bench many moons ago, but just built some press mounts and put a melamine top on it. Wish I had done it years ago as it's so easy to keep perfectly clean compared to wood.

2007_0615AA.gif

2007_0615AC.jpg
 
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