hotwheelz
Member
looks good Drumz, how many diagonal supports do you have I would think maybe one in the middle of counter tops would help stiffen it up. Nice lighting and good idea on the exhuast fan ,,,,
Show us a picture of your reloading bench
- Thread starter James THR
- Start date
My presses will be mounted on the bench that spans the width of the rear wall and the area on the right will be used for cleaning/repairing/prep. The bench is fixed to the wall at every stud with 2 3" long drywall screws and has a diagonal brace at each end of the bench. The horizontal braces are spaced on 10" center on the rear and 12" center on the right. It is prety solid as is, I can bounce on it and it barely flexes and i weight 215lbs. I may add one in the center on the rear portion of the bench if it seems like it is moving too much.
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drumz2129,
Nice set up. Not to rain on your parade, but what type of press are you plan on using?
I know from past experience some presses can't be mounted without some overlap on the bench top. Two of my RCBS presses, an RS and a Rockchuker needed some clearance underneath for the toggle to clear at the bottom of the press stroke. My RCBS Partner and a Lee don't.
Just some food for thought, in case you needed to modify the top before finishing everything.
Nice set up. Not to rain on your parade, but what type of press are you plan on using?
I know from past experience some presses can't be mounted without some overlap on the bench top. Two of my RCBS presses, an RS and a Rockchuker needed some clearance underneath for the toggle to clear at the bottom of the press stroke. My RCBS Partner and a Lee don't.
Just some food for thought, in case you needed to modify the top before finishing everything.
dave from mesa
Member
You are going to mount it on or near the rear wall? Or at the front of the bench on the rear wall? Guess I am confused (like that's never happened before) with you're statement.
Really nice setup you will have there.
dave from mesa
Member
Boy, been there a million or so times.
The Wiry Irishman
Member
1858rem
Member
is that there line of pistols? i had a friend who had to go to the gunshop just to get his reassembled after he took it apart lol
hope to post my bench on here soon as i clean it up a little
anyone know if rcmodel posted on here? id been wondering what kinda setup hes got
PecosRiverM
Member
And I wanted to see the pic of the presses on the wall
Makes me wish for a bigger house or should I move near Dad's house (all my stuff is setup in his shop [4hr drive for me]).
Makes me wish for a bigger house or should I move near Dad's house (all my stuff is setup in his shop [4hr drive for me
]).1858rem
Member
hey, for all those apartment guys....how bout ya get a bunk-bed, sleep on the top bed and use the bottom space as a reloading bench?
snuffy
Member
Drumz, you're going to need some legs under the corners of that bench. I guarantee you will get flex while sizing with that RC on the front edge. Also, drywall screws are great for how easy it is to use them, BUT they are not all that strong! They are also quite hard and brittle, you could be breaking them off with all the stress you'll be putting on them. Best bet is at least a ¼ inch lag screw through the 2x4 into your house studs.
Here's a pic of the bench I built into the corner of a bedroom of my mobile home.
Again after being stained with a poly/stain. That's 2- 5/8" 2 ' X 4' thick solid core plywood sheets glued and screwed together, on top of a 2X4 frame, lag screwed to the studs in the wall. During operation of that dillon 650, it doesn't even wiggle!
I used 3" # 8 wood screws for the frame, the crossmember supports and braces are all glued before screwing with elmers carpenter glue.
Here's a pic of the bench I built into the corner of a bedroom of my mobile home.
Again after being stained with a poly/stain. That's 2- 5/8" 2 ' X 4' thick solid core plywood sheets glued and screwed together, on top of a 2X4 frame, lag screwed to the studs in the wall. During operation of that dillon 650, it doesn't even wiggle!
I used 3" # 8 wood screws for the frame, the crossmember supports and braces are all glued before screwing with elmers carpenter glue.
dave from mesa
Member
drumz
Having gone back and reread you're post i agree with snuffy. As a beginning woodworker I have found that drywall screws are made for just that - drywall. They don't have any shear strength. You might find after you put all you're stuff on there and start using you're press that the whole thing will pull away from the wall. In this case over rather than under engineering is a better thing.
Sorry you have to go thru this but better now than later.
good luck
Having gone back and reread you're post i agree with snuffy. As a beginning woodworker I have found that drywall screws are made for just that - drywall. They don't have any shear strength. You might find after you put all you're stuff on there and start using you're press that the whole thing will pull away from the wall. In this case over rather than under engineering is a better thing.
Sorry you have to go thru this but better now than later.
good luck
I guess I will be changing out screws this weekend, better safe then sorry. I just glued the formica down and finished trimming it. Luckily i can get to every screw that needs to be changed. While I am at it I will go ahead and add 2 or 3 more diagonal braces along the rear wall portion of the bench just to be safe. So i should use 3" #8 wood screws for the frame and 1/4" lag bolts to hold it to the wall? one or 2 lag bolts per stud? i have 2 dryall screws per stud right now. The only screws i will not be able to change out are the ones that hold the 3/4" plywood down to the frame since they are under formica now. I imagine those should be fine.
-travis
-travis
Dean Williams
Member
drumz, I used 3" deck screws when I rebuilt my benches about 10 years ago, and have been using my presses on it ever since with no signs of weakness. I used two screws at every wall stud. As long as you hit studs with all of them, you should be good. I do think you need more diagonal bracing, though.
LAH
Member
I'll agree with Dean.
It's true that drywall screws are a bit hard and will break so if you're worried about this it "may" be easier to place a few 2X4 legs along the back of your bench using drywall screws to hold them to the wall. Allow them to extend to the floor and act as load bearing supports. With legs in front and back of the bench, bearing the vertical load, I would think very little danger of shearing the screws. Just my 2............Creeker
something vague
Member
No need to take too many screws out unless they are in the way of you adding a couple lag screws. I would just add some cross bracing and put some good size lag type srcews in the questionable areas. Around here I can find some gold srews that are torque head design with large washer type heads on them that are perfect for building 2x4 structures that need sheer strength and durability. Can't remember that brand right now, sorry. I pick them up a job sites that I wire up, so it is pretty inexpensive for me. Anyways, just add some lag screws and a few cross braces, then you should be good to go. Test out the stableness of it by reefing on it back and forth and stablize as needed.
I just got back from picking up some 3" Long #10 wood screws and 4" long 1/4" lagbolts and fender washers. I will just back out the drywall screws on the frame one at a time and replace them with the #10s since they were all predrilled and counter sunk. I will do the same with the ones that hold the bench to the wall using the lag bolts and washers. I also picked up more lumber to add extra diagonal braces across the back. We will be replacing all the flooring in the master bedroom/closets and that is the main reason i am not going to the floor with support legs.
-travis
-travis
ironhat
Member
Here's my room, I hope. I haven't tried uploads on this site until now. The room is 10' x 10'. The bench is made from cast offs, even the drawers. The cabinet on the right with the Trim-mate is our old side by side cabinet from the kitchen. I switched the direction of one of the long doors, removed a shelf and installed a cheap set of drawer glides so that I can push the Trim-Mate back in and salvage floor space. The wall opposite it (entry door wall) I used an old shiffrobe that used to hang shirts on the right and there are drawers on the left. To the left of the bench is the 'library'.
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BADUNAME27
Member
ADKWOODSMAN
Member
Nice set up longrifles. I like the double ended set up.
smithwesson9090
Member
What kind of box is that Longrifles?
