Where to build my reloading bench??

[Sni-per]

Just curious, does anyone reload in their garage? I live in a very old house, and the basement is cool and damp, and sort of a dungeon atmosphere. I don't have room anywhere upstairs for a bench, so the garage may be my only choice.

I'm wondering about the temperature and humidity changes, and the effect on my powder and primers. I heat my garage on weekends, so I have a place to tinker, and pop a few tops, but the heat is turned off during the week.

Anyway..... is reloading in the garage, in the midwest, a bad idea??

 

[LiveLife]

Reloading is an activity where you should be relaxed, comfortable, focused without distraction. Reloading in heat/cold/humidity/fatigued with distraction is not only uncomfortable but potentially dangerous for making mistakes.

You would be surprised at how many reloaders use ingenious portable/mobile reloading set up - www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=717524

I used to reload on a 6' bench in the garage standing up but now I use a 2'x3' castered portable reloading bench that can be rolled around anywhere in the house or even out in the patio that allows me to reload sitting down. This not only allows me to reload when/where it is appropriate but get to spend time with family when I am doing prep tasks that doesn't require much focus like resizing brass/trimming, hand priming etc.

The 2'x3' bench pictured below was built with simple kiln dried 2x4's from Home Depot and casters are from Harbor Freight furniture moving dolly (which won't mar the floor and move easily on carpet). I have presses mounted at the ends to allow the bench to go through doorways but the location of the press allows resizing of thicker military .308 cases without even moving the bench empty.

It's good to have comfortable reloading options in life.

 

[GBExpat]

I have known a few people with reloading setups in their garages. They, apparently, just worked around any issues that the location presented.

I live in a very old house, and the basement is cool and damp, and sort of a dungeon atmosphere.

If it is a bermed basement, the temperature is probably relatively stable. If it is, indeed, damp (have you checked the RH?) you could correct that with a dehumidifier.

The basement (~60%-70% bermed) in my house (27 years old, btw) started getting a little damper each summer until I bought a 70pint Frigidaire dehumidifier that I run, as required, during the humid months in order to keep the RH below 60%. This works well for me ... and the reloading bench, gun bench, 2 large gunsafes, and a wood shop, among other spaces down there.

I also make sure that there is periodic (during the humid periods I maintain a constant, minor flow thru the space) air movement throughout the basement, since I have it separated from the house HVAC system.

 

[hanno]

As bds suggested, you might try a portable setup. For years I used a B&D Workmate 225 for a reloading bench. I removed the top and replaced with doubled 3/4" oak plywood. My Rock Chucker 2 and powder dropper are mounted to a RCBS bench plate which is C clamped to the top. I also screwed a rail to the front so I could hang Akro bins.

This setup is pretty sturdy and the whole thing breaks down/folds away in a few minutes. It has worked great for my needs and may work for you.



Or, you could just bolt your press to a piece of 2X8 or 2X10 and C clamp it to whatever sturdy table/bench/desk you already have in the house.

 

[StrutStopper]

I've been using a B&D workmate for a portable bench as well. First, I had my single stage and powder measure mounted to a board that was C clamped to it. I did the same thing with my Turret Press but this time I countersunk the bolts so it would be further back on the work surface. As I type this, I have a bench half built in the basement. I'm going to clear a spot in my daughter's former bedroom today to complete the build. Hopefully I'll have a new reloading spot later today.

 

[Hondo 60]

Reloading is an activity where you should be relaxed, comfortable, focused without distraction. Reloading in heat/cold/humidity/fatigued with distraction is not only uncomfortable but potentially dangerous for making mistakes.

bds's opening statement says it better than I could've on my own.

The key to long shelf-life for your components is to keep them dry.
Lotsa guys reload in the garage & have for years.
Just make sure you keep a tight lid on the powder.

Or maybe keep the powder & primers inside until you're ready to reload.

Welcome to the High Road!

 

[joem1945]

I started reloading in my garage. I don't mind the cold but summer and humidity made it unbearable for me. Moved all my stuff down the basement and got a dehumidifier. More room, quiet and now very well lighted. Built my benches one at a time (6) now and got more presses (9) and equipment to trim and polish cases. The hobby grows on a guy so watch out.

 

[bangswitch]

I reload in my garage; it's an attached garage, but unheated. It gets as cold as upper 30's if in the 20's outside, and will go low 90's in summer if I don't take steps to cool it. I have a portable heater that I'll start up a couple of hours before I go out during the winter, and with a jacket on, I'm comfortable enough. I have a small (too small, but it helps) window a/c unit for summer.

I just make sure the exposed metal of my press has a film of oil to prevent rust from any condensation (have never seen any, though), and I keep my powder and primers in sealed containers. I've not had any issues with dampness. I suppose it will depend on what your structure is, mine is drywall over brick walls and concrete floor with drywall ceiling.

 

[Stripesdude]

I reload in my garage. We don't have basements in TX? It does get hot in the summer, but I don't spend more than an hour out there.

My powder and primers are kept in the house.

 

[HankB]

I reload in my garage. We don't have basements in TX? It does get hot in the summer, but I don't spend more than an hour out there.

My powder and primers are kept in the house.

What he said - find room for powder, primers, and loaded ammo inside the house.

I've found that in order to keep things like reloading dies from corroding, inserting a sheet of VPI - Vapor Phase Inhibiting - paper from Brownell's, cut to size, in each die box works better (less messy) than coating everything in oil.

Other tools are given a light coat of Corrosion-X.

 

[AABEN]

I added a gun room on to my garage 12x20 that is where i reload at even put in air. I put R- 22 in the walls and over head that makes it easy to cool and heat. GOOD LUCK

 

[nettlle]

I live in the Midwest and reload in the garage. I have a heater in the garage. I keep the powder and primers in the house and bring them out when I reload. If it's really cold and I fire up a heater in the garage it can cause stuff to sweat like brass, bullets, and metal powder dispensers and I keep these warm in the house. Just keep a light coat of oil on the bare metal reloading stuff in the garage.

 

[Sni-per]

Thanks everyone, for your input. I like the 'portable bench' idea, and may have to build something for my self. That way I can build in storage for all the equipment, and keep it safe from strangers and grandkids.

I'm thinking something around 2 feet by 4 feet, with storage below. Powder and primers can go in the house, and bench can be rolled into a corner in the garage.

Thanks again!!

 

[FishNinjaY]

Hmm.. I'm in sunny So Cal.. but we do occasionally get rain, and the mornings can be pretty cold/damp. Not a problem for working in my garage.. But I do keep my ONE & ONLY POUND of powder and "a few" primers in that front area. Rain water has been known to run under my garage door a foot or two. I don't have the stuff on the concrete floor directly, and I try to sweep any excess water (minimal) out when I see it. I never keep powder in the dispenser, and always keep lids tight, and primers in box and a zip lock bag. I was thinking of adding those silica gel packets to my primer bags. Looks like I should find a place inside for my powder & primer? :banghead:

 

[X-Rap]

You might have just as much trouble in your garage with condensation if you fluctuate the temperatures from day to day. Where you live makes a great deal of difference.
Over the years I've used portable setups, closets, metal storage sheds, kitchen tables, and very permanent dedicated locations. One constant is keeping powder and primers dry and sealed and preventing your equipment from rusting.
It sounds like your basement is avoided, would it be to difficult to frame up and finish a nice pleasant "gun room/man cave"? a floor drain and dehumidifier have cured many a basement, my grandfather had an extensive wood shop in his basement with many square feet of machined steel surface expose but faithfully ran a dehumidifier and kept his tools lightly oiled.
A 12 x 12 room painted white with a couple florescent lights could transform that dungeon.

 

[CLP]

Depends on who wears the pants in your marriage. If you do, then you should put it upstairs somewhere on the main floor of the house. In my case, my bench is in the basement all the way in the back.

 

[Sni-per]

CLP.........uhhh........why do you think I'm asking about reloading in the garage?

 

[oneounceload]

I reload in my garage. We don't have basements in TX? It does get hot in the summer, but I don't spend more than an hour out there.

My powder and primers are kept in the house.

What I used to do as well until I bought one of these:



http://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-height-heavy-duty-workstation-46725.html

I added a piece of 3/4" plywood to the top and bought a press riser from in-line mfg,:



http://inlinefabrication.com/collec...-for-rcbs-rockchucker-rc1-rc2-supreme-pro2000

 

[GLOOB]

I'm thinking something around 2 feet by 4 feet, with storage below. Powder and primers can go in the house...

This was along my lines of thinking with my bench. I aimed for a small footprint and light weight, rather than actual fold-down portability. Built up vertically, rather than horizontally, with shelving under the bench and a small hutch on top. Wheels woulda been nice, but if I just take the heavy milk crates of brass and boxes of bullets off the shelves, I can move the entire bench around pretty easily. With the proper materials, you can build a sturdy bench this size. Mine is only 2'x3' with a bench height of about 40". Mine isn't particularly stable, but I didn't use the right materials. I used a hodgepodge of scraps.

 

[RPegram]

I reload in the garage. It is heated and air conditioned, so no real worries about comfort or humidity. I got an old, old teacher's desk from my elementary school that got shut down for free. The desk is very heavy. Solid wood. Bolted my 550B to it and it doesn't move. Keep powders, bullets , brass, reloads and cleaning supplies in cabinet by desk, keep primers in closet in house.

 

[X-Rap]

The only drawback I see to a portable stand/cart/bench is in the powder measure and scale.
You scale needs to be very stable and the measure IMO can have varied throws with shaking and banging that results from cycles of the press.

 

[oneounceload]

My scale is not located on that small stand, it is another piece of furniture, so I have no worries about that, but you are right about using it on something like that and the vibration - but you can have that even on a heavy bench.

 

[X-Rap]

The big problem is with a progressive when each throw of the handle is a sizing stroke, I think that is the main concern with shaking the powder measure.
I only mentioned it because one of the photos in this thread showed a measure mounted on a portable table.

 

[LiveLife]

The big problem is with a progressive when each throw of the handle is a sizing stroke, I think that is the main concern with shaking the powder measure ... one of the photos in this thread showed a measure mounted on a portable table

My 2'x3' portable castered bench does not move when I operate the ram levers on the Pro 1000 or the C-H single stage press, whether on carpet or on smooth floor (with supplies stored on the bench, it weighs on average 200-300 lbs). With most pistol powders I use, variance from Pro Auto Disk range from less than .1 gr to around .1 gr. I am building another portable bench for Dillon 650 with case feeder and do not anticipate powder measure issue.

Besides, the Lee Classic Turret press shakes and rotates the powder measure even more than Pro 1000 yet drops consistent charges.

Lee Perfect and C-H 502 micrometer powder measures are used for single stage pistol/rifle reloading and throw consistently. And no, the bench does not move when the measure levers are operated.

... scale needs to be very stable

I have two Ohaus 10-10 scales, FA DS-750 and Gemini-20 digital scales. I have one of the 10-10 mounted on the bench at eye level and keep the FA digital scale in one of the drawers. The Gemini-20 scale is kept off the bench as it is very sensitive (.02 gr resolution). I use Ohaus ASTM class 6 stainless check weights and the 10-10 scales remain spot on with the check weights. FA digital scale is mostly spot on with the check weights and reads within .1 gr of 10-10 scales but it did that from day one. Gemini-20 is spot on with the check weights but we are talking about scales kept on the portable bench.

 

[loose noose]

Out here in Southern Nevada the temps can get up to 120+, I do all my reloading out in my garage which I had insulated and dry walled, and installed a small window a/c. I do however keep all my reloading supplies, powder, primers, and digital scales in the gun room, along with the ammunition I recently reloaded. The presses, as well as the beam scale stay out in the garage along with the bullets, cast as well as the cast, (I use a hard lube when casting) and also the lubrisizers, and the tumblers. I've gone out in the garage in the middle of summer when it is in the 100's and noticed the temp w/o the A/C going to be in the low 90s. Naturally I do most of my reloading in the winter when it is much cooler. BTW my bench is 8'X30", which is plenty big for all my reloading paraphernalia.