Work bench working height? higher or std?

johg2

johg2

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i am to be entering the realm of reloading and am trying to catch up.. Man there's alot to learn.. Anyway, I noticed all the great looking work areas you guys have.. i also just read an article of having a higher working height for the press. So my question is, would you rather have a higher working height or stay at the kinda standard height of tables of 28-29"? ..

In the article, the author states it is easier to see what you are doing rather than bending over to see or go by feel, esp when placing the bullet into the casing..I realize most or all are seating on a chair... i will be getting a single stage press. Also would it be that much harder to pull/push the lever down?

Also i see potential in converting a cheap (less than $100) entertainment stand of about 48-51" height into a reloading work bench, esp having the shelves already built in and most with wood/glass doors to keep stuff clean and hidden.. i would add a sturdier wood to the top. .Like most? i won't have a separate room just for reloading, just a work center (and yes, NO tv nearby).

Thanks for your thoughts and (constructive) comments..
 
My last bench was high enough to reload sitting on a bar stool...it was a shared general workbench that was large enough for reloading, cleaning and gunsmithing....except when reloadin, im always standing
 
read my post on reloading bench height lots of good info there and some pictures in the end im looking at 30 to 37 inches high depends on what you want>>>>>> thanks hound2013
 
Hang your awrm straight down then bent your elbow 90 degrees, roughly thats where the top of your working surface should be. Thats how I go about setting my stuff up for things that I want to look at closely like a powder scale I space up even higher.
 
Thanks guys and Hound2013, i read your thread too.. sometimes one needs to stand and sometimes one needs to sit.. At work i am standing for hours at a time so my feet n legs n back can get tired from that. I probably won't reload after those long days.. I may keep an eye out for free (or almost free) kitchen cabinets from renos..
 
I prefer 36" countertop height I can stand or sit on a bar height chair or high desk chair. If it's to low it just isn't comfortable to do anything on unless your really short I guess.
 
I'm custom building my bench for my press handle to be fully in the down position without any stretching or bending on my part to operate. On the bench I learned on, I had to bend just slightly but enough that it was uncomfortable over an hour of loading. Chairs and stools have different heights so there's that to consider. It's also easier to build up a bench than lower it.
 
johg2 said:
i am to be entering the realm of reloading and am trying to catch up.. Man there's alot to learn.. Anyway, I noticed all the great looking work areas you guys have.. i also just read an article of having a higher working height for the press. So my question is, would you rather have a higher working height or stay at the kinda standard height of tables of 28-29"? ..

In the article, the author states it is easier to see what you are doing rather than bending over to see or go by feel, esp when placing the bullet into the casing..I realize most or all are seating on a chair... i will be getting a single stage press. Also would it be that much harder to pull/push the lever down?

Also i see potential in converting a cheap (less than $100) entertainment stand of about 48-51" height into a reloading work bench, esp having the shelves already built in and most with wood/glass doors to keep stuff clean and hidden.. i would add a sturdier wood to the top. .Like most? i won't have a separate room just for reloading, just a work center (and yes, NO tv nearby).

Thanks for your thoughts and (constructive) comments..
Click to expand...

Don't worry about the height of your bench, change the seat . . . lots of makers of stools with an air ram.
You don't have to pay $100, the auction won't even accept them any more.

This is a picture of mine:



PM me if you want further details.
 
I'm on my feet all day at work, so I prefer sitting to reload.

I use 3 largish C-clamps to mount my single-stage press to the corner of my old office desk, which measures 30" high. It's rock solid, no issues using the C-clamps.





The shoestring keeps the ram lever from falling down, and the whole thing fits nicely into one of the drawers when not in use.
 
48-51" might be too high unless you're very tall. The bench has to fit you and nobody else. Plus it'll matter if you prefer sitting or standing.
Your entertainment stand is likely particle board. Cuts easily. Just don't try to use a particle board top. Breaks on the first use. Mine's over an inch thick and snapped. Fixed with a square foot of 1/4" mild steel(regular hand drill is fine).
 
Both of my presses are set up so that when the handle is up that my hand is an inch or two lower than the top of my shoulder while on the ball. This has worked out very well for me by not being a stretch up to the handle or having to reach down too far at the bottom of the handle stroke.

The presses that are set this way are on 3/4" mounting plates that let me bolt the plate and press down onto a kitchen counter height work bench that is 35.5" tall. In the case of my Dillon550 that came with the steel riser brackets the brackets are not being used for this setup.

I would suggest that you mock it up for yourself and try it out. Set the press at some various heights then cycle the handle a few dozen times and see what works for your arm. I would also suggest you buy an office chair so you have some fine tuning ability to set your working height. Some days you want to be a little higher for a lower reach and other days the regular way is good. It depends on how your arm is that day. The adjustable height ability of the office chairs gives you that option.

Entertainment centers are just not made for the prying forces you'll be using. They also tend to be fairly narrow front to back so they will tip easily when you try to use them as a loading bench. At the very least it would need to be secured to the wall behind it quite well. So I'd suggest that it's a non starter unless you're looking at one which is VERY solidly built.

A far better idea would be a couple of kitchen cabinet drawer units with a good solid top. Screw the bases to the wall studs behind each one then screw the top down to the bases. Then make up an open front hutch for the top for some storage from project pine boards or precut shelving.

The whole works could be ordered up from Ikea if you have no other options in your area.

You mention a 48 to 51" tall working surface. First off that is far and away too high for a layout area for your other items. It would work for many presses if you're taller but it would certainly force you to do ALL your press work from standing. With that height sitting is simply not an option even with a bar stool. If you want to work from standing for rifle work so it's easier to move around between operations then I'd still stay with a kitchen counter height working table but build up a riser box from heavy plywood to lift the press up until the handle is at 3 to 4 inches below your shoulder height. Again this puts the handle up so that on the downstroke you don't need to lean forward to complete the stroke.
 
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Horseman, that's a nice adaptation on the dining room hutch or whatever it was. That lumber across the front must really stiffen the top nicely. And a perfect example of making something easy to find and cheap to buy work for a loading table. Nicely done.
 
BCRider said:
Horseman, that's a nice adaptation on the dining room hutch or whatever it was. That lumber across the front must really stiffen the top nicely. And a perfect example of making something easy to find and cheap to buy work for a loading table. Nicely done.
Click to expand...

It was an Entertainment center. The lumber across the front and the back were to stiffen it and to hide the ugly cuts. If there was more time and another set of hands, I would have used a straight edge to make all the cuts at the same elevation. The parts cut out could have been calculated more closely so their positioning on the inside would have been more precise.

At this time it will probably outlive me. I would like to team up with someone to make another.
 
im in the mids of building my bench right now and i have it set at 36", and it rolls because its a concrete top...pics will be soon to come
 
Again thanks for all the tips.. Horseman2, i like your set up and is the style i'm considering or with a lower kitchen cabinet design.. And yes, the auction houses can barely give that stuff that away. Or if i buy private, i won't tell the seller what my intentions are but then again, they'd just be happy to get rid of it for the space..
 
Ah..... so you cut down the sides of the spots for the TV and lost a few shelves off the other side of the middle upright. That is actually bloody BRILLIANT! It really does look just great for those that need a tidy and compact solution.

You could make an upper rear hutch using the same method. Find a near matching bookcase and cut away the base so there's no first shelf. Then use some angle brackets to secure it at the back of the upper work surface. VOILA! An instant upper shelf unit for supplies and tooling.

The trick is to get these old entertainment centers NOW! With the passing of the old CRT TV's I'll bet these deep shelved centers are going away fast. Likely a body would not be able to even find such a thing in the stores now.
 
I never thought this mattered until I made a bench that was a little higher than counter to height. I actually sit on a bar stool or stand when reloading. My last bench was too short and I was hunched over. This one works really well sitting or standing.
 
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