Thoughts on reloading benches

[DrXenon]

Here's my pair of benches that I built in about 4 hours following some plans I downloaded (and which I will email to anyone who PMs me). I still need to bolt the one with the presses to the wall, but it's pretty stable anyhow. You need to remember to leave an overhang of about an inch and a half to allow for the mounting bolts on the Dillon press.

 

[ripitup911]

Thats a nice looking bench well done

Started taking things off the walls to move in and realized I REALLY needed to paint my office. So that consumed my day, but I did get it in!

 

[Johnn Peterson]

My 1st and main suggestion is to make everything bigger. Starting with the space set aside or room, the actual bench, storage shelves etc, twice as big or much as you think you'll need.

On the left side of the photo, I've just put in a series of plastic 'Walmart' trays with twice that amount on the other side of the room by my reloading book storage shelf. These I use for storage of different calibers/sizes of brass empties.

 

[savage express]

Okay, thats a little too neat!

How is this?

 

[no1bfan]

Small reloading bench

Here are a few pictures of my modest reloading bench.
I don't have much room in the basement so the only place available was under the stairs which is not all that bad ..I have bi-fold doors so can close off the entire area which then just looks like a cupboard.
This left me with only 38" for width and a sloped ceiling....but it works well enough.The bench is 38" wide , 20" deep and 2" thick with aluminun front trim as well as a homemade quick change system for the presses.

This is of the underside of the bench showing one of four barrel bolts (one on each corner) they lock into metal tubes epoxied into the wall studs.
This way the bench is removable by retracting all four bolts and lifting out the bench.
I need to be able to do this in order to get to the storage under the stair landing.

This one shows my setup for doing pistol reloads.I had to make my press removable for when I take out the bench or when switching to a different press.

This one is just of the single stage press for reloading rifle calibers

Lastly this is for loading shot shells.

 

[jtoews80]

Here are a few pictures of my modest reloading bench.
I don't have much room in the basement so the only place available was under the stairs which is not all that bad ..I have bi-fold doors so can close off the entire area which then just looks like a cupboard.
This left me with only 38" for width and a sloped ceiling....but it works well enough.The bench is 38" wide , 20" deep and 2" thick with aluminun front trim as well as a homemade quick change system for the presses.

This is of the underside of the bench showing one of four barrel bolts (one on each corner) they lock into metal tubes epoxied into the wall studs.
This way the bench is removable by retracting all four bolts and lifting out the bench.
I need to be able to do this in order to get to the storage under the stair landing.

This one shows my setup for doing pistol reloads.I had to make my press removable for when I take out the bench or when switching to a different press.

This one is just of the single stage press for reloading rifle calibers

Lastly this is for loading shot shells.

WOW, even IKEA would approve this reloading setup. For the space you have to work with that is great.

 

[jtoews80]

I went the Cambodian Tire route too, with an IKEA shelving unit.

 

[hk33ka1]

no1bfan's setup is gotta be the model to which people with little space should look to for a setup. No excuses for having a lack of space now.

 

[GrensVegter]

No1bfan nice looking bench for such limited space, that looks well thought out.

 

[4570]

some of you may remember a while back when I asked for help in determining the best working height well I'm happy to report it worked out well. My old garage now has the following addition;

 

[3macs1]

Not mine but the one I plan on building some day.

 

[the_dude306]

I used my new bench for the first time last night. Loaded up some 30-06 and a couple hundred rounds of 9mm. A couple things I found out. I screwed up on the lower shelf. I measured it to fit two ammo cans stacked but with the 3" face board I can only get one can underneath. It's 1/2" to low. Not sure how to fix that as everything is glued in place.

The other is the amount light, I need more. With the new paint and the reloader being higher it seems dark. Easy fix I hope. I also found that I REALLY like standing up to reload and having the scale on a shelf at eye level works really well. Now I just need to figure out how to store the primer pick-up tubes and all the small tools a guy uses when reloading.

 

[Skovoroda]

I'm so jealous :-( Can somebody post the apartment friendly solution for progressive?

 

[waynesixgun]

Here are a few pictures of my modest reloading bench.
I don't have much room in the basement so the only place available was under the stairs which is not all that bad ..I have bi-fold doors so can close off the entire area which then just looks like a cupboard.
This left me with only 38" for width and a sloped ceiling....but it works well enough.The bench is 38" wide , 20" deep and 2" thick with aluminun front trim as well as a homemade quick change system for the presses.

This is of the underside of the bench showing one of four barrel bolts (one on each corner) they lock into metal tubes epoxied into the wall studs.
This way the bench is removable by retracting all four bolts and lifting out the bench.
I need to be able to do this in order to get to the storage under the stair landing.

This one shows my setup for doing pistol reloads.I had to make my press removable for when I take out the bench or when switching to a different press.

This one is just of the single stage press for reloading rifle calibers

Lastly this is for loading shot shells.

Nice set up..I notice that you load lee slugs..what powder are you using?

 

[Mike G]

There are some pretty awsome benches on here they make mine look stupid.. A trip to rona in the morning should help. Great posts soon Iwill have one picture worthy thanks for all the ideas...

 

[CanuckWR]

There are some pretty awsome benches on here they make mine look stupid.. A trip to rona in the morning should help. Great posts soon Iwill have one picture worthy thanks for all the ideas...

x2

Man this makes me feel like a hillbilly! Mine is super rough looking compared to these!!!

 

[vviking]

And, we handload to save money.

Flourescent lights nearby will make your digital scale misbehave. My Dillon goes wonky at 4 feet or less.

Have put a stainless top on, and just love it. Makes the surface glow with reflected light. Got mine from a elevator cab door skin, already glued to thick dense plywood. 24"x 84". See your local elevator interior contractor, they toss them.

For loose small tools, pilots, shellholders, etc., it doesn't take much to mount them on a thick piece of finished hardwood and display them as trophy's. Looks impressively organized to Her Majesty too.

Meh? ... love extreme clutter, reminds one of where he last left off on the myriad unfinished projects.

 

[Nosler06]

There are some pretty awsome benches on here they make mine look stupid.. A trip to rona in the morning should help. Great posts soon Iwill have one picture worthy thanks for all the ideas...

I'm with you. I don't think that I will post any pictures of a reload station as I dont have one. I recently moved and have some space in the garage (winter time very cold) and mount my press to my work bench when I am going to reload. Plans way in the future to develope basement and make a man cave with all of my reload gear, hunting gear, fishing gear and fly tying equip to call home. I must congratulate all who have posted with all the beautiful stations that I will definately go through and check out when I am ready to build. Great job guys.

 

[m777]

This is what I finally ended up with. I used the NRMA plan but didn't put the shelves on it and shorter and thinner on the bench itself. Moving hopefully in late spring so I made it to get out the door. I used 1x8/1x6 maple for the top. The rest of the wood was used. Looking back the shelf on the plan for the scale that didn't seem to be needed, was probably the most important part. Haven't fixed this issue yet. The wire shelves were on sale at Cdn tire. The chair is from the local hotel after losing a couple of VLT's.

Clint

 

[Kevin M.]

I have to do a day or so of cleaning before I post new pics of mine.

Covered in accessories from 3 presses, tools, and a belt fed 1919. The floor has way too much ammo scattered around in boxes, needs some tlc.

It will look badass when just the three presses and the 1919 are on it though...