Thoughts on reloading benches

My old man and I built this over the weekend, very happy with how this turned out.

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Picture quality not the best, but I will post more when I have proper lighting and all my green gear mounted on it.
 
I just built a bench in my laundry room downstairs a few days ago, and brought some tools together, but have'nt really sorted them out yet. I ordered my Lee classic turret press (cast one) from factory sales, and it should be arriving next week, so I can bolt it to my bench.

The bench is 32x66, with one shelf and is made out of 2x6 wood, with some plywood screwed to the top, to keep eveything flat and level. I reinforced it, and built a middle leg directly in the middle of the bench, so I can actually stand on top of the bench, and jump around, and it does'nt flex at all. I also wired 2 extra recepticals, screwed a power bar into the far side aslo so I have about 10 different plug in locations, scattered everywere, and then I wired a light directly over the middle of the bench so I have plenty of overhead lighting. I might install a flexible cord light, so I can position it to exactly I need it to be when I start reloading.

I did'nt spend alot of time making the bench pretty because its in my laundry room were knowone will ever see it, unless they are being shown a reloading demonstration, and its not really big at only 32x66, but if I ever buy a second press, then I can have one bolted at the end, facing to the left, and the other one right in the middle, facing the wall. For now, I don't expect me upgrading my turret press, since I just ordered it, and its not even set up yet.
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Chalkriver-

I cut the legs 3 inches shorter than on the plan. I am 5'11 and its perfect height now as I like to stand while I work, or if I feel like sitting I can always get a tall bar stool. One thing I wish we would have done differently is to cut out the doors LAST and measure them to fit perfectly once it is all built, we followed the dimensions to within 1/16th of an inch and found the big doors were tight and the small doors were almost too small and the hinged door we had to cut a new one so there would be no gaps. Other than that the plans were easy enough to follow, and if you run into any issues while building it send me a message and I will try and help trouble shoot it. Thanks for the compliment

Wayne
 
Great set up's everyone. I am about to build a detached shop/ man knitting cave in the next month or so. I love seeing all the photos. It gives me some great idea's for sure.

My detached building is going to be 18.25' x 41'. The shop area is going to be 26' deep so that leaves me with a 18.25' x 15' man knitting room!

Thanks to everyone for posting up the great pics.
 
CT has a workbench on sale right now, 199.99. Anyone ever use one or think it would be ok?? I live in an apartment so I don't want to drill into the walls and attach anything. *Edit. I just read that it has a MDF table top but that could be beefed up with some plywood or something.

http://ww w.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443326889&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672077&bmUID=1302105607533
 
personal_aviator said:
CT has a workbench on sale right now, 199.99. Anyone ever use one or think it would be ok?? I live in an apartment so I don't want to drill into the walls and attach anything. *Edit. I just read that it has a MDF table top but that could be beefed up with some plywood or something.

http://ww w.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443326889&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672077&bmUID=1302105607533
Click to expand...

I use thed a cheaper jobmate version of that CT mastercraft bench. All I did is replace the mdf with good plywood and painted it. Screwed/bolted intot the wall and I was off to the races. Its a quick/cheap compact reloading bench. Ill think about something a little more deluxe when I a bigger room at my disposal.
 
Hillbilly_Deluxe said:
The finished product.

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That is nice. I recognize those 4x4s on my bench too. I put a stainless top on mine, came from an elevator refurb job I think. Worked great. Save for the cubboards on yours, it looks identical.

Is that my sister on your wall??

Nice job. BTW my stool is still a workmate. More room for my a$$ that way.
 
Well i just built a new bench. I had one of the canadian tire benches for the last couple of years and the wife wanted another bench in the laundry area. So i built a new one for me and she got my old one. I really dont know how i fit all of this stuff on my old bench that was 4' wide. The one is 83" wide and im out of room. Total cost for the bench was under 150 bucks and took me about 5 hours. Its not lite either.I was gonna build one like above but i just dont have the proper equipment for that.

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I just finished putting together my new reloading bench. I picked it up at my local Mcdiarmid Lumber store. I was in the previous flyer for 99 bucks but the sale was over. Fortunate for me, the display still had the 99.00 tag on it so that's what I got it for versus the 159.99 it was regular. It's not a high quality bench by any means but it is heavy and sturdy (the company name that makes it is called Sturdy Products :rolleyes: ) So far I do not have my own reloading equipt but will soon be picking up an RCBS kit. The table top is made of 3/4" thick MDF but I will be changing that to 1" plywood soon. The drawres are a bit flimsy but it will do for now. I live in an apartment so this is the best I could do considering if I move it's just bolts I have to remove versus screws if I made my own.

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I'm getting my RCBS kit today and have been relegated to one of the upstairs attic rooms. I have a metal leg for the counter top and will mount it under the press. this thread has been great for ideas. I'll post more pics when I get set up.

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Here is mine, $19.99 Canadian Tire Workbench (the 250lbs rated one) with some Plywood, Portable and solid :D:D Don't have much room, so when i am done it does into the closet :)
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personal_aviator said:
I just finished putting together my new reloading bench. I picked it up at my local Mcdiarmid Lumber store. I was in the previous flyer for 99 bucks but the sale was over. Fortunate for me, the display still had the 99.00 tag on it so that's what I got it for versus the 159.99 it was regular. It's not a high quality bench by any means but it is heavy and sturdy (the company name that makes it is called Sturdy Products :rolleyes: ) So far I do not have my own reloading equipt but will soon be picking up an RCBS kit. The table top is made of 3/4" thick MDF but I will be changing that to 1" plywood soon. The drawres are a bit flimsy but it will do for now. I live in an apartment so this is the best I could do considering if I move it's just bolts I have to remove versus screws if I made my own.

IMGP0684.jpg
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Consider screwing and gluing two pieces of 3/4 plywood toghether to form the top. It will be stronger and you could use one piece oversize or offset to simplify mounting your press. Rona sells smaller pieces like this and their Winnipeg locations will custom cut the pieces for you at no charge.

Just a thought.

John
 
Consider screwing and gluing two pieces of 3/4 plywood toghether to form the top. It will be stronger and you could use one piece oversize or offset to simplify mounting your press. Rona sells smaller pieces like this and their Winnipeg locations will custom cut the pieces for you at no charge.

Just a thought.

John
Click to expand...

I was thinking that also, about glueing two pieces together or at least putting a couple pieces of 2x4 under the plywood to strengthen it up. I would like to build something so that the press could be removed. Being a small bench I would like to be able to have an open table top when i'm not making ammunition. I would like to stay away from clamps to hold the press down also. Actually an idea just poped into my head. Something along the line of a hole cut into the table top, an insert made with the press attached to it and some pins on the bottom to hold the insert in when using the press, pins like trailer hitch pins or something. Any ideas/thoughts?
 
Lots of space on the top is a good starting place but not too deep or it will turn into a clutter magnet. Then make sure it's heavy. For bonus points you should have a shelf underneath to store equipment.

Don't permanently mount things to your bench. Mount them to a mounting block and clamp that block to the bench top. Makes the bench much easier to deal with and cuts down on clutter.
 
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