Small Apt Sized Reloading bench?

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shamus71

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Vancouver, BC
Just wondering if anyone has plans or pictures of a reloading bench or cabinet for a small apartment. I don't have a seperate room for this, so I thought of either having something small and portable that I could stow in a closet when not in use. OR, a cabinet that I could just close the doors. Thinking of upgrading to a Lee Loadmaster press.
Any ideas?
 
For now, I am using an ikea Bekvam kitchen cart for my gun stuff, this might be doing well for a space constricted apt. An equivalent can quickly be built out of 2x4 and plywood top. I am planning in the next few week to build a 3'x8' bench in my living room where I will be moving my gun stuff. I think I will probably add a 2'x4' higher bench for cleaning.

Luckily I am not living downtown, so I have a bit more decently sized apt :)
 
Armored Metal said:
How about a Black&Decker Workbench?
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A buddy of mine used to use one of those and just had his press on a piece of plywood that he used the workbench to clamp. It folded up out of the way when he wasn't reloading. He still used a table for dispensing powder and for his scale but the B&D workbench worked great.
 
MattRidge said:
I am planning in the next few week to build a 3'x8' bench in my living room where I will be moving my gun stuff. I think I will probably add a 2'x4' higher bench for cleaning.
Click to expand...

You are clearly not married... ;)

OP... go to the reloading bench picture thread and scroll through for inspiration...
 
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cr5 said:
A buddy of mine used to use one of those and just had his press on a piece of plywood that he used the workbench to clamp. It folded up out of the way when he wasn't reloading. He still used a table for dispensing powder and for his scale but the B&D workbench worked great.
Click to expand...

I'm reloading on a B+D Workmate too, due to my limited size basement that also houses the laundry and the wife's art studio. A piece of plywood with a cleat on one side you can clamp in the bench's jaws works. Add a couple wood clamps at the back end for extra stability when using the press. I leave my press and such screwed to the board when not in use, drill a hole in the back and hang it up with one of those garage storage hooks.
Tip: get an adjustable height stool so you can get comfy, I find it a little low to comfortably use with a chair.
 
For quite some time I had my press mounted on a piece of doubled 3/4" plywood which I would clamp to an oak card table to reload... it worked fine, but I found that I didn't want to take the time to set-up and tear down and was not reloading as much as I wanted to... I finally broke down and built a reloading center in a spare room... I now reload regularly as everything is already out and organized. I have always had a reloading station in the garage, but for six months of the year it is too cold to reload out there.
 
You can find the B&D Workmate in pawn shops. They work well. Do not use anything with a particle board/OSB top though. It breaks easily. Even the thick stuff. Have a bench I bought eons ago($30 in Beaver Lumber, 40 some years ago) that broke on its very first use. Piece of 1/4" steel fixed it.
 
I use an ikea wooden kitchen cart. The one with 2 wheels. I have a press mounted and a case trimmer. There is enough room for my scale when it's set up. 2 shelves on it for dies, powder, bullets etc. Works fantastic. I'll try to post pics when I'm back in the country
 
hoytcanon said:
You are clearly not married... ;)

OP... go to the reloading bench picture thread and scroll through for inspiration...
Click to expand...

I agree... My wife isn't going to like a 2x4 and plywood bench in our living room. Will do a search for this bench picture thread.
Thanks for the advice so far everyone! Some good ideas.
 
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