Built A Reloading Bench instead of buying one!

[Stevo]

Nice benches guys. Steve, I also like your dog. Same piano stool front legs as mine in that position as well as the ever present toy.

Thanks, he's of the rarely seen Mini Labramutt variety. Thank god that particular toy isn't a squeaker.

Got my Inline Fab press mount and handle in the mail yesterday. After being an obtuse tard, I finally realized why the bend in the handle didn't look right when I took it out of the package.

Now I need to figure where to bolt the press down and get a new roof light fixture and a different light to shine on the press.

 

[VanMan]

Two things: your metal top plate is a nice touch but a reloading table top needs a bit of a "lip" at the outer edge...most everything we handle in reloading is "round" and loves to roll off the smooth surface onto the floor and end up rolling under the bench where a search light and retrieval tools are needed...All that is needed is a strip of corner edging of some kind fastened to the metal, might detract from the "looks" of your outfit a bit but sure saves a lot of trips to your knees.

The second thing is why would you want to ruin an absoluty perfectly good bench with lots of leg room underneath it so you can "get up close" presses and to your work. An underneath bench will only be a shin-basher and a garbage collector that you will have to get to your knees to find that certain box that will be definitely way in the back. Build storage benches ABOVE the table...everything within easy reach and fully illuminated by the room light .

Good tip on the edging around the table top. It doesn't have to be much, mine is only 1/32" above the bench top.

Personally I liked having a bottom shelf in my reloading bench. I think it depends on where you mount your presses as to whether you will encroach on knee space or not. For my 650, I didn't have the height in my basement to use a strong mount, so with the press mounted on the edge of the bench, I'm sitting on a stool a fair ways away from the bench. For my 550 because I don't use a case feeder, I can use a strongmount, but with the press at that height, I'm standing when I reload with it.



One of the things I found with my 650 is that with the extended height of the case feeder (and Mr Bullet Feeder), any little movement of the press when reloading is magnified many fold for the case feeder. Even with my bench bolted to the foundation at the back, I was getting enough movement that sometimes a case would feed in upside-down. Around 5 times in 100 cases which sucks when you are trying to get into a good repetitive rhythm. Loading down the bottom shelf with bullets really helped, and it's a good excuse to stock up too

 

[Moose_Master]

You did great making it yourself.
The only thing I tried to avoid at my bench was the metal top. Why? Because is ...cold, all the time. You can laugh but that's a fact. I've got the main bench for free and it's actually an old metal desk. What made me chose it was the unbelievable sturdiness of the desk. I can stand on top of it and dance or jump and won't even flinch. Of course is heavy like heck but that was the point.
While I was installing it I realized how cold is the thing even in the room was quite warm. So I bought two plywood sheets and cut them to match the surface, then I glue them together to have 1 inch wooden top and in the end I applied a matte varnish. I can tell you that plywood, glue, varnish and other small things added to 150$. So I can't brag about 100% free bench.
Anyway, doing it with your own hands is really rewarding. It's another feeling of accomplishment as reloading itself.

 

[Stevo]

Got my 550 set up for 9mm. The bench lighting needs work and with the Inline mount I need a taller chair to see into the cases.

Fixing one thing always seems to point out something else that isn't right.