and I'm not sure how high to make them. What seems to be the favourite height? I'm about 5'9" and my back is a bit tender after sitting on a stool for hours on end. Found out the hard way as in my old shop I built them too low - kitchen counter height. Thanks for any suggestions. cheers
How high? have to build new reloading benches
- Thread starter 4570
- Start date
im 6'5 and i build all my benches high, gun room benches included. Best thing i can recommend is to sit in your chair / stool and set up your reloading rig in front of you on a saw horse (or similar)
does it feel comfortable? back getting sore? adjust as necessary and get building!
does it feel comfortable? back getting sore? adjust as necessary and get building!
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Guys are built differently. two guys the same height might be short, or long in the body, compensating with leg length.
You're going to have to experiment to find the right height, or use an adjustable chair.
I feel your pain, with the back. Mine has been hell for twenty years now.
Finding the right height is only half the battle. You'll have to change positions, stand or sit, etc, to give your back a break, if it's anything like mine.
You're going to have to experiment to find the right height, or use an adjustable chair.
I feel your pain, with the back. Mine has been hell for twenty years now.
Finding the right height is only half the battle. You'll have to change positions, stand or sit, etc, to give your back a break, if it's anything like mine.
Remember to give yourself a 3-4 inch lip on your tabletop so you can mount your press without interference or grief. My tabletop is 1" thick plywood. I did a 4 inch lip to mount my rockchucker. I also sandwiched 2 small pieces of saligna between the plywood such that the mounting bolts had more to bite into.
42" is what I built mine to. Very comfortable height when doing alot of reloading while standing. I find if the bench is too low, then you will bend more to pull the handle of the press. Thats not a big deal if you load very small quantities, but the more you do it, the more sore you will be after a loading session from bending.
My benchtop is made from two sheets of 3/4" ply glued and screwed together, with a 4" lip for mounting my presses. I now have two mounted on there, and cabinets built on top with doors covering it all. I should get some new photos for you, but these are what I have.
I used tapcon's to bolt a frame to the wall, then built the whole bench using pocket screws. The thing is a tank, no motion whatsoever. It is the best bench I have ever had the pleasure to use, no wobble or motion.
Here is one more tip. Don't cheap out. Spend the extra few dollars on materiels and you will have a finished product that will last a lifetime if you build it right.
My benchtop is made from two sheets of 3/4" ply glued and screwed together, with a 4" lip for mounting my presses. I now have two mounted on there, and cabinets built on top with doors covering it all. I should get some new photos for you, but these are what I have.
I used tapcon's to bolt a frame to the wall, then built the whole bench using pocket screws. The thing is a tank, no motion whatsoever. It is the best bench I have ever had the pleasure to use, no wobble or motion.
Here is one more tip. Don't cheap out. Spend the extra few dollars on materiels and you will have a finished product that will last a lifetime if you build it right.
What material to use for the top? MDF looks pretty sturdy, 3/4" should do nicely, I think. I used to load on an old pressboard desk, which survived a few thousand rounds loaded on a single stage, but now I want something a lot more serious. 42" high seems to be the best height, can't even put into words how my back felt after 3-4 hours at that old desk, with kitchen chair to sit on. It did pretty well at a work bench however, but after I drove a hammer through it during reno's, it didn't get loaded onto the moving truck. How deep is deep enough, 3' seems like plenty, with scads of storage space underneath.
Nice Dillon setup there.
MDF: It makes for a great working surface because it is hard, dense, and smooth, but is not very good for mounting tools to because it "flakes" when anchoring screws into it. It's important to make use longer screws and a proper anchoring material under the sheet of MDF where you plan to anchor tools down. Especially something like a press/vise where you'll be putting a fair amount of torque into the lever.
Whereas, with the double plywood surface shown above, you could anchor anywhere on the table and not worry about having a stud beneath it. Double-thick plywood will hold screws very well--probably better than a pine/spruce stud.
Mine is 39" high, but I'm not as tall as a few of the above posters. Comfortable standing or sitting on a drafting chair.
3 layers of MDF with the top layer being maple veneer. Solid maple 3/4" thick around the edge of the MDF to cover it. Several coats of polyurethane.
Frame is welded square/rectangular tubing.
5" overhang on the front to mount presses. This also gives you room for your knees if you are sitting on a chair/stool. Shelf underneath is also recessed a few inches to give extra leg room for sitting. Shelf is 3/4" plywood on steel perimeter tubing. Weight of bench plus spare lead shot and boxes of bullets (not loaded cartridges) and brass is 1,000+ lbs. It doesn't need to be secured to the wall........
3 layers of MDF with the top layer being maple veneer. Solid maple 3/4" thick around the edge of the MDF to cover it. Several coats of polyurethane.
Frame is welded square/rectangular tubing.
5" overhang on the front to mount presses. This also gives you room for your knees if you are sitting on a chair/stool. Shelf underneath is also recessed a few inches to give extra leg room for sitting. Shelf is 3/4" plywood on steel perimeter tubing. Weight of bench plus spare lead shot and boxes of bullets (not loaded cartridges) and brass is 1,000+ lbs. It doesn't need to be secured to the wall........
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wow Kevin - that bench is built like a tank!! Thanks for all the input guys the consensus seems to be build higher then what you think you need. I think approx. 37/38" as will be my working height my previous benches were 36". Also the lip is something I didn't build in before - it was flush and did make it harder to mount presses. I think this time I'm not going to build shelving below the press positions so I can sit closer and keep my back straighter. There were times before where after a couple of hours I could barely straighten up. I'll be building two separate loading positions - smokeless separate from black powder - as I'm having more senior's moments these days and safety comes first. I'm converting an old 20'X12' garage into a work/loading shop. I'm calling it my winter project 
cheers
Bill
cheersBill
Here we go, snapped new photos.
It is still not quite done, I have to hang one more door up top, and add hardware, (handles, magnetic catches, etc.) and cut some more pegboard to enclose the sides, but she is 95% done now. I have been working on the doors for the last day or two. Gotta run back out to home depot for another set of hinges.
I am soooooo close.
Behind the press I had to get creative, because there was not enough room for the door to open.
It is still not quite done, I have to hang one more door up top, and add hardware, (handles, magnetic catches, etc.) and cut some more pegboard to enclose the sides, but she is 95% done now. I have been working on the doors for the last day or two. Gotta run back out to home depot for another set of hinges.
I am soooooo close.
Behind the press I had to get creative, because there was not enough room for the door to open.
- Location
- Kumankissmyass, BC
Wow!! nice set up..you need to stock up on powder and primers though!
Thanks, I put alot of time and effort designing and building it. If you want some specs, just ask and I will explain how I built various things.
As for powder and primers... really? I have a Dillon 1050 lol, thats not a 10th of my horde. I have around 20lbs of powder in a seperate powder locker, and around 35k primers between small and large pistol, and small and large rifle.
I have a lot of guns that like to be kept well fed.
As for powder and primers... really?
I have a Dillon 1050 lol, thats not a 10th of my horde. I have around 20lbs of powder in a seperate powder locker, and around 35k primers between small and large pistol, and small and large rifle. I have a lot of guns that like to be kept well fed.
