New Roll-top Reloading desk

[FF57]

My reloading finally has a place to call home instead of the kitchen table. I got the idea for a roll-top from a CGN'er. It's great for the apartment life, and it's lockable. And it doesn't look too shabby in the living room either

And I laid out a few goodies I've acquired from my father in law. I need to put together a little shadow box for those little handheld reloading dies to mount on top of the desk.

 

[surfclod]

Thats a great idea for those who can't have a dedicated reloading room.

How sturdy is the mount for the press?

 

[nowarningshot]

The sturdiness of the mount for the press is what jumped out at me also. If one could make it sturdy.....perhaps removable with a piece of common ply....remove and store in the roll covered area.....or a big drawer.

Pretty small area actually....would be good for a very occaisional loader or someone with only one or two calibers.

 

[FF57]

How sturdy is the mount for the press?

The board that it's attached to slides in and out of the desk and is about 2.5 feet long. It's deceptively solid. I'm able to put all my weight on it...

Pretty small area actually....would be good for a very occaisional loader or someone with only one or two calibers.

The apartment life... Gotta take what you can get. And yes, you must manage space a little bit more than having a room to dump everything into. But on the other hand, you're also not limited to a room when there are other things in life requiring your supervision; children, cooking supper, being somewhat in the same room as the wife... So in all practicality you're able to continue reloading during times where you would be drawn out of a dedicated room.

 

[BCRider]

You might be able to put your weight on it but the leverage gained by the lever is going to make it flex and feel a bit spongy. Also if nothing holds it in place I'd expect it to travel in and out unless you exercise some care while operating the lever.

Since you have to slide this plate out and store it because the press won't fit in the slot I'd suggest a plywood plate with a detachable leg that extends to the floor so it has a firmer and solid feel. It'll make it easier to feel any little issues with the brass or while priming on the press.

Or if you do actually unbolt the press between loading sessions then perhaps the bolts could pass right through the holes in the slide out and into the top of such a leg.

To see how much flex you have find a 2x2 and cut then shim it for a snug fit that levers the slide out board up until it's wedged hard against the desk's weight. Then try a batch of ammo. I think you'll find that the removal of the flex makes the press feel a lot nicer to operate. And a trial of this sort only costs one piece of wood. If it does work out as I suspect then look at neater and tidier options to make up a better leg.

Other than the press plate flexing issue I think you nailed the solution for an apartment. It closes up to a nice looking point of interest and gives you a good amount of room for reloading and other gun tinkering.

 

[Varmit]

Great idea, but keep powder spillage to a minimum or you could get into trouble real quick!

 

[FF57]

Thanks BCRider, reading your input for the reloading room in the other thread has been inspiring... one day... But even if that day ever come, I don't think this desk will ever lose its place. It's a tidy area to practice the craft in the living room. And it sure is an upgrade from what I was doing before; namely I had the press clamped to the kitchen table. One, I had to hold onto the press as I applied leverage. And two, I actually cracked the $60 table...

Great idea, but keep powder spillage to a minimum or you could get into trouble real quick!

Powder is like gold these days... Spilling is blasphemous.

 

[Rod B]

That is a beautiful bench but I would move the press to an area that could be reinforced.

 

[silverfoxdj]

I'd hate to modify such a beautiful desk to make it suitable for loading maybe a folding workbench is more praticle..

 

[nada]

nice move . far better than the kitchen table [ bin there done that ] , the disappearing tools & lockable is a bonus .

 

[Major Sights]

How sturdy is the mount for the press?

This too jumped out at me, as I just got my bench up and running. I have a steel framed legs, with 2x8's as the pre base, a 31''x36'' sheet of plywood as the sub table (for support of the mounting system for the press) and a 31''x48'' piece of 45 minute rated fire door as my desktop. When I am full length sizing, and have the odd stiff one I am flexing that table a good amount. Just be carefull, and I love the look of those desks (I had one as a child but it got sold.... ).

 

[Johnn Peterson]

My reloading finally has a place to call home instead of the kitchen table. I got the idea for a roll-top from a CGN'er. It's great for the apartment life, and it's lockable. And it doesn't look too shabby in the living room either

And I laid out a few goodies I've acquired from my father in law. I need to put together a little shadow box for those little handheld reloading dies to mount on top of the desk.

Amazing. Seems you have the same roll top desk as I have, except mine is used as my computer desk in my den.



And, at the other end of the den, through a set of bat wing doors, my reloading room.