Reload bench setup help

I would suggest you have a look at the Lee Classic Cast single stage press.

I don't think the breech lock bushings are worth the effort, changing dies is no great hardship.. Just my .02 cents.:)

I bought the Lee Classic Cast when they first came out because their claim at the time was that it was 50 BMG capable... and they were correct.
It made good 50 BMG ammo as well as a lot of other stuff because of the larger frame opening.
The 50 rifle is long gone but the press is on my bench to stay, I don't think there are very many presses that can lay claim to be capable of loading everything from 22 Hornet up to and including the big .50....
 
Just finished the bench... internationnal workbench
added 3/4 plywood on top of 5/8 presswood and added a light to see what I'm actually doing haha
Bought used for 80$ now I just need to put some reloading stuff on it



 
...and still room for the cat. Nice find.

Nice low shelf to weigh down. The lower you can get heavier the more stable the platform.

Have you considered a way to quickly add and remove the press? That way you can get access tot he drawer. A bench plate system could suit you well.
 
Lee makes a quick attaching bench plate system that you can adapt for the mounting holes for an RCBS press. They might line up, I don't know.

Alternatively, attach the press to a wood block or metal plate and then attach that to the bench top to threaded inserts installed from below. Attaching to a thick plate/block and fastening in a wide pattern keeps the press rock solid. Hardware to use is like captured nuts flush with the wood.

Even without using a bench plate, t-nuts allow you to align your press with holes and tighten down a couple of bolts without having to put a wrench on the nut which would be inconveniently out of reach inside the drawer on the inderside of the bench top. This idea was presented earlier I think, probably by bcrider.
h ttps://www.lowes.ca/nuts/the-hillman-group-38-in-16-zinc-plated-steel-standard-sae-4-prong-tee-nuts-2-pack_g1358519.html
 
Very easy and very cheap. Plywood for the sub plates and Tee or Tophat nuts from below set into a line of holes set back from the bench front as I suggested earlier. 3/4 plywood plates with 5/16 screws all 'round to hold the presses to the plates and then bolted through the holes to the Tee nuts set into the holes from below. By using regular increments for the holes you can put anything anywhere on the bench.

As the second picture shows it's not only for reloading presses. The vise more or less lives in that location and I made the plate a bit bigger to better spread out the loads and impacts. But in a blink I can unbolt it along with the presses and have a clean top.

Items other than presses? The machinist's vise obviously. But you can also secure a rifle work stand or make up a simple bolt down foot to hold a work lamp or any number of items. For example the small hobby size drill press you see in the second picture is now mounted to a "box" with a drawer for the drill set and chuck key that bolts to the table through this same set of holes.

I think the Tee nuts were about 80 cents from Home Despot when I bought them. 5/16 nuts fit into 3/8 holes. So it's super cheap, super flexible and super durable. If you want more placement options just put more holes spaced closer together so you can move the items around in "half steps". For your bench I'd suggest the first two be in from the edges about 2 inches and then space the holes on 4 inch centers set 5 inches back from the front. That makes the plates large enough for good load spreading. And it keep the bolts back from the edge that the leverage is to your benefit.

P1020177.jpg


P1020176.jpg
 
Very easy and very cheap. Plywood for the sub plates and Tee or Tophat nuts from below set into a line of holes set back from the bench front as I suggested earlier. 3/4 plywood plates with 5/16 screws all 'round to hold the presses to the plates and then bolted through the holes to the Tee nuts set into the holes from below. By using regular increments for the holes you can put anything anywhere on the bench.

As the second picture shows it's not only for reloading presses. The vise more or less lives in that location and I made the plate a bit bigger to better spread out the loads and impacts. But in a blink I can unbolt it along with the presses and have a clean top.

Items other than presses? The machinist's vise obviously. But you can also secure a rifle work stand or make up a simple bolt down foot to hold a work lamp or any number of items. For example the small hobby size drill press you see in the second picture is now mounted to a "box" with a drawer for the drill set and chuck key that bolts to the table through this same set of holes.

I think the Tee nuts were about 80 cents from Home Despot when I bought them. 5/16 nuts fit into 3/8 holes. So it's super cheap, super flexible and super durable. If you want more placement options just put more holes spaced closer together so you can move the items around in "half steps". For your bench I'd suggest the first two be in from the edges about 2 inches and then space the holes on 4 inch centers set 5 inches back from the front. That makes the plates large enough for good load spreading. And it keep the bolts back from the edge that the leverage is to your benefit.

P1020177.jpg


P1020176.jpg

Haaa now I understand! Love it gonna check that out at m'y hardware store
 
received the press and was wondering ... If I put it on the side like that, will I hate myself for doing that



or should I place it like everyone like that and make it removable to access the god damn drawer

 
You are going to hate yourself if you put that on the side. I can't even imagine coming down on a case of hard brass like that.
As for the drawer thing, yeah - use a quick release system if you want to use the drawer. Otherwise, the easiest thing is just to remove the drawer and not use it at all.
 
x2 - you are going to hate yourself if you put that on the side.


You are going to hate yourself if you put that on the side. I can't even imagine coming down on a case of hard brass like that.
As for the drawer thing, yeah - use a quick release system if you want to use the drawer. Otherwise, the easiest thing is just to remove the drawer and not use it at all.
 
You REALLY want it out on the front. It's hard to pull the lever to the side and along with that you'll find it hard to "feel" how much pressure you're using for times you want to use a controlled pressure.

The drawer might well be best used with items you don't need to access regularly.

Or I might have a way for you to make up a "slide lock" base for your press so it slides in and locks securely but with a single twist of a handle unlocks and you can slide it out to access the drawer. You'd still want to get what you need and then close it up for the whole session but at least you could still use it that way.

Um.... just thought of an idea for a hinged sub plate which would work for this. Sketch to follow. Right now the South Sea Island Jungle that my lawn as become thanks to the current wave of unseasonably warm weather needs hacking down.
 
If you have an idea for a really quick realease I'm all ears! I store the things I need for reload in that drawer but only when I'll be done reloading so it's a one use deal for the time I'm reloading I don't have to access it during the process.
 
Don't buy the cheap lee press.
Get the big one.
I had a cheap one and the toggle link broke and they did not want to
replace it.
I now have the big Lee press and I like it better than the big RCBS that I had.
It cost me about $48.00 to get another link.
The link is made of cast metal.
 
Suggestion for a work table, look at Costco in Montreal or south-shore, Torin work table 199.99

I'm going to pick one up.

Bad picture but like this one but all black w/ a thick wood surface. (no light)
b865486fe6404ef90341c08a107e35ea.jpg



EDIT: oops, I just saw you bought the table already lol!
 
all done!

removable press, at that height I don't even need to remove it to access the drawer, I just press it half way and it clears

 
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