Super space restricted or set up take down reloading benches?

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emerson

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Living arrangements have dramatically downsized my space. Not sure how I will do my reloading setup now. I can build a fixed bench without 110 power, guess it’s time for a beam scale. Other option is set up/tear down in the living space. Probably won’t go there. I only have 1 press so don’t need lots of real estate. Some pictures of how you solved this problem would be great for ideas.

Note: not divorced, just living small.
 
I used a workmate for a reloading bench, there was enough room for the press and scale. I did this when I was commuting back and forth between the farm and my home in the city, though not ideal it worked well enough.
 
emerson said:
Living arrangements have dramatically downsized my space. Not sure how I will do my reloading setup now. I can build a fixed bench without 110 power, guess it’s time for a beam scale. Other option is set up/tear down in the living space. Probably won’t go there. I only have 1 press so don’t need lots of real estate. Some pictures of how you solved this problem would be great for ideas.

Note: not divorced, just living small.
Click to expand...

you really only need a solid mount for the press. Everything else you can have moveable and I think you can work with 2 foot desk space.

you can probably run a scale with a 12v lipo or motorcycle battery and a small power inverter sinece a balance wont use much power
 
A storage tote or two that fits in the base of a closet and your press mounted to a plywood sub plate that can be easily F or C clamped to a kitchen counter top or other really firm solid base would be one possible answer. A piece of that non skid shelving mat between the plywood and top of whatever you use would protect the surface finish.

The whole thing could be brought out and used for a couple of hours than fully put away and all the area washed up. Used this way you don't need more than a 4 or 5 square feet or a bit under a square meter of area If you do this clamp the press at a corner so it can use three clamps for a firmer sort of support.

After that you'd get into something such as modifying a piece of furniture to both store and provide a work area. Storing the goodies away would involve just putting things into the piece of furniture. A dining area hutch might be one example of this sort of hideaway reloading center.

A given kitchen unit might not have enough of a lip to allow the placement of an F or C clamps pad. If that's the case an "L" section of wood or steel can act like a clamping finger for a narrow edge.
 
My reloading "bench" is 18" x 36" with the press mounted on a separate tri-stand. Before I got the stand, I clamped the press to the bench with an ordinary c-clamp. With the exception of powder and primers stored in the garage, every other reloading related thing is either on, in or under said bench.
 
I have a Midway reloading stand. I didn't want to mount my press to my bench because I always have other projecting the go.

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Very good input. Especially if I assemble the pieces (tools and components) to reload 1 caliber and keep using that brass until it’s done. Like 20 rnds of 375 at a time. Range visit, shoot 375 in field positions, and finish with 150-200 22LR. Repeat 2X a week. Fir variety take bow and walk the course once a week.
 
I agree, all you really need is a press mount. You can do everything else on a counter top, tv tray, coffee table etc. Tooner has a great idea with a C clamped mount for a counter top. Either prime on the press or with a hand primer, if you can't tumble use steel wool. My press stand is a length of 2" pipe welded to a steel truck rim with a piece of C channel welded to the top. 30" diameter of the tire is all the floor space it takes up and that could be 15" with the tire off. I'll be updating it soon with a bigger piece of channel. Right now it only has a Lee Challenger press and Perfect Powder Measure. I'll be adding a Lee C frame press with the PPM inbetween, Lee zip trim and a rack for my trimming accessories on the side, Load-All2 shotgun press on the opposite side just to consolidate everything without taking up any counter space. On the counter is where my loading blocks, RCBS Chargemaster lite and 5-0-5, bullets and dies sit. It's my stockpile of powder, primers and bullets that take up some room but they could be organized into a tote if need be. For a much scaled down setup where only a couple lbs of powder and a couple hundred bullets and primers are on hand you could use something as small as a shoebox.
 
When the wife & I were raising two daughters in a mobile home (about 800 sq ft.) space was at a premium for me as well. Not liking the "set-up& tear-down at every use" system so much (still takes space to store the stuff). I "made do" with an inexpensive cloak closet fro CT or Ikea , don't remember which. It stood about 6 ft tall, had two full length doors and took up a whole 4 sq ft footprint (2ft x2 ft). I bought a few 2x4's & a sheet of plywood to build a sturdy press bench & a couple less sturdy shelving units that all fit inside. My one press was bolted to the bench and the powder measure (beam type) was on a shelf attached to one of the doors so that when the door was open the scale was always there and handy. I installed a hasp lock on the doors to keep the girls & their friends from "exploring" when I or the wife were both not in the room.
I set this up in one corner of the room permanently and we never missed the space at all for the 8 yr duration we lived there.
 
I have two Lee presses mounted on a bar stool with a 1/2" piece of plywood for strength.

Either press can be used by turning the stool around.

Then any table or flat surface can be used for for the scale, powder, etc.,

I would post a picture but for the CGN picture system.
 
you could get one of the reloading lee stands. not sure not if its compatible with other types of presses but I think it would be worth looking into.

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Following closely - being cooped up and the rising cost of factory ammo has gotten me especially interested in reloading, but my "workspace" in my basement is a 6' folding table - I'm sure it could work but it's certainly not the most secure. I'm interested in a progressive as well, which I can only assume means much more weight to mount.
 
For some rounds I use an arbor press and wilson dies. I can size and prime some cases and move into the house from the garage and sit wherever with my powder/scale and start loading. You could get a wilson neck die for the arbor press too. All packs up small.
 
Got to hand it to Sail32. Pretty smart idea.

I kind of did my own thing trying to mimic the Lee stand. Cut a hole in the surface for the open frame press and mounted a glass jar by it's lid to capture the primers. This is standing height as well and wider at the base than the picture leads a person to believe. I wanted to move around a bit with some of the repetitive reloading actions.

Regards
Ronr
 

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