Best $75.00 I ever spent!!

[4xforfun]

Now that makes sense.. I bet it is now nice and smooth..I looked at this one very seriously.. but just hav'nt pulled the trigger.. $.. Plus we carry our bench as far as 100 yds on occasion.. ( Pdogs)

The only weight it added was the weight of the bearing minus the 4" of pipe he cut off.

 

[markT]

I hope u kill a bunch from your refined / reworked bench.. Well done..

 

[4xforfun]

I hope u kill a bunch from your refined / reworked bench.. Well done..

 

[LCazador]

Well, maybe junker is going a bit far, as I see that some individual installed the adjusting cams upside down, allowing no movement whatever; hence the bent adjusting screw. I've got an original bench I use weekly that was made in 1999, and with the proper care and lubrication, it's still going strong and is in perfect condition.

Please do note that the bench pictured is a Caldwell/ChiCom unit, and NOT one of our originals made here in Oregon.

If you decide you want an original BR Pivot padded seat instead of the wooden anomaly seen in the photo, let me know.

I've got two of the original BR Pivot benches and I've never had a problem with them. I believe I purchased in 1995. When did they start making the BR Pivot? I apply graphite to the nylon bushings and that seems to keep them rotating smoothly without a hitch. I've also added more oil to the tops twice to keep them from warping if it rains. Great product!!

 

[4xforfun]

I've got two of the original BR Pivot benches and I've never had a problem with them. I believe I purchased in 1995. When did they start making the BR Pivot? I apply graphite to the nylon bushings and that seems to keep them rotating smoothly without a hitch. I've also added more oil to the tops twice to keep them from warping if it rains. Great product!!

It wan't just that they didn't rotate easily, but the fit was SLOPPY to say the least. And, to make the fit any better made them rotate even harder.

Like I said....if this bearing thing was a $200.00 option from the get go I would drop the coin in a North Dakota Second!!! But, that is me.

 

[billshehane]

Rick

I have a like new BR Pivot Lite with nylon bags and all. Whats it worth, I'm too old to cut the mustard anymore.

Bill Shehane
704-824-7511

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Bill, PM sent......

 

[msinc]

Boy I thought this was about something else.

I know, right!!!! It instantly brought back memories of those twins in Matamouros that hung me up by the feet and beat me senseless....and all they charged was $37.00!!!! Best money I ever spent......viva los tudos!!!!!!!

 

[powderbrake]

Insuring smooth rotation and no wobble is the primary concern on a rotating bench. After shooting prairie dogs for many years from various manufacturer's wobbly benches, I designed a rotating bench which is smooth, rigid and stable. The bench is manufactured by my son's company, and can be seen at https://custommetalprod.com/shooting-targets/precision-varmint-shooting-bench I offer this information, not as a sales pitch, but based on my nearly 40 years of prairie dog hunting and my experience as a design engineer and manufacturer. I saw what was available, and was able to make the changes that I felt were needed to make an effective shooting bench.

The rotation issue was addressed by providing a bronze bearing to support the weight of the table and shooter. The machined bronze bearing rides against a machined collar on the main tube. The main tube extends about 7" into the base tube, and is machined to fit closely to the base tube for smooth rotation with no wobble. In addition all the square tube and socket joints are trimmed for a close, no slop fit. Stability is insured by a large 8" X 11" steel top plate which supports the 13 layer Baltic Birch Plywood top. This means the top doesn't sag under the weight of the rest and rifle, yet it is all light enough to carry.
The legs and seat are adjustable with hitch pins, and thumb screws hold the top on, so no tools are needed for assembly/disassembly.

The top can be flipped over for a left hand shooter. It is of adequate size to hold the front rest , rear bag, gun, binoculars, ammo, wind meter, and other stuff, and is wide enough where needed to allow both elbows on the table when using binocs to find the dogs. All the excess parts of the top have been chopped off to reduce the buffeting caused by the wind.

The web page shows both a complete assembly and a unit without the top. I strongly recommend the complete assembly as the top is CNC machined to dimension, and being Baltic Birch is MUCH stiffer than normal plywood.

 

[phxfa]

How do you level the table?
Hard to beat the cams on the Caldwell style

 

[powderbrake]

How do you level the table?
Hard to beat the cams on the Caldwell style

Yes, the cams on the BR Pivot are nice.

I can slide one or more legs in or out to a different length, as the angle of the legs is greater, which helps to level, but normally I just take a couple 4" lengths of 2X4, and place them under one leg as needed. It's quick, and works well.

 

[powderbrake]

4Xfor fun:

What is the bearing part that you used. Where did it come from on the car? Where would I go to get one of these bearings. I have a friend with a BR pivot that would like to improve the rotation.

 

[4xforfun]

Honestly, and also somewhat embarrassing, I had a brand new unit bearing in my hand that I grabbed off the shelf ( I am a Ford dealer). I was showing my mechanic what I wanted to do with my rotating bench. He shook his head, walked into the other room and came back with an old used bearing out of the junk bin. " this will last you a thousand years for what you want to do... you don't need a new part for that". So, in all honesty I really don't know what automobile the bearing fits. He was right, just because it made noise at 70 miles an hour.... it' still spins freely and didn't cost a dime. The only advice I would give is to make sure that the bolt pattern on the bearing where the tire and wheel would usually bolt on is wider than the diameter of the pipe.... mine was just wide enough, but the wheel studs had to be knocked out and and smaller bolts used in their place. The bearing itself was simply welded onto the steel base and could be easily blown off and replaced if needed. You could probably stop at any general mechanics garage and he would give you a truckload of the junk unit-bearings for free. Let me know if you want to see more pictures .....I can take some more. The only part that I couldn't do was the aluminum welding.... evidently the world is full of people who can weld on aluminum.... just not me

 

[powderbrake]

Honestly, and also somewhat embarrassing, I had a brand new unit bearing in my hand that I grabbed off the shelf ( I am a Ford dealer). I was showing my mechanic what I wanted to do with my rotating bench. He shook his head, walked into the other room and came back with an old used bearing out of the junk bin. " this will last you a thousand years for what you want to do... you don't need a new part for that". So, in all honesty I really don't know what automobile the bearing fits. He was right, just because it made noise at 70 miles an hour.... it' still spins freely and didn't cost a dime. The only advice I would give is to make sure that the bolt pattern on the bearing where the tire and wheel would usually bolt on is wider than the diameter of the pipe.... mine was just wide enough, but the wheel studs had to be knocked out and and smaller bolts used in their place. The bearing itself was simply welded onto the steel base and could be easily blown off and replaced if needed. You could probably stop at any general mechanics garage and he would give you a truckload of the junk unit-bearings for free. Let me know if you want to see more pictures .....I can take some more. The only part that I couldn't do was the aluminum welding.... evidently the world is full of people who can weld on aluminum.... just not me

OK , I see now that it was a wheel hub, thanks for the information

 

[4xforfun]

The wheel bolt pattern is 5 on 4 1/2. I would find something with a 5 inch plus bolt pattern...weather it is a 4,5,6,or 8 bolt shouldn't matter.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

That arrangement appears to have a 3 degree tilt to port. Did anyone check for alignment? It appears to have been cobbled together by a rookie welder. Maybe I'm being picky, but I like my fabrications to be nice and neat. I would have sent that individual down the road if he had worked in my shop. Sandblasting or at least a bit of time with a wire wheel on the old, rusted out truck wheel assembly and then painted would have gone a long way too.

With the way this modification was done, it completely negates the take-down feature of the original design too. I'm betting it's a real joy to move about now. Forget ever putting it into the carry/storage bags that were offered.

There's many fixes for the Caldwell bench (made in China) to ensure good rotation, but this Rube Goldberg setup beats all. To each his own I suppose. (Flame suit firmly zipped up.......)

 

[4xforfun]

That arrangement appears to have a 3 degree tilt to port. Did anyone check for alignment? It appears to have been cobbled together by a rookie welder. Maybe I'm being picky, but I like my fabrications to be nice and neat. I would have sent that individual down the road if he had worked in my shop. Sandblasting or at least a bit of time with a wire wheel on the old, rusted out truck wheel assembly and then painted would have gone a long way too.

With the way this modification was done, it completely negates the take-down feature of the original design too. I'm betting it's a real joy to move about now. Forget ever putting it into the carry/storage bags that were offered.

There's many fixes for the Caldwell bench (made in China) to ensure good rotation, but this Rube Goldberg setup beats all. To each his own I suppose. (Flame suit firmly zipped up.......)

LOLOL....sandblasting a wheel bearing....show's EXACTLY what you know!! 3 degree tilt...another LOL.

Take down.....I don't care about take down..but if I did...maybe just screw 5 nuts off the bolts and take it apart...takes about 60 seconds.....or don't you understand the concept?

I got EXACTLTY what I asked for......inexpensive and quick!! These guys design and build from scratch live bottom semi trailers for the potato industries...you ain't got nothing on these guys. 3/4 of an hour labor and they had to wait for me a couple of times.

Maybe I should have used this...it has a sensor in it and everything!!!

Tod

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Of course prior to sandblasting, the critical bearing surfaces would be protected. Whatever, if you're happy with this, great. It just appears we both have diverging views on what's generally acceptable in the world of fabrication.

I don't feel the need to proclaim my work career, but suffice to say I'm retired now and enjoy my bench the way it was originally designed. Enjoy your creation.

 

[rmr]

I have an original BR Pivot from 1999? its been the best bench I've ever had. its important to clean the bearing surfaces every year to ensure smooth running. and now, after 18 years of use, I should build a new top for it. I've been very happy with the original design and build quality. I see no reason to change it. I can't comment on the Caldwell units, As I've never used one. the originals were first class.

 

[ratbuster]

4 x for fun:

After installing that bearing did it take out all or most of the table rocking up n down motion?