New Shooting Bench

[urbanrifleman]

Check it out.

Double layer of ply flooring cut at Lowes. Laminated with spray contact cement and screws.
7 gauge plates (made from CAD and burned out on the burn table at work).
1.5" 6000# pipe couplings cut on 20 degrees .
32" long 1.5" black pipe threaded on both ends and capped on one end.
Disassembles quite easily.

1/2" lag screws.

 

[urbanrifleman]

 

[Pappy42]

Looks sturdy. Good job!

 

[370bc]

Great! I suggest getting a funky paint job for the top, then protect somehow. Im going to follow your lead! (Left Hand, of Course!)
What is the total weight? Thx!

 

[urbanrifleman]

It's 65 lbs assembled. Not bad at all.

I'll post plans after I update them. I modeled them in 3d.

A full sheet of flooring will make two benches.

 

[urbanrifleman]

It' very, very sturdy and solid.

 

[GSPV]

Only thing that I would have done different is use bolts all the way through the top rather than screws.

If you want it to be super-duper steady, you can design a brace system for the legs. The one that I used connected the bottom of each leg to the top of an adjacent leg. But, that kinda gets in the way. I've seen one that was a Y with the base leg of the Y on the rear leg. That way, you were seated in the angle between the left arm and the base leg. It connected into turn buckles so that it could be cinched up snug. Sorry, I have the picture in my head, but am likely not being clear.

 

[dickn52]

Can you remove the legs for transport?

 

[370bc]

Is this for paper/steel only? I have a couple of places where i could drop off a table such as this, disassembled, then walk to it, assemble, then snipe coyotes from 4-600 yards. I live in farm country, and field roads, along with coyotes, are everywhere. Usually just a half mile walk.

 

[JBT47]

Great work!

 

[muleman69]

Nice bench, looks good and strong

 

[painter]

I have made that same bench, way back with the addition adj legs on the shooter side & rear that would slide inside of the legs, with a set screw to level the bench, this has server me well over the years, also installed some channels on the bottom side to store the legs for transporting, and some small stickon automobile molding on the outside edges to keep things from rolling off. good shooting. Painter

 

[dkhunt14]

I have made that same bench, way back with the addition adj legs on the shooter side & rear that would slide inside of the legs, with a set screw to level the bench, this has server me well over the years, also installed some channels on the bottom side to store the legs for transporting, and some small stickon automobile molding on the outside edges to keep things from rolling off. good shooting. Painter

Besides allowing to adjust for uneven ground. The adjustable legs allow for quick adjustment for a big uphill or downhill shot. Also allow for adjustment if you dont have enough elevation in your rest or bags. Matt

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

Looks solid! Having access to torches / welding machines / grinders / pipe threaders at work is a really nice perk.

 

[daniel brothers]

Man ... i could use one as well... Great Job.

 

[muleman69]

I also have a five gallon bucket for a seat which I padded the lid. Load bucket with accessories and go

 

[nmkid]

I would have used carriage bolts but, that is one fine bench. My brother made some like yours years ago but, we used smaller pipe and they were always a little wobbly. The legs on your bench look just right. We sealed our tops with several coats of poly and they lasted for years.

 

[Alguapo]

We use the same design with the legs at about 17 deg. The three leg is the only way to go in the P-dog fields with uneven ground. Super sturdy and easy to set up and take down. We use the folding chairs with a back rest. Makes a great eating table during your lunch break. You can add a umbrella if ya need shade. You'll love em !

 

[urbanrifleman]

Does not require carriage bolts. The screws that I used are half an inch in diameter and I drove them in with an impact wrench, trust me they're not going anywhere. It took awhile for the impact wrench to drive them in even being pre-drilled. And there is absolutely no reason to have any further bracing on the legs they are solid as a rock and the bench is very solid because of the angle of the legs working against each other. It really doesn't need any Improvement structurally.

Yes the legs do unscrew but I do not think you would want to use the tiny little bit of thread as an adjustment of height because you wanted to tighten it down until the legs are tight every time you use it. So in that regard the legs aren't adjustable for height but I think you'll find on soft ground it will probably level some. I had considered using 5 pound cast dumbbell weights on grass. To have a donut for each leg to sit on on soft ground. That should work well. But overall my expectations are exceeded as far as rigidity and the ability to take it apart this is a very serious bench and it's nearly a solid as the concrete benches at my club and more solid than many of the wood benches I've used at clubs for competitions.

 

[LHSmith]

But overall my expectations are exceeded as far as rigidity and the ability to take it apart this is a very serious bench and it's nearly a solid as the concrete benches at my club and more solid than many of the wood benches I've used at clubs for competitions.

Not sure what your intended purpose is, but if it's for serious load development, "nearly as solid" will yield the same results as using untested scopes assuming (solely based on manufacturers literature) that they are indeed able to hold POA.
You are right to point out the vulnerability of the typical wood benches found at many competition venues. If one does enough research in match results, some benches garner a greater percentage of wins.