Finished my reloading desk

[joshb]

Josh, 1" Oak, that thing must weigh a ton. You could mount an industrial automated reloader on it.

I have a tendency to over build things.
I strapped the first drawer base to my dolly. I leaned back. I didn’t move. On my next try, I got a little momentum going and it came up and I got it balanced. That’s about how heavy it is. 2-250?

 

[Papa Charlie]

I have a tendency to over build things.

I can appreciate that. I do the same thing. Hate to spend all that time building something, only to have it fall apart.
I love Oak, beautiful wood. We use to have an exotic wood shop near me when I lived in CA. I had no idea there were so many strains of Oak.
Spent way too much money in that shop. Mostly because I was restoring a 35 Ericson Sloop that I picked up from an insurance company after they deemed it totaled. It had a fire at the engine which sat midship under the settee. All the settee was gone but the hull was in perfect condition. Built like a tank.
I had to rebuild the settee, sliding hatch, nav station, galley cabinets and all the doors for the head and stateroom. Used a lot of Mahogany.

 

[joshb]

Josh nice bench, I like that the drawer sides are or at least appear to be full 3/4 hardwood. I wonder as to the thickness of the bottoms. But maybe they don't need to be 3/4 bottoms. You see when I buy Sierras I get the 500 count of 220 SKMs, add to that a 500 count of 7mm 180s and all the 338 300grain SMKs and all the burgers and a 3/4 bottom is mandatory. I must say that I have never seen anything you have ever built that was less the 110 percent. But that thing you mounted the press to with no finish and the burn marks on the side. Wife must have really been on your ass.

???? What? You didn’t notice the screw heads showing???? I was out in the shop putting it together. She stuck her head out the back door and yells “Are you working on my screen doors?” Uh....yeah honey! I’m on it!

 

[skeeljc]

That’s exactly like the one I bought for $20!!

I moved the desk into my new IN THE HOUSE reloading room, leveled it and bolted it together. The wifey had to get her 2 cents in: “Move it to the left! No! My left! Too far! Back some. OK! That’s good!” I kept it zipped!
Yesterday, I made a press support that fit on the end. Today, I went to the shop and looked at it. Screw it! I drilled the top.
View attachment 1180118

This is how I attach my press to the bench: Make some 3/8-16 threaded inserts with 1/2" o.d. and install them flush to the bench top with epoxy. Then you can use 3/8" machine screws to mount the press. I use a battery operated 3/8 angle ratchet to speed up the machine screw insert/removal.

 

[USMCDOC]

My first desk (reloading bench) was a old metal school teachers desk.. it was so heavy! But worked nicely.. but it didn't ever look as pretty as yours! Very nice!

 

[Adro88]

Looking good!

 

[hoz53]

“Do I have to take the wife shopping?”

YES!!! That.....and so much more! Realistically, I think you’d last a week before you delivered her back to me! She is a handful!

Hey Josh- I just got updated on the new events with the reloader desk--

Thanks. The whole desk is made from 1 inch oak. All the bottoms are glued and screwed 3/4 inch ply. This was MY last reloading desk. I brought my dove tail jig but didn’t have the time to use it. Yeah! My wife is on my ass. Someday I might find the time to replace the drawers with dovetail drawers. This will do for now.

Hey Josh- I just updated on the reloader bench. New Press mount i see. looks good and looks like you filled it up allready. You used drawer slides you purchased right? was going to buy some slides for a drawer in my shop but am now just thinking of making them outta wood. its only 2' wide. i saw a welding table at an industrial auction couple days ago. it was like 70x48 with 1 1/2" thick steel Top. That one wouldnt move around with a little aggressive sizing I just didnt know how to get it home. Shoulda though. As you know im a shelf guy instead of drawers but am thinking of some drawers at the shed. i gotta make a powder magazine and that sounds like just the thing. Mabie ill buy some plywood today for it. Keep smiling pardner

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Josh
I can't stand all that neatness.
Nick