New loading bench top

[P1ZombieKiller]

I have just added a room onto the house for my new loading room, and I want to add an additional table. I already have my main reloading bench that my press and barrel vise mount to, so this will be mostly a brass prepping area. It will double as my office desk (laptop, printer, and file drawers).

Since this top does not need to be made so strong to break barrels from actions, what top should I use? I was thinking of getting one of those prefabbed counter tops from Home Depot for a nice cleanable surface. Those things are made of that press wood, so I was second guessing that decesion. Should I just go with 3/4 plywood and stain or paint it? I want to be able to run my hands and arms across it with out the worry of splinters. I also do not want primers, powder or little screws to roll to the back, and get lost in the cracks or seems.

Any suggestions? The desk table top will be approx 8 feet long. also... any suggestions on how deep it should be? I was thinking 24-26 inches deep.

 

[15Tango]

Do a search online for a place in your area that makes and sells commercial doors. The blanks aren't too bad as far as cost and they usually start out as 8 foot X 36", usually around $150 per. Thing is, if you call them up and ask for a 'mistake' one, where they accidentally cut the hinges or mortise in the wrong spot, they'll be happy to sell it to you for way cheap.

If that's too much for you price or weight wise then I'd just go to Menards or the Home Despot and pick up a residential door blank.

Wayne

 

[jonbearman]

I would use the high compression board they make speaker cabinets out of,some people call it high density board.It is very smooth(no finishing necessary other than varnish or paint.

 

[BoydAllen]

If you would like something that looks good, and is sturdy, rip a sheet of this (closest thickness to 3/4") http://www.mckillican.com/green/products/construction-materials/superply-by-roseburg/default.aspx lengthwise, down the center, and laminate the pieces to form a top that is about 1 1/2" thick. You can use short sheetrock screws, on the underside, pre-drilled through the bottom piece, for clamping. (They can be removed after the glue sets.) Band the edge, sand, and finish with a tough clear finish. It will be sturdy and good looking. Alternately, you can do the same thing with a piece of hardwood plywood from your local building materials outlet. In either case, you and your friends will be impressed with the sturdiness and appearance of what you have built. Shelves can be built from the same material, with matching details.

 

[Steve Blair]

I am partial to laminated maple tops. They are hard, durable and look good, too. McMaster-Carr has them in 96"" X 24"". They are also available from many other sources.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#maple-bench-tops/=acgzsy

 

[McKinneyMike]

The big box stores should have am 8'x24" ready made top in stock although you might be limited in colors, but they should have something that is easy on the eyes.
A cabinet shop could make a top to fit your needs to exact dimensions. A back splash of like materials would stop little items from getting lost at the back and sides of the bench too.
The commercial door option is a good one also. You could trim out the back splash with a hardwood board that is of like material as the door too.
The plywood top is an option, but would require a hardwood edge to cover the edge to stop splinters and dress it up a bit. I would shy away from using any Oak or Ash as they are prone to splintering especially where there are sharp 90 degree edges.

 

[Kenny474]

I recently used Birch plywood to make the top for a desk I built for my girlfriend. I used Aspen for trim around the edges, sanded it to 400 grit with a vibrating sander and laid 6 coats of poly on it, sanding between coats. It looks like glass, doesn't splinter, and there are no grooves to lose stuff in. I could have easily made the back taller for a back-splash, and could have even tapered the sides from flush at the front to a few inches above the top at the back-splash to help keep stuff from rolling off there as well.
The Birch ply is also quite dense and doesn't seem to dent easily either. It was quite smooth and free of any real defects on the face side, so it made finishing easy.

I would stay away from MDF (the dense press board mentioned earlier). It will swell if it gets wet, doesn't stain well, needs to be sealed to keep moisture out or it will swell almost instantly if you even set a glass of ice water on it. I have used it for a bench-top in the past, and it sucked out loud. It just takes too much caution to make sure you never hurt it. Not to mention that it makes a total mess if you need to cut or use a router on the stuff, like fine cardboard dust everywhere. If you need to nail or screw into it, even the top, you need to be very careful and drill pilot holes or it splits or craters easily, and will occasionally split even with pilot holes. It's great stuff for certain purposes, but not a bench-top, unless it's just to write on or do paperwork and will never be near any solvents or any moisture or be dented in any way. I used to do custom car stereo installs and used probably 100 4x8 sheets of the stuff over time, so I know all about working with the stuff. If you use it, do not use any finish that needs to soak in, such as stain, because if you apply too much, it will swell. Just a few drops unnoticed will make those spots swell in a few minutes. I have a piece in my basement, if you want I can videotape a demo of a glass of ice-water leaving a swollen ring on it in just a few minutes.

The door is a good idea, they use them at my Dad's shop for benches and they are great. Birch ply is good as well, even 18mm Luan will work if supported underneath by a good framework, has a good poly finish applied and isn't subjected to rough use.

A great material for the top is a sheet of 18ga or even thinner stainless that is glued to 3/4" high quality ply. It's very durable, won't rust with even minimal care, and is hard to dent if it is glued properly to a hard surface such as Birch ply. A good quality spray adhesive is all that is needed and it will last indefinitely. Even MDF with it's super smooth and hard surface may be good backer for stainless. But the thinner the glue the better, as it will be right against the backer and be much harder to dent.

The pre-cut counter-top isn't a bad idea either. There is one in my father's basement that has been there for 20 years and it's holding up well, and has been subjected to some rather rough treatment by myself as well.

Good luck

Keny

 

[Phil]

3/4" 7075-T6 aluminum is what i have.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will go to home depot and get one of the prefab tops with the laminate tops and place 3/4 plywood under it for beter support. It will be supported by 4x4 legs and attach to a horizontal 2x4 screwed into the back wall.

 

[artbosco]

I have just added a room onto the house for my new loading room, and I want to add an additional table. Any suggestions? The desk table top will be approx 8 feet long. also... any suggestions on how deep it should be? I was thinking 24-26 inches deep.

Wes, Here are some ideas. Take a gander: http://www.google.com/search?q=Reloading+bench+photos&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a

 

[McKinneyMike]

thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will go to home depot and get one of the prefab tops with the laminate tops and place 3/4 plywood under it for beter support. It will be supported by 4x4 legs and attach to a horizontal 2x4 screwed into the back wall.

That sounds like a great plan

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will go to home depot and get one of the prefab tops with the laminate tops and place 3/4 plywood under it for beter support. It will be supported by 4x4 legs and attach to a horizontal 2x4 screwed into the back wall.

Sometimes they have those with small blems you can pickup for a song.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will go to home depot and get one of the prefab tops with the laminate tops and place 3/4 plywood under it for beter support. It will be supported by 4x4 legs and attach to a horizontal 2x4 screwed into the back wall.

Sometimes they have those with small blems you can pickup for a song.

That is what I intend to do. Wonder if 1/2 price is doable?

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I've seen them at Home Depot for around half.

 

[McKinneyMike]

If you see a top with damage that you could live with, ask what they can do on price and then take it from there. The worst that could happen is that you buy a perfect one like you originally intended to do and you will be happy

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Found a 10 footer at home depot just know with the corner busted out on it. I only need 8 feet, so this would work perfect. I asked for some one to come and help, but no one did. There must not have been 15 customers in the whole place since the weather is rainy here. I figured I would wait anyway since it would have to ride in the back of the truck in the rain.

 

[McKinneyMike]

Be sure if you buy this damage top that you properly rip the laminate, as it will chip very easily. Use a high tooth count blade and score it before you make the full depth cut! By scoring I mean make a cut that barely cuts thru the depth of the laminate first. After you have done this then do a full depth cut. If you can not do the scoring cut, clamp a piece of wood on top on the are where you intend to cut as tightly as possible as this will help to stop the blade from chipping the laminate as you make you cut. The scoring cut is the best way to do it, but do a little internet search on cutting laminates if you are not totally aware of the issues with cutting it cleanly.

 

[Riesel]

thanks for all the suggestions. I think I will go to home depot and get one of the prefab tops with the laminate tops and place 3/4 plywood under it for beter support. It will be supported by 4x4 legs and attach to a horizontal 2x4 screwed into the back wall.

Install a power strip on the back splash for easy power for you scales and brass processing center, maybe even your annealer.