Portable shooting bench

[Alex Wheeler]

Hi Guys,
I am going to make a portable bench this week. The plan is to bouble a couple pieces of 3/4'' hardwood ply wood for the top and use 2'' pipe for legs. I am going to angle the three legs outward slightly. Basically I am copying some of the benches I have seen online. I just wanted to ask, for those that have a portable bench, is there anything you wish you would have done? How stable are these type of benches? Should I build a triangle of angle iron under it like some I have seen?
Thanks,
Alex

 

[ShootDots]

I have a portable bench that swivels 360degrees that we use out of the bed of a pickup truck for prairie dogs. It is good IF you do not use a heavy from rest. I used to use my Sinclair front rest and it was a bit heavy. So if you make one, make it sturdy enough to use a good front rest. AND the swivel concept made it really nice!!

 

[deadwooddick]

Top deck of mine (for use in p/u box on PDs) is megaboard. That's a 1 1/2" think single layer of chipboard. Stout stuff (no flex) but heavy at 4' long X 3' wide.

 

[Lapua40X]

double a couple pieces of 3/4'' hardwood ply wood for the top
2'' pipe for legs.
angle the three legs outward slightly
Should I build a triangle of angle iron under it like some I have seen?

Frankly, Alex, I think you've over engineered your bench.

1 1/2 inches of plywood will be bulky and VERY heavy.
Likewise, 2" pipe adds a lot of weight.
You may find that your portable bency is only portable if you have a couple of weight lifters or a fork lift handy to set it up.
I'd reconsider and use 3/4 " (maybe 1") plywood, 1 1/2" pipe at a maximum.
I wouldn't use angle iron because the plywood is stiff enough by itself so, IMO, the angle iron only adds weight and provides little if any additional advantages.
My experience tells me:
Clean up the threads on the pipe fittings so they engage smoothly and keep them lubricated to reduce the frustration that sometimes comes with trying to mate the pipe with the flanges.

 

[omahaguy]

Pictures of the finished bench please..lol..

 

[NateHaler]

Alex, having just spent hours over the past few days installing an undermount sink and P-trap -- rather than pay a plumber $100 to do it -- I get the inclination to DIY. But if your time is valuable, and you want a proven product, then maybe it's not a bad idea to buy somebody else's craftsmanship.

Bob Jourdan (of Oklahoma, former writer for PS Magazine, and designer of an excellent portable shooting bench, then-marketed by BJ Enterprises) is no longer in that business. However, his metal-shop guy -- Rob Byfield, 918-333-8100 -- has the design (including the specs on the top, which are important to follow to ensure the base is compatible and fully utilized). Rob's shop can build you the base, and then you can make/install the top to save on the shipping cost for such a thing.

Just a suggestion. Bob knows I'm posting this, and he says that Rob would be happy to help you or anybody else in the market for one of these proven portable benches.

Good luck, whatever you get. 8)

 

[M-61]

http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/caldwell/catalog.asp?product=Stable-Table

I had to use up a gift certificate and purchased the above with LOW expectations. Turned out it is much better than I thought it would be, is stable considering it is very portable, and the single leg adjustment is pretty handy on uneven ground as well as providing large amounts of elevation if needed. For me it works extremely well.

 

[KenO]

I made a bench using a folding banquet table leg assembly. There are less than $20 at any big box store. Make the bench with the cut outs you want, then just screw the assembly on. It folds up for easy transport or storage.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Well, I got it made up after work today, have to do the sanding and finishing tomorrow. I wasn't really looking to make the lightest bench, just the most stable bench I can take apart and put in the truck. I am going to shoot br rifles off this and want it really sturdy. Anyhow, I doubled some 3/4 and welded a triangle out of angle iron and bolted the top to it. I welded a fitting in each corner to screw the legs into. Its pretty darn stable, and I bet the top doesn't weight over 50 lbs. I used 1 1/2'' galvanized pipe for the legs. I'll post a picture when its done.

 

[nra-for-life]

Are you wanting to be able to un-screw the legs for portability? If you know where your going to shoot regularly and you can drive your truck right up to the spot then I would gladly have a heavier bench if it was needed to increase stability. Please post pics. I love to see dyi benches.

 

[BoydAllen]

I have a portable bench that has four legs made from 1 1/2" (Sched. 40, nominal size, not dia.) pipe, which I think is plenty heavy for the application. One of the legs is adjustable, which IMO is a necessity for four. If you like, I can email you some pictures of the construction details. The shape of the top is not the same as I have built for fixed benches, made of concrete. My top is shaped so that the rear bag is on a corner with an arm rest extending back from one side. This allows me to avoid side pressure on the bench from the side or front of my chest, which makes the setup steadier. Even so, without a metal frame under the top, there is enough flex to keep me from using the same style for shooting that I do on a concrete bench. What I suggest is that you build a three leg frame from spuare tube. I did that some years ago, with the idea that it would be rolled in and out of the back of a pickup by flipping it. It worked very well, and with a couple of modifications would be as sturdy as the ground that is is set on. The trick is to limit the length of cantilever of the legs by connecting them near the ground but high enough so that your feet fit under the tube that runs forward from the rear leg. If you are planning to shoot benchrest from your bench, and can drive a pickup to where you will be shooting your requirements and options are different from those that have built for varmint shooting.

 

[alf]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3764504.msg35949232#msg35949232

 

[jimbires]

I built one this past summer , it turned out pretty good . I used 2 layers of 3/4 plywood for the bench top . I used 1 1/4 pipe legs . it's very solid . I couldn't get the angle blocks cut very well , so I had a guy make them for me . he does wood working and the blocks turned out excellent . I also made a stool . here are a bunch of pictures , maybe they will give you some ideas . Jim


http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m257/jimmyboy16866/shooting%20bench/P7090398_zpsd86d8934.jpg













stool

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Very nice. Mine is very similar only with an angle iron frame under it. Not too many guys have a degree wheel laying around. Looks like the jomar I have in the tool box.

Boyd, thanks for the idea to put 5 couplings on the bench! I cut it apart and did that. Should be very stable with 4 and an option for 3 legs.

Just have to do the finish work now.

 

[omahaguy]

Hey guys, quick question. Would a couple of y'all be willing to email me about your porta bench and allow me to post it on my blog, you would be mentioned as the contributor of the post. I just think it would be a nice piece of info to share with new shooters.

 

[omahaguy]

WOW. What's the hp and torque on that beast? My uncle had a built 67 vette convertible.

 

[DogBuster]

1 1/4" pipe is all you need....buy some 1 1/4" black sleeves..cut them on a 15* angle & weld them to a 1/4" 4" square piece of plate...drill holes & then bolt them to the bottom of the table...my tables I build are 24" wide x 38" long (or so) and 2 pcs of 3/4" plywood glued & screwed together..

 

[NateHaler]

1 1/4" pipe is all you need....buy some 1 1/4" black sleeves..cut them on a 15* angle & weld them to a 1/4" 4" square piece of plate...

DB, for those of us who don't weld, and don't want to spend $100 getting brackets welded, do you think epoxy would be strong enough? Maybe JB Weld?

 

[BoydAllen]

IMO, for non welders on a budget, using floor flanges with hardwood wedges underneath (as shown in jimbries post) would be the way to go. I do not believe that any epoxy would be reliable for this. The leverage that the legs exert on the joint would be too great.

 

[NateHaler]

Sounds like I could use epoxy on the hardwood wedges though...

Thanks for the tip.