Golong That is very impressive although way too tidy! See you also like airplanes.
Reloading bench build help/ideas
- Thread starter n10sivern
- Start date
Ha, yeah those are from right after I built the room.
These are from this morning...
What size room is this?
I had 2 of them. Gave them to my brother. There was a lot to like with them but a lot I disliked as well. I’m going to incorporate some of it into my new benches.
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
You can do it however you want. This counter has boards underneath connected to the walls to support the weight. Me, I'd place my press next to a drawer tower.
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My bench is only 9' long. I mounted every press, powder measure and priming tool on a piece of 3/4" Baltic birch and then clamp them to the bench. Always place a press over a bench leg (mine is a 4X4) as this will give a lot of solid support. My press mounting system allows me to place them anywhere I want depending on what I have going on. It will also allow you to try different mounting locations to see what works best BEFORE drilling holes in your bench. After a while you will know where you like to mount a press and then you could drill mounting holes. Since I use the bench for non-handloading activities, I like the idea of not having hole in the bench.
powderbrake
Gold $$ Contributor
Here is my loading bench set-up. The loading bench is 72"" long, and the top is 30" deep. The two workbenches are also 72" long.
My bench top is two layers of 3/4 ply, with the front 12" an inset piece of aluminum, 1/2" thick X 72" long. ( Got from Metals Supermarket) This allows me to drill and tap the aluminum to fit the presses and other items like trimmers. (put setscrews in the empty tapped holes to keep them from filling up with junk) The bench is 30" tall, (same as a desk) and I have a spot to sit with room for my knees and feet (like a desk). The other workbench tops are about 37" tall, for standing. I always load while sitting down.
The loading bench and workbench tops are covered in plastic laminate, the kind that has the color all the way through, so gouges don't appear too ugly.
The top overhang is 2" on mine, if I did it again, I would make the top 30" deep as I have, but the cabinet portion below I would reduce the depth, so I had about a 4" overhang of the top. This allows easier temporary clamping of an item with a c clamp.
I HIGHLY recommend that the benches be lagged into the wall. This means NOTHING moves when you lean on a part in the vise, or pull on a press handle.
As you can see, I have full extension drawer slides on all the drawers. The lower left drawer holds about a dozen Dillion heads with dies and powder measures, the other half of the drawer is for primers.
The right hand larger drawer is all powder. The "desk" type drawer holds hand tools, files, and stuff I use a lot when working on pistols. There are padlocks on all the drawers and the cabinet where I keep loaded ammo..... protection for the kids(now grown) and grandkids and their friends.
The loading bench (and all my workbenches) are made from 3/4 plywood. here is a typical drawing of the loading bench. The slabs of ply are held in position by (4) 4" wide ply pieces 72" long, one at each corner. The upper rear one I lagged into the foundation in my basement. So there are no 2x4 or 4x4 posts or parts, everything is birch plywood with a polyurethane finish on the fronts. You may notice how the grain matches across all the drawer and door fronts on the workbenches, as I made them all from 1 piece of plywood.
I hope this gives you some ideas for your new loading area. The shelves above the bench are 11 1/2 "deep.
JMayo
Silver $$ Contributor
Those look like harbor freight. I have one. I raised it 5" left the drawers, mounted press on far end.
It's needes to be 6" wider & 12 longer.
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The drawer boxes are HF (just the wood, no rails), but everything else is completely custom. I built and finish sanded the legs and tops in the garage, then moved everything to the room. Secured the legs, built the floating drawer sides (measured in place, but built in the garage), sanded the L joint, and cleared everything.
This is the abbreviated evolution from the HF benches to once I got the new floor in, and the surfaces carried over.
Some real nice craftsmanship on display in this thread! I went the fast and easy route when installing 16 ft of bench and cabinets in my garage. I used unfinished wood kitchen cabinets and pre-laminated counter top with a 3/4 inch plywood backing as the work surface. I left areas with no cabinets for leg room while sitting at the press.
I also converted two above counter cabinets to speaker housings for the stereo. So I can rock while I roll my own.
I also converted two above counter cabinets to speaker housings for the stereo. So I can rock while I roll my own.
Food for thought that I have been chewing on in preparation for my own bench build:
1) Is space dedicated and climate controlled - if NO then you might want all gear in covered drawers, cabinets, etc... design accordingly.
2) Will multiple presses be permanently affixed to bench-top or a select units rotated in/out as needed.., universal mounting plates or Inline Fabrication mounts.
3) If mount directly (flush) to surface then no drawers under press because of ram/arm. If use elevated mount, like Inline Fabrication, then can have drawers or cabinet door right under bench top.
4) Depending on bench depth, if plan to locate overhead cabinets above/behind reloading presses then bottom height need to clear top of reloading press and remember cabinet doors need to be able to clear reloading presses (sliding doors solves this issue)
5) Install LED lighting on bottom of overhead cabinets.
6) Even if using Inline Mounts, I plan to recess cabinets under bench by 1.5" from front edge of bench top to keep debris out of drawers.
7) If possible recess the footboard along cabinets by 3.5" for foot room when standing at bench.
8) If you build the cabinets then full length or over-travel drawer slides!!!!
TAJ45
Silver $$ Contributor
In process of finally building, arranging the last 2/3 of the reloading, storage and indoor shooting area. Can't post pix yet, ignorant of process.
A tip I've mentioned before is running a ledger board along the wall, then screwing the bench top to the ledger which was lagged to the studs. Very easy to level and absolutely solid. For the front corner legs, I doubled 2x6s bolted together, notched them to support the 2x6 frame. Yes, the joke was to take cover under the bench in case of a nuclear attack.
A cheap 5' kitchen base cabt, 4 door, 2 drawer unit that I had to brace and beef up, w a 6' preformed counter top for wet or dry brass cleaning is near the shower, commode, sink area.
My shop is a 42x60 metal Morton bldg, so no lagging a ledger to the wall. I do advise solid core doors for bench tops, old oak desks etc. They can be had at Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Craig's List local second hand stores etc. I'm an "Early Attic" function over form kinda guy, so other than paint on SOME pcs, it is a motley conglomeration.
I look fwd to dedicated presses, a wet (if desired, brass cleaning) area, indoor 50' range, cleaning station, work benches for bbl changes or scope mounting or ??? etc.
I just put an oak end table, open w one full shelf under a 3-0 solid core on one end and 2×6 box frame at other end for two leftover dbld 2x6 legs. It will match up to original bench that top was recently doubled up. Budget? OSB under and nicer plywood for top layer. Use caulk gun tubes for mastic if desired.
I built a short shelf for the wall cabts to sit on the benches. (Remember, metal walls here) This allowed the doors to be opened w/o clearing off bench top.
Screw choice? Much prefer the square or torx heads. Phillips are just too touchy for alignment if in a tight spot or maybe not pilot drilled quite deep enough. Dont forget the bar of soap or wax for screws. (I remember Knox) in my Dad's carpenter tool box.
I replaced the 8' fluoro lights w LED last July. Have the other 14 awaiting neighbor to take his turn renting the telescoping boom lift for his project. Night and day, 50k hour supposed life span. Deleting ballast. No scale interference.
I'm blessed, that's for sure. L'aissez les Bon Temps roulez ! !
A tip I've mentioned before is running a ledger board along the wall, then screwing the bench top to the ledger which was lagged to the studs. Very easy to level and absolutely solid. For the front corner legs, I doubled 2x6s bolted together, notched them to support the 2x6 frame. Yes, the joke was to take cover under the bench in case of a nuclear attack.
A cheap 5' kitchen base cabt, 4 door, 2 drawer unit that I had to brace and beef up, w a 6' preformed counter top for wet or dry brass cleaning is near the shower, commode, sink area.
My shop is a 42x60 metal Morton bldg, so no lagging a ledger to the wall. I do advise solid core doors for bench tops, old oak desks etc. They can be had at Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Craig's List local second hand stores etc. I'm an "Early Attic" function over form kinda guy, so other than paint on SOME pcs, it is a motley conglomeration.
I look fwd to dedicated presses, a wet (if desired, brass cleaning) area, indoor 50' range, cleaning station, work benches for bbl changes or scope mounting or ??? etc.
I just put an oak end table, open w one full shelf under a 3-0 solid core on one end and 2×6 box frame at other end for two leftover dbld 2x6 legs. It will match up to original bench that top was recently doubled up. Budget? OSB under and nicer plywood for top layer. Use caulk gun tubes for mastic if desired.
I built a short shelf for the wall cabts to sit on the benches. (Remember, metal walls here) This allowed the doors to be opened w/o clearing off bench top.
Screw choice? Much prefer the square or torx heads. Phillips are just too touchy for alignment if in a tight spot or maybe not pilot drilled quite deep enough. Dont forget the bar of soap or wax for screws. (I remember Knox) in my Dad's carpenter tool box.
I replaced the 8' fluoro lights w LED last July. Have the other 14 awaiting neighbor to take his turn renting the telescoping boom lift for his project. Night and day, 50k hour supposed life span. Deleting ballast. No scale interference.
I'm blessed, that's for sure. L'aissez les Bon Temps roulez ! !
argrendel
Silver $$ Contributor
Where is the clutter?
Some real nice craftsmanship on display in this thread! I went the fast and easy route when installing 16 ft of bench and cabinets in my garage. I used unfinished wood kitchen cabinets and pre-laminated counter top with a 3/4 inch plywood backing as the work surface. I left areas with no cabinets for leg room while sitting at the press.
I also converted two above counter cabinets to speaker housings for the stereo. So I can rock while I roll my own.
My first bench, including the shelving above it, was made from OSB and pine studs. My current setup is the result of roughly 26 years of figuring out what I care and don't care about. I have seen several new reloaders run to building stuff that ends up frustrating them once they learn. I say whatever gets the job done is all that really matters. Beyond that its personal preference stuff.
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