Reloading bench surface

[Milo 2.0]

I have poly'd MDF, poly'd plywood and formica. I'll take formica any day.

 

[MislMan]

Just a sheet of plywood for mine. I use cookie sheets (like used in the oven when baking cookies) on the bench when doing things that may get messy. Like cleaning the firearms. If you need to stop on a task you can simply lift the cookie sheet/parts off the bench and place out of the way and work on something else in the now available space. I also use just old towels on the benchtop for things larger than a cookie sheet. Get towels at the Dollar Store along with plastic bowls with lids. Towels work great on the work-surface to keep things from bouncing around the bench or floor.

 

[Kurz]

I use a silicone mat which can be found at Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G780BZM/?tag=accuratescom-20

Cleaner resistant, glue and bedding compound don't stick to it and it stays flexible.

I use small trays lined with thin carpet when I'm taking rifles apart to hold parts and keep them from bouncing around on the table.

The workbenches made by Seville and sold by Sam's Club are the easiest and best benches I've found for reloading and work shops. They also make tool carts with drawers which fit perfectly under the benches but roll out to provide additional work surfaces. I'm on my fifth shop now and probably have bought 25-30 of these benches.

 

[JMayo]

My harbor freight wood workers table has a smooth finish ....
I polyurethaned my bench on wheels wood top. Not really that smooth ... I used hand held vac to clean it up.

 

[shoot4fun]

I have Formica counter tops on one set of benches at my cabinets. I use that area for trimming, neck turning, annealing, etc.
I also have a Northern Tool workbench kit that I used to make another for my presses. I used 3/4" plywood and then covered the top with hardboard (Masonite). I tacked it down with paneling nails and trimmed out the edges with a piece of lattice strip.
I have seen no issue with the hardboard warping and I can clean it easily with a dry cloth.

 

[jackson1]

I'm another Masonite guy. It's cheap, is easily replaced with dirty. The spot where I clean my guns gets plenty of solvent dripping on it and starts looking nasty rather quickly, but it is a work surface. Another addition to my benches is strip of 1x4 mounted 1/8" higher than my works surfaces, this keeps tiny parts off the floor. I also do a lot of shot shell loading, so the strip makes life easier. Got carried away and covered the sides of my benches with this stuff. I do some stock making and other stock modifying projects and covering on the sides of my benches keeps my stuff much less dusty. My benches are not furniture and my reloading/ gun maintenance area fills one room in my basement so my wife doesn't have to see it. Fit, form, and function are my motto for benches. As I age my engineering and workmanship is ever evolving, so my stuff gets better. Glad I covered the sides, as my grand kids really enjoy looking at my equipment, so at times I have more help than I want, but would not trade it for anything.

 

[antelopedundee]

I have white masonite and I keep it clean by spraying it down with simple green and wipe it off works great for me

Is that the same stuff that's commonly called greaseboard? You can write on it with markers and wipe it off? Been using that for years.

 

[powderbrake]

I built all my workbenches and loading bench with two layers of 3/4 ply for the tops, then covered in Formica. Easy cleanup with windex or other cleaners.

 

[snert]

Fantastic. thanks guys, got some great leads. I will let you know what I end up doing. Sometimes it helps to ask when you run out of ideas!

 

[Milo 2.0]

Is that the same stuff that's commonly called greaseboard? You can write on it with markers and wipe it off? Been using that for years.

No, sheet good.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sheet+of+masonite&qpvt=sheet+of+masonite&FORM=IGRE

Cool thing is you can buy 1/4", screw it to bench, just replace when needed.

 

[ballisticdaddy]

I have the top made of 1-1/8" plywood with galvanized steel and then a sheet of the self healing cutting mat from a hobby store and change that out every few years.

 

[mikeinct]

I salvage large old desk tops & Formica counter tops...The hard dirty work side of my reloading room is just well varnished 3/4 inch plywood...mike in ct

 

[antelopedundee]

No, sheet good.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sheet+of+masonite&qpvt=sheet+of+masonite&FORM=IGRE

Cool thing is you can buy 1/4", screw it to bench, just replace when needed.

I use the greaseboard stuff. Shiny white on one side. It's about an eighth of an inch thick. Came in 4 x 8 sheets. Works great. It's also called whiteboard or dry erase board.

 

[Chuckhunter]

When I did my reloading room, I used some left over laminated flooring. Very tuff surface, most things wipe right off. I actually put a little turtle wax on it after I wipe it clean, seems to keep it very nice.

 

[CT10ring]

I used A/C plywood, 3/4". I'd recommend a finish, I used Minwax water based satin poly. easy and fast to apply.

 

[nmkid]

I use that soft rubber matting you use in a tool chest. It's not solid but, it still keeps the top pretty clean. Pretty clingy stuff, HF sells it pretty cheap.

 

[fx77]

Melamine ..wipes off easily