Hello Gents,
I’ve been bitten by the bug and plan to acquire a bench or attempt to build one. I have a limited area to work with, my mud room is 150x50, ideally make a bench 40-42" wide, maybe 24" deep, thick top to drill and mount goodies, press,etc. also wouldn’t hurt to make a drawer or rear shelf somehow, if not just buy the wall mounted containers on the cheaper or some type of organizer system. Thoughts/Ideas? Oh and it’d be sweet to have a foot rest recessed sort of half the depth of the top, like a drafting table almost.
I could not find a solid reloading bench in kit form. I built my reloading bench out of 2"x6" boards and 3/4" plywood. I doubled up the 2"x6"s for legs and left notches to support the bench top and lower shelf. I assembled it with deck screws and construction adhesive. You can add steel under the workbench top to strengthen the area where the bolts securing the reloading equipment pass through.
Search around the net for reloading bench plans.Plus, Almost every site with a reloading forum has a “pictures of your reloading bench” thread too. You’ll find tons of ideas out there.
Cool deal will do man, I appreciate it!
When we bought our current house it had a sewing room set-up in a spare bedroom. Modular cabinets, bench, and a return plus other built in /modular cabinets (not shown). It’s solidly attached to the wall, so all I did was cut and seal a 8’x21.5"x3/4" plywood top for strength and added surface area, and screw it down. Plus some peg-board. Sewing room became gun room. 
I’m sure she kept it a bit neater.
Sweet, I can’t see the pics i’m at work they’re blocked but I’ll scope them later when I get home!
I built my bench for about $50. 2x4s and 3/4" composite/particle board top. All connections glued and screwed, the whole bench is bolted to the wall. Solid!
With those dimensions I would purchase a half sheet of 3/4 plywood, AC grade and cut in half. Glue the two sheets together and the 1.5" plywood top will be very stable. Make legs from 2x6 and it won’t move, especially with a lower shelf loaded down with ammo. I suggest Fir 2x6 if you want legs to look nice
I have made two work benches like this. My latest fancy in the house reloading bench interior framing construction is exactly like this.
An inexpensive top on the plywood is brown hardboard. My work bench in my barn has a hard board top and held up for 15+ years Of abuse and solvent spills. I use a raised corner molding to make a nice working edge. Hardboard is lightly glued down.
Laminate is also an inexpensive top if you DYI. I think it is easy to work with and built my wife a laminated craft work table/ desk and laminated the top.
feel free to PM if you have questions or need photos of a workbench like this.
Have fun
RFA
Nice, thats a monster press man what is that? Anyone have any experience with Lyman presses by chance?
My bench is 24" x 72" 1.5" thick maple “butcher Block” laminate on a steel frame bolted to a concrete floor with anchors. IIRC I bought the bench from Grainger. In the overall scheme of things it was not that expensive and I have been using it for the past twenty years. I finished it with linseed oil.
It has a 50# 5" vise on one end and three presses at the other end (Dillon 1050, Foster Coax and RCBS Pro2000). Next to the vice is a bolt pattern where I can mount various other reloading tools as needed. These tools are mounted on hard maple boards with a common bolt pattern for the bench.
My bench is built off this design:
http://www.rifleshootermag.com/2007/02/23/gun-loading-bench-strength/
Structure is the same on mine, however I opted out of the inserts as I don’t need or want them. As you might imagine, it is quite sturdy. Likely overbuilt, but that is how I roll.
I don’t have any pics of my setup but I’d be happy to snap one or two if anyone is interested.
FUCK A BENCH BRO YO NEED A WHOLE ROOM!
I mean my space is only 150x50" really :eek:
I prefer a building for reloading with a bench in it
It lets me store powder primers out of the house and gives me a place to go in the evening and reload.
Sweet setup!
Isn’t it amazing the amount of extraneous stuff that can accumulate on a mans reloading bench? I usually have to clean and sort stuff out for a good 20 minutes before I can even begin to start a project. Old ladies eh? Or maybe just bench fairies?:nono:
Lol i have not posted a pic of mine for the very reason.
I have an unfinished garage, and was wondering if it would be ok to build my reloading bench out there since there is not temp control for storing powders and what not. I live in an area where it can get quite cold in the winter, as well as quite warm in the summer. Will that harm my powder and primers?
What I have learned in my bench building journey of three benches.
- 30" X 8’ X elbow +2": Originally set up for 4 progressive shotgun loaders. Currently used for gun cleaning/maintenance and 1911 building now. Tried to use it for metallic reloading but the frame/edge made press mounting difficult. A single sheet of 3/4" top was used with a 1/4" steel plate backer on the underside.
Drawbacks: Ht for use with progressives was good. As a workbench it is about 2-3" to high for me. I know, trimm the legs. Can never find time to empty the bench and (1) Trim the legs and (2) Put finish on the legs and bottom shelf.
-
30" X 60" X 33-34". When I upgraded to a Spolar hydrolic press for all shotgun gauges, I hit the easy button and ordered an Edsel laminated maple bench with metal frame and bench from Grainger on a company account for a substantial discount. Hindsight. Should have ordered the bench with the 27-34" adjustable legs. Hindsight is 15/15 at times.
-
30" x 8’ x 30". Used two pieces of 3/4 ply 30" x 8’ and glued and drywall screwed them together every 6". I used a 2x4 frame with 4x4 legs overhung the edge of the top 8" to allow mounting presses without having to worry about missing the tabletop frame. To give the veniered pltwood top a finished appearance I glued-n-screwed a piece of oak 1 x 2 around the edge with mitered corners to hide the laminated top. I built one 18" deep shelf about 8-10" off the floor with the leg frame. It needs one more. I preassembled, rounded all edges with a 3/8" router, dis-assembled, three coats of Verithane matt, (30% cut, 15% for coats 2&3) with a 1/4" nap. Light sanding with 320 between coats.
Bench height, bench height, bench height. Decide if you are going to sit or stand while reloading. Dedicate a chair and figure out with a press what height you need it at before building.
Rebated frame from edge so you can mount presses where you want them without worrying about the frame beneath.
Plenty of shelving underneath for dies, case trimmers, annealer. My big Dillon tumbler… forgetabout it. Brass and bullets on a seperate gorilla shelf.
Glue and screw. Make a design that allows to mount a 2x6-8 on the back to easily attach to studs in the wall due to the rebated support frame on the front edge.
Tops. 2 pieces of 3/4" ply glued together and drywall screwed every 6" is sufficient. 30" depth is more than sufficient, any deeper and you really have to reach. 24" is fine without any clutter on bench. Dies, manuals, ect need their own place.
If shipping not going to kill you, catch a 30" X 5, 6, 8’ laminated maple butcher block top from Grizzley Tool when they are on sale. If I make another, I’d pick one up in WA on my way through.
Seal the top. I don’t care for the new particle board. If I went that route I’d put white formica on it. I used the venieer 3/4 ply on top and wrapped the edge with. 1x2 Oak. Had to make a cut out on the edge to mount the 550 but now they have the hard mount.
Apply finish before you start using. It’ll never get done once you start using the bench and it keeps coffee , powder and residue stains out of the wood and brass chips don 't chew it up so bad.
If youu want pics, pm me with your email addy. Can’t figure out picture posting and mine are just as cluttered as everyone elses. Greg