Reloading bench ideas

[ROBO]

Lets see some reloading benches you guys have. I'm just getting started on doing my own reloads and would appreciate any ideas on a bench set up. Thanks in advance for any tips/suggestions in making reloading more convienent and fun.

[RancheroMan]

I just got mine finished. I'm very new to reloading, in fact I haven't even put one together yet, been working on the bench for the last couple weeks. Can't wait to get rollin'!

[ruffneck]

That looks good! Obviously you are not a chainsaw and sledge hammer carpenter like myself.

[Dick284]

Here is my set up.


It may be a bit bigger than you might need right now, but what ever you do, consider room to grow.

[bingo1010]

i totally agree with dick, i fell into that trap...several times now and am looking to "upsize" again. by the way dick it looks as though your room could use a little upsizing!!LOL

[6tmile]

It doesn't matter how much room you have for a reloading area a person always can use more, like Dicks photo shows, keep it neat and tidy, and organized

[Tracker34]

You guys are way ahead of me in the loading bench department. I rent a room at a friends house when I work out of town. It's a bedroom/livingroom. Everything is on a shelf and pull it down as I need it. My bench is my coffee table.

[Scott N]

My set up isn't very fancy... I just bought a used sturdy desk from a used office furniture store and added some storage areas. The desk was around $40 or so I think, so it's a cost effecient and easily movable set up.

[IMG][/IMG]

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by RancheroMan

I just got mine finished. I'm very new to reloading, in fact I haven't even put one together yet, been working on the bench for the last couple weeks. Can't wait to get rollin'!

I built the Exact same bench! NRMA. I stained it with clear polyurethane for protection. Looks like you used Arberite for the top counter? I was thinking of using some lino flooring for the top. Maybe I will see About some proper counter top material. I also used Cedar 4x4 legs as they were cheaper than pine, and seem plenty strong. Its Been a great bench so far. Hav'nt figured out were to put the shotgun presses yet.

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by ROBO

Lets see some reloading benches you guys have. I'm just getting started on doing my own reloads and would appreciate any ideas on a bench set up. Thanks in advance for any tips/suggestions in making reloading more convienent and fun.

Google NRMA reloading bench for some good bench plans. The Pdf I have is to big to upload on this sight?

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by RancheroMan

I just got mine finished. I'm very new to reloading, in fact I haven't even put one together yet, been working on the bench for the last couple weeks. Can't wait to get rollin'!

Looks like your bench is too high, or your chair too low. and I think you're going to hate that bottm shelf, when you tuck your knees under. I Used 1 " plywood for mine. A lot stiffer than 3/4", when you're heavy duty cranking on that press
Grizz

[RancheroMan]

Yeah, it's the NRMA bench, and it is a very very tall bench. The "chair" is actually a stool.......might have to get a taller one. Everything else was so well planned out on the bench, that I'm going to assume the NRMA had/have a good reason to build it that tall. We'll see when I get using it more.

I did aborite the top, as well as the backside of the poweder scale door. I wanted a good surface that was easy to clean, so aborite seemed like the best choice.

I cannot take all the credit for the bench, my dad helped a ton. It was a great project!

[sikwhiskey]

Originally Posted by RancheroMan

Yeah, it's the NRMA bench, and it is a very very tall bench. The "chair" is actually a stool.......might have to get a taller one. Everything else was so well planned out on the bench, that I'm going to assume the NRMA had/have a good reason to build it that tall. We'll see when I get using it more.

I did aborite the top, as well as the backside of the poweder scale door. I wanted a good surface that was easy to clean, so aborite seemed like the best choice.

I cannot take all the credit for the bench, my dad helped a ton. It was a great project!

You can always cut the legs down a few inchs if you feel the bench is to tall, find a comfortable tall chair or bar stool. I found it to tall and cut it down 3". I stand at 6'1" and find it very comfy. With the right chair I need only stand to reach the Top Shelf or lock the Door on my Old lady

[Tikka300]

some nice benches guys. I made mine out of my old university desk, didn't really have much use for it now but it has made a good reloading bench for what I do. I could see the need to build a bigger one in the future but good enough for now.

[huntinstuff]

I started reloading 2 weeks ago and this is my set up.

[209x50]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

I started reloading 2 weeks ago and this is my set up.

Do you convert it back to the hydroponics lab in the summer?...

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by 209x50

Do you convert it back to the hydroponics lab in the summer?...

Shhhhhhhh

Actually it DOES look like that doesn't it......

[jaybull]

Originally Posted by 209x50

Do you convert it back to the hydroponics lab in the summer?...

lmfao!!!

[triggerpress]

I've dealt with that same "running out of space on the bench" problem, a lot of you have encountered. Here's how I handled it. First, here's an overall picture of my set up. These are old kitchen counters from a relatives reno job. I rebuilt and painted them, made a couple of additions as well as a new top by laminating a couple of pieces of 3/4" plywood together. The top piece is nice birch.



I have enough space that I could have bolted all my presses and related equipment along the length of that entire L-shaped bench, but since I only use one or two machines at a time I figured I'd like to keep the top clear and attach what I needed, when I needed it.

The solution I used was to make a wooden "plate" out of 3/4" oak plywood for each machine that I might want to bolt onto the bench. While I was at it I made a bunch of extra plates for machines I may get in the future. Small machines, like the case trimmer in the next picture are just screwed onto a plate. Big machines like a press are attached to the plate using T-Nuts.

A T-Nut is the wierd little metal thing on the bench below the case trimmer. It's female threaded, and has a large pronged flange that digs into the wood when tightened down. They can be made flush to the bottom of the plate with a 1/8" countersink and serve as both nut and washer.



With everything on plates and with holes in each size plate that are exactly the same spacing, the plates can be shifted around the bench top. Normally, bolting and unbolting presses is a pain in the butt. But with the T-Nuts, it's easy. Once embedded into the bottom of the bench top, they don't fall out and all you have to do is tighten a bolt from the top. I never, ever, have to fiddle with nuts or washers. Here's a pic of the bottom of the bench top.



When I'm not using a hole I plug it with a short length of wooden dowel that is finished to match the bench top. You can see them in the case trimmer pic. The T-Nuts have a shoulder so it's a natural stop for them when they slip in the hole. I take them out by reaching under and giving them a poke with an Allen wrench.

Presses not in use, either slide back against the wall, or if they are the kind that won't free-stand (like the Dillon in the next pic) I put them on a raised mini-bench at the back of the bench. This mini-bench has the same T-nut holes, and one bolt, finger tightened only, is all it takes to keep them in place until their next use.



I've been using this system for a couple of years and am really happy with it. Changing machines is quick and easy and everything is very solid. When I originally built the system, I figured I could take reloading gear to the range, clamp the press onto a bench and do load developement at the range. I'm sure it would work, but I haven't tried it yet. Maybe this summer.

triggerpress

[jaybull]

Best setup i've ever seen triggerpress. Thats how i would like mine to look someday.

[ABCowboy]

RancheroMan is my son and we had a great day cutting and assembling....now I need to be real good to him so that he does my reloading for me!!!