bench design

[chief38]

Well the one thing I have found in common with MOST of us Reloader's is that we all seem to be OCD "NEATNIC'S"! Me too!

Here are a few shots of my Workshop & Reloading room, crowded but neat!

By the way, I would suggest making your reloading bench very sturdy, heavy and stable. I venture to say that between all the materials, 2" thick top, supplies and lead on the shelves underneath, mine has to weigh well in excess of 1500 - 2000 pounds easily.

I would also urge you to avoid installing a TV in your reloading area - you need to pay 100% attention while reloading as mistakes happen very quickly when you are distracted.

 

[mosquito]

Lol, I was looking at the above pics and said, that room looks very familiar. Then I realized....it was chief 38's, a good buddy of mine. I've learned a lot about firearms and reloading in that room. It is also the cleanest room that I have ever seen. Here's mine!

G

 

[sckothmann]

This bench was made entirely of salvage material. The kitchen cabinets were salvaged from a kitchen fire. The bench top was made from three 2X10's with a layer of 1/4" plywood top. The legs were telephone pole cross ties. The base is all bolted together and I have moved three times since it was built in 1962 and I take the top off intact and moved the assembled leg assemblies. It is bolted to the back wall and is EXTREMELY heavy and solid.

The die rack is simply a base board of 1"x6" (actual measurement) with pegs glued in holes of the appropriate size for the Dillon toolheads (individual Dillon racks were costly as I needed eleven of them). The 1" pvc spacers keep the decapping pins off the deck (don't need to bend them

).

It cost only time to build and a VERY few dollars. Easily built with a builders saw (or a hand saw) and drill with bits. It is movable (movers just LOVED me (NOT) as it is quite heavy).

Dale53

Do you have any detailed plans or schematics for the the bench?

 

[LoboGunLeather]

After looking at some of these outstanding set-ups I find my reloading room is kind of cheesy. Couple of Army surplus steel desks with presses, lubri-sizer, powder measures, and other equipment permanently mounted to them. Half a dozen old kitchen cabinets mounted to the walls to store stuff in. Old steel lockers salvaged from a school. Old dinette table to clean guns on or sort out stuff when necessary. Concrete floor that can be swept up every year or two if it really needs it. Plenty of old coffee cans, which are great for keeping brass organized (they don't make coffee cans like they used to so these are becoming precious). Last time I checked I still have a dozen unopened cans of powder that I picked up at a going-out-of-business sale about 30 years ago.

43 years of scavenging here and there. Don't think I have spent more than $20 on everything I couldn't salvage somehow.

I do my bullet casting in the garage where I have two doors and two windows to control airflow and provide good ventilation. Last time I looked I still have 3 five-gallon buckets full of old wheel weights and about 200 lbs. of linotype metal on hand, probably enough for 25,000 rounds or so of handgun ammo, but that won't stop me from salvaging some more when the opportunity arises.

Nothing fancy, but everything works and gets the job done.

 

[old&slow]

A 6' x 18" bench top and cabinets I picked up from one of the home improvement stores.

 

[styles]

Here is a picture of my reloading bench. As mentioned by others, attach the bench to wall or studs for the most stable setup. I like to stand while I reload, so my bench is 36" from the floor.

I know this will upset some, and I apologize for that (cold thread.)

However, I have an almost identical room and found your bench setup to be the best solution I have seen. Could you explain how you made it? I have looked for base cabinets without drawers, credenzas, etc. with no success. Was this custom?

 

[smokindog]

I've seen base cabinets (34-35"H) with no drawers BUT look at wall cabinets (30"H plus build your own custom height toe kick box). You could also look at sink base cabinets with panel in place of drawer.

I know this will upset some, and I apologize for that (cold thread.)

However, I have an almost identical room and found your bench setup to be the best solution I have seen. Could you explain how you made it? I have looked for base cabinets without drawers, credenzas, etc. with no success. Was this custom?

 

[arjay]

You can get uppers as tall as 48",mount them to a toe kick any distance you like from the wall and fasten the counter to a stringer and the cabinets.Order some fillers and ply to make everything match

 

[S&W HE]

Will be adding a second blue press to the bench soon.