Reloading tool bench?

[bhsl8]

I've made the decision to jump in and I find this forum to be full of good advise and resources to get me started. What I haven't found so far are options fo a loading bench that might be portable and readily broken down for travel. I live my life in a 40' motor home and travel about the country. I usually stay in one place for 3-6 months. I therefore have no basement or outbuildings.

Creative I'm not, but I enjoy other folks' good ideas. Any thoughts y'all?

bhsl8

 

[Golphin]

You need the Lee reloading stand.

Lee Reloading Stand

 

[Double-O-Dave]

bhsl8:

Welcome to the Forum. Are you reloading for handguns, or for rifles? If you are only reloading for handguns, you have more options. One would be a Lee hand press:

Breech Lock Hand Press - Lee Precision

Another option would be for you to mount your press(es) on a piece of wood and clamp in into something like the Workmate 225:

BLACK+DECKER Tools | Workmate® 225 Portable Project Center and Vise WM225

I am an experienced handgun reloader and have just started reloading for long guns. My Lee press mounted on my workbench has reloaded hundreds of handgun rounds without any problems. I was able to resize about a dozen .308 cases before the press peeled off of the workbench surface. My emergency fix was the Workmate as described above. The results were not pretty - I had to put my foot on the bottom rail of the Workmate to keep it on the ground - but it worked. I think I'm going to stick with the Workmate, but I've got to find a way to beef it up.

I hope this helps.

Good luck,

Dave

 

[smokindog]

Somewhere in one of the reloading threads I remember someone saying they've successfully outfitted a B&D WorkMate. If you're living out of an RV, a WM probably isn't a bad thing to have at your disposal for other jobs! I always like things that have more than one use (for the most part)!!!! Check out the notable threads, maybe it's in there!

I've made the decision to jump in and I find this forum to be full of good advise and resources to get me started. What I haven't found so far are options fo a loading bench that might be portable and readily broken down for travel. I live my life in a 40' motor home and travel about the country. I usually stay in one place for 3-6 months. I therefore have no basement or outbuildings.

Creative I'm not, but I enjoy other folks' good ideas. Any thoughts y'all?

bhsl8

 

[bhsl8]

I intend to reload large cal pistol (500 mag and ruger 480) rounds more than anything. I do have a 50 beowulf that I could shoot more as well. I suppose 308 makes sense too. The work mate makes some sense, with or without the press stand.

bhsl8

 

[hanno]

Another vote for the Black & Decker Workmate 225. I used one for years as my reloading bench and now use it as a portable. I removed the top on mine and replaced it with doubled 3/4" oak plywood.

I have the "step' facing the rear and keep an ammo can full of bullets on it. Makes for a very solid and portable reloading bench.

My press and powder dropper are bolted to a RCBS Bench Plate 2 which is C clamped to the bench top. Easy to remove and the bench folds down for stowing away.

 

[Rule3]

This post/topic is vaguely familiar I recall an the exact same post. Was it here or another forum.???

Someone mentioned using the table with a post that attaches to the mount on the floor of many motorhomes,

 

[smokindog]

Found it!!!!!

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/365810-temporary-portable-benches.html

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I own 2 25 year old Workmate #85's and the current bottom of the line, a Workmate #100 (the 85's have better features!) While I lived in the farm house for 30 years and had a whole room for reloading the last 10, I found the simple workmates to be great auxillery benches. If at times I needed to reload in another location the workmate was the loading bench and a card table or TV tray held the components. This worked well when traveling too. Just be prepared for the first arrangement of equipment to need at least some "tweaking." There is always a quest for more space, but I have found you can get by with the work mate and a TV tray much better than trying to get by with no tables and a 310 tool or Lee loader! Ivan

 

[Sclays]

Last Feb I was in Tucson shooting sporting clays for part of a week. Tucson club has a huge area full of seasonal RVs. Motor home owner was sitting in a chair next to a cargo compartment. Had built a reloading bench in the cargo compartment. I was impressed.

 

[10mmauto]

Here's an idea:

black edition - portable reloading bench ? thec4m3ron

 

[Twoboxer]

The Lee stand works well not just because of its weight or wide tripod legs, but because a concrete block or two are suspended near the floor. This lowers the center of gravity substantially, and keeps the tripod from moving at all while operating a press. I've successfully run a Hornady LnL AP on it.

Were I to do that over again, I'd probably go the Workmate route for versatility. If the Workmate needed additional stability for what I was doing, I'd shamelessly steal from Lee and suspend a cheap concrete block down from the center.

 

[george_lehr]

For a really sturdy bench, I don't think you could beat the one that Harbor Freight sells.

Wood Workbench - 60" Wood Workbench w/ 4 Drawers

My buddy bought one and it's an absolutely beautiful wood bench. It's a bench you could put in the kitchen and your wife would love it.
It was delivered to his door and required assembly, but I don't know how easy it would be to take down and set up on a regular basis. If there's a Harbor Freight near you, you could check it out.
I just know that it's heavy and absolutely beautiful. And I don't think you could buy the materials to build an ugly bench for what the Harbor Freight one sells for.
George

 

[hanno]

Were I to do that over again, I'd probably go the Workmate route for versatility. If the Workmate needed additional stability for what I was doing, I'd shamelessly steal from Lee and suspend a cheap concrete block down from the center.

No need to suspend. Just put your concrete block (I use a .50 cal ammo can full of bullets) on the rear "step." Rock solid.

 

[bhsl8]

Thank you all. Seems I've entered a jungle. I really like the idea of the workmate or the C4M3RON. I need to compare dimensions to see what makes the most sense. I had assumed I would do all the reloading outside but it looks like I will be able to consider inside as well. Floor space is at a premium so portability is paramount.

bhsl8

 

[bhsl8]

Well, I have a very portable bench and it cost me nothing. My next door neighbor is a wizard with wood and when I asked for some scraps of plywood, he asked me for the dimensions of what I needed and I showed him the Cameron and three days later he presented me with a copy of it made from African mahogany. All I have to do is mount a base plate on it and I can reload anywhere. If someone will instruct me on how, I will post pictures. I use an iPad.
bhsl8

 

[fredj338]

I use a workmate for traveling, works fine for a turret or ss press. Progressives like. Sturdier bench setup.

 

[Magload]

Just finished putting a 1/4 inch plywood on my loading bench top. Got tired of stuff falling through the cracks in the planks and ending up in my brass on the bottom shelf. Nope my press mount and removable adapter shows up Monday so I can put it all back and start loading again. It is painful seeing my 550 laying on it's side.

Don

 

[rwsmith]

I can't remember the name....

Seems like Sears or somebody sold a strong metal folding table that would probably be cheaper than building your own out of lumber. 35 years ago I built a bench and though the labor (mine) was free, material costs were sky high. Nowadays when my son builds a skateboard ramp it takes $100 just for materials.