Temporary or portable benches?

[zzzippper]

After many years I am getting back into reloading. We are in a rental house until I retire and move back to St. Louis where my bench is. Since this is temporary I don't want to get into anthing to permanent. There is a bench that I could mount a press to but I'm not sure if I would have enough space because that is my do-it-all bench.

I have seen portable benches at Cabela's. Are these any good or is there a particular brand/style I should look for? Thanks.

 

[MyDads38]

I too live in a rental house. When I got back into reloading, I looked at some of the kits for reloading benches. I saved myself a lot of money by putting one together myself from lumber I had available plus a few pieces I bought at the lumber yard. I have less than $50 in a 5 foot x 2 foot bench x 30 inches height. And that's with a shelf on top for my universal trimmer, powder scale, lamp and magnifying glass w/light. And there's also a bottom shelf for storage of dies/supplies.

I'm no carpenter, but it only took a weekend to put it all together and mount all my presses (4 total). It's not attached to the wall or bolted to the floor. Mostly 2x lumber and is heavy enough for loading 38 Spec., 9mm, 45acp and 223 Rem. Can be moved by 2 people, or left behind if we move and I don't have room for it.

 

[Maddog 521]

Many years ago I was in a rent house and in your predicament. In the kitchen broom closet there were cleats [boards nailed to the wall to mount horizontal shelves] on. I removed a shelf that was the right height and clamped a board to both sides. Then I bolted my press to the board. When I was finished loading I removed the clamped down board and put it away. We lived there about a year and it worked fine. The only problem was when I was reloading I was sitting in the kitchen and working in the doorway and I was sometimes in my wife's way. But it worked for me. Good luck

 

[houdini26]

if you have to build it. build with screws so you can take it apart.

 

[Squarebutt]

Black & Decker Workmates work very well. The feet are spread far apart, so they are very steady, even resizing rifle brass. They fold up to about 4" flat and hide in a closet. I help teach an NRA Metallic Reloading class a couple of times a year, and bring along a Workmate and a pair of single stage presses bolted to short pieces of oak stair tread. A couple of sturdy C-clamps hold the presses to the Workmate and we're in business.

 

[SMSgt]

I attached my press to a small piece of 1/2" plywood, which I clamp to the kitchen bar counter. Works for me. When done I just put it all away. But I do miss my heavy duty bench I had to leave behind in my last move.

 

[Bkreutz]

I'm going to second the Workmate. I think I bought one of the original ones in about 1980 and I still use it. It's beat up, has at least 20 coats of spray paint on it, but it still works. It will probably outlive me.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I with the guys on a workmate or similar portable bench. I've been blessed in that I have had good work benches to load on. However I do run out of space from time to time. A workmate has been used to do various tasks in front of the TV (mostly sizing cast bullets). An example of a project I did on a workmate: I had 200 6mm BR cases that were necked down to 22 BR. The necks walls were .016 to .017 thick and had to be turned to .010 to .011 in order to fit into the chamber. My friends that hand turn cases do about 15 per evening. I used the neck turning attachment for a Forester case trimmer. On top of a Workmate 85 (I think the bottom of the line) I screwed my trimmer to the workmate inside a 12 x18 cheep cake pan, attached a cordless drill, made the fine adjustments, and turned the necks. I ran the cutter over each neck 3 times cutting in both directions, a total of 6 cutting passes. The recommended process is 4 passes, but fatigue wears most guys out. I checked the clock and it only took 2.25 hours. I didn't notice, the kids had a Star Wars marathon on the DVD. The cake pan was like a small lathe bed and caught all the brass cuttings. That kept the carpet clean and me out of the dog house! The case necks turned out fine. That would not have worked on my loading bench due to mounted presses being to close to each other. I have a power case prep center and use the cake pan and workmate as a combo. Ivan

 

[Smith357]

Black & Decker Workmates work very well. The feet are spread far apart, so they are very steady, even resizing rifle brass. They fold up to about 4" flat and hide in a closet.

I started with a B&D Workmate, and it worked very well for a few months until I built a work bench. I mounted my presses to a 3/4 inch piece of plywood with a cleat mounted to the bottom, then used to jaws on the Workmate clamp down on the cleat. I use the same type of setup today, I pull one of the three the pre mounted presses I want to use off the self and clamp it in my bench vise.

 

[Green Frog]

My father and I share reloading space at his home in the basement. I mostly use the RCBS Jr press he has on a dedicated loading bench when I want to go single stage or when I want to use my turret press (Lyman AA) I just C-clamp it to the big old oak work bench he has.

There is an old Workmate™ in the basement that has had a few parts lost off of it... I'm considering doing the conversion I saw a couple of years ago on another website (Castboolits??) that uses a little box-like assembly that attaches to the existing WM deck and holds a press, scale, powder measure, etc, then I can join the load while watching TV crowd!

Froggie

 

[Steve in Vermont]

I have an old Work Mate (much better built than the latest model) and bolted a 2" x 10" pine board onto it. Cut it to 4' and have mounted a ss press and pm on it. Also have drilled holes for a (detachable) RCBS auto priming system. I use it by folding the legs and placing it against a table that sits above the bench. Very stable and by using bolts it can be dismantled easily.

 

[gray wolf]

Black & Decker Workmates work very well.

And or/ C-clamps are your friend.

 

[mikld]

This is what I used for a couple years until I got a dedicated reloading area/bench...

 

[824tsv]

+1 on the Black And Decker Workmate. This is my current set up. I plan on replacing the workmate with a wooden work bench from Harbour Freight at some time. With 3 presses on the top, it's basically un-moveable, but serves it current purpose and is as solid as a rock(chucker)

 

[Tony Marbury]

I bought a work bench that folds all
Wood at home depot, for like 68 bucks
Its like 6 foot long with a awesome top and
A shelf underneath, the bottom shelf locks
The 2x4 legs in the down position. Worked so we
I bought another one. Have my Dillion Sqare D and
All pistol on one bench and my Lyman turredt for rifle on
The other one. All wood bench with a nice top. No assembly

 

[Berserker]

I got a cheap one from Midway years ago, just a round base and about 12x12 top. You can hang bins off the sides. Actually works good. But the room has the rest of my stuff all over. But you could use rubber bins. I also have a kitchen table next to it with my scale and trays.

I am working on wood bench, just have to finish the top. Going to be like the old computer desks, that had a top piece above the desk. Will also have a bottom shelf.

If space was an issue. I would be inclined to build something around 18-36" wide, and up. Around the size of a book case. Storage of bullets, powders, primer, ect becomes more of an issue. But you could also store them somewhere else in the house and just carry what you need into the room.

What I have learned in life, is you make do with what you have. I have heard so many people say I would but do _____, but I don't have the room. They don't really want to. I rebuilt the engine on bike, I have parts scattered all over the house. I was using my 4 wheeler as a work bench and the kitchen counter. Sure it is not convient, and took more time running back and forth, but if you want to do something you will.

 

[Pocketfisherman]

I picked up the bottom half of a big roll around tool chest, mounted two layers of 3/4" plywood to the top, and mounted my presses to that. The bottom drawer has about 250 lbs of bullets in it, with the other drawers holding dies, brass, scales, tools, etc. The castered wheels have brakes that lock it into place. It works well, and I can move it into the house in the winter, and reload in the garage when it is warmer.

 

[Alk8944]

The B&D Workmate is a good idea. Here is a link to Harbor Freight. There are two tools similar to the Workmate for a lot less, $19. There are also two hardwood 5' benches for $165, and a "Heavy Duty Work Station" for $27. Also another 5' work bench with a cabinet under it and wood top for $200. Also a 48" steel bench with drawers and a back-board for $100. These are all on the page this link will take you too.

I am not promoting Harbor Freight, but there are hard to beat on price for many utilitarian items. There are several stores in the Denver area.

 

[gwpercle]

And truth is , you don't realy need a bench to reload...I use the Lee Hand Press for a whole lot of reloading in my house. Sit at the dining table. The bench I have , with mounted press, is in an unheated/uncooled garage and I'm starting to like being cool in summer and warm in winter. Keep everything I need in a large plastic tool-box and stash it in the closet when not in use. Nifty little loader. Lyman makes one you can use with your hand or clamp/bolt to a bench. Check them out.
Gary

 

[Ross3914]

I go with the smaller the better principle.

Frankly, if I have space, I end up with clutter. Being short on space makes you use what you have more efficiently.

The Workmate idea is a great one that's tried and true. I'd seriously consider that for your situation. It's not like you can't use the Workmate for other things when you're not reloading, so it's a multi-purpose solution.

For several years I used a Lee hand press and had all my reloading gear in a tupperware container. Dies, press, primers, everything. I kept powder and bullets separately in a GI ammo can. It worked great.

I now have a workbench that was already in the garage when I bought my house. It's covered with all sorts of other things, because it's the length of the side wall, and things like drill press, etc all reside there. I need to build a dedicated reloading bench. I'll likely go with the Workmate solution in the interm.