Birth of a reloading bench

[davidlt89]

since I had ordered a reloading kit, thought I might need a place to sit down and do my business. I have one bench in my room but it is pretty clustered and it is where I do all my cleaning, stocks, etc... So I thought it might be fun to build me a new bench! I had to go get some wood to fix a cabinet downstairs so I while I was at lowes I thought it would be enviromentally responsible to get all my wood in one trip! (at least that is what I told my wife!:grin:). Was not really sure what I wanted for a bench so I searched the internet and found some plans of a bench I thought would serve my purpose. I printed off the plans, changed the dimensions and few other things around. Here is a look at the plans.

 
I started this sunday afternoon, thinking it was only going to take a couple hours:Banghead: I was certainly longer than that. I spent over an hour in the garage in zero degree weather just cutting wood! Here is what I got so far.
 
Frame almost together.

 
Here is a picture with the top on and my help for the day! He was pretty cheap labor, he floated in and out of the room about 100 times. He is convinced it is just a "new table".

 
Here it is pretty much together! I still have to stain, polyurothane, add some trim, and one more shelf on the right.

 
My reloading kit arrived yesterday so I am pretty excited to see it on the bench. God Bless.

[Jamie.270]

If I may make a suggestion,... Get some outside corner moulding and do the perimeter of the work surface. You won't appreciate it until a case, bullet or tool of some kind rolls to the edge and stops, instead of falling off the edge.      


Wait until the press is mounted though, so you know where NOT to put the moulding.  Then cut it to fit up snug to the press.

Looks great so far though!  You're well on your way!

[sakorick]

JHello David. I assume the press is going in the R corner? If so, you may need to beef that area up. An additional 2x4 leg on that side and a lateral 2x4 stringer. Be sure to check your mounting screw spacing so the extra stringer doesn't get in the way. The press will exert more pressure than you think. Regards, Rick.

[davidlt89]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Yes Rick, the press will be in the right corner. I thought that it may be sturdy enough, but I will definitely take your years of experience and beef that up a little over there, thanks. I certainly see what you are talking about also Jamie! thats what I really like about this forum:grin:.

[JaDub]

Outside moulding    X2 !    
 
 Also, a `doubler` under the press  area might prevent `reinforcement` later.    Ask me how I know.......
 
 Looks good David!
 
  JaDub

[gitano]

First: OUTSTANDING!

Second: Everything Jamie, Rick, and JaDub said - especially about 'strength'.

Paul

[davidlt89]

Ask me how I know.

how do you know?

especially about 'strength'.

This certainly seems like a "must do"! I have gotten all my stain on, but went to look for the polyeurothane and noticed we were out. I will have to buy some tomorrow.
I got my Lyman, 49th edition reloading in the mail today and it was exciting to look at it!!! I will have another picture of the bench once all the coats are on it, all my ammo is stored in it, and the reloading gear on it!!! God bless.

[gitano]

This certainly seems like a "must do"!

I have broken off a 3" thick glulam.

Paul

[sakorick]

Here's how I reinforced my bench. I added a 2x6 flat and a 2x4 stringer behind the 2x6. The 2x4 is back far enough that my knees don't hit it. Regards, Rick.

[gitano]

You're probably 'a ways off' from doing some of the 'creative' things I do at my reloading bench, but you might consider a sacrificial surface on which you can 'pound' and 'grind' and generally 'abuse'. I good material for that is 1/4" "beaverboard" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaverboard and hardboard http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardboard (they're the same thing). If you inlet, (or surround with molding), a 12x15-inch section of your table-top, you can insert a piece of hardboard and 'beat' on it 'til it's 'used up' and then replace it. Doing this saves your permanent wooden tabletop.

Like I said, it's not likely that you'll be 'getting creative' for a while, so this feature can wait. But when (not if) you find yourself 'beating' on your wooden tabletop, it will be time to add it.

Paul

[sakorick]

I agree 100% with gitano. My bench top is one inch tempered hardwood and I love it. You can beat on it pretty good before denting the stuff. It was a piece left over in my house construction. After you have reloaded for awhile, you will want to make changes. My bench is a 3d or 4th generation....as mom used to say, "you live and learn".:yes:Regards, Rick.

[JaDub]

My bench was originally made with a 1/2"  particle board top with a two inch front overhang.  The RCBS was attached to the bench top with `appropriate ` hardware etc..  For two years everything was working out well.............
till one day, as I was seating a bullet , the entire lip of the bench broke off with a sudden SNAP !!   Everything on the bench became airborn and basically redistributed itself everywhere.  Primers, bullets, casings, tools, dies..........everything!     What a mess.
 
  The repair consisted of a 3/4 "-  24"x24" finished interior plywood `plate` fastened to the benchtop.  The bench now has a lip to keep things from rolling off.
 
  JaDub

[davidlt89]

Gonna do my beefing up hopefully this weekend before I put the gear on. The material I used on the top was meant to be "replaced" in time if it gets to damaged! I got my stain on a couple nights ago and put the polyurethane on tonight. Here is what it looks like.


 
Had me a different helper tonight!!!!!! tommorrow I will get the kit out of the box and see what I need to do. will also move all my ammo and "sort" it out nice and neatly. Ordered some shotgun ammo boxes for birdshot, steelshot, and my turkey loads! God bless.

[22hornet]

Good job David! :D Great bench!

For my "bashing" plate I use a piece of an old cutting board.

[davidlt89]

Started moving things onto the bench this morning and sorting them all out. I feel my ammo is much more organized now! I ordered some MTM ammo cases and I really like them. Nice having shotgun shells organized (birdshot, steelshot, turkey, etc..) the MTM 50 round shotshell cases are not that bad and pretty inexpensive. I took out all the parts to my reloading kit and proceeded to put it together. I noticed right off there were no step by step directions, but pictures 0f all the parts assembled! I started to get a little worried but remembered in the reviews I read off of cabelas how everyone said it was so easy to put together. So I took a breath and put it together. Really was no need for step by step directions. got everything together except for bolting the press on. Need to get some screws and reinforce the area it is going to go. Funny they don't tell you that about the press. I would have sworn the way I have would be sturdy enough! anyway, I started reading the directions on how to use the loader and honestly, it seems pretty simple. those directions are great!!!!! the hand prime tool seems pretty nifty!!!!!!
Here's a pick of the bench with some stuff on it! Hopefully I can get some bolts and cut my wood to reinforce it this weekend. I do know it is too cold to be in the garage today!!!!

God bless.

[Jamie.270]

David, It's good to see pictures while you can still see most of the work surface!

[Alboy]

Looking good but where is the fold out shelf for the powder scale, I thought that was a really good idea.

[drinksgin (deceased)]

OSB does have a tendency to compress, I would face the press area with a dense solid wood to keep the press from sinking into the OSB.
I have had mixed results with poly coating, my next bench will have a formica top, likely a preformed counter top section with considerable reinforcing under it.
It really makes no difference what you top it with, after 6 months no one will ever see the top again.

[JaDub]

" a preformed counter top section with considerable reinforcing under it."

  Great idea!!              Just don`t forget the lip !  :laugh:

[drinksgin (deceased)]

The preformed tops have a raised roll front edge.

[davidlt89]

Looking good but where is the fold out shelf for the powder scale, I thought that was a really good idea.

I opted to leave that out, I did not think it made that much difference. I would rather just have the scale on the bench. I can however always add it in. I though I would use the remaining wall space for hanging whatever needs to be hanged.

I would face the press area with a dense solid wood to keep the press from sinking into the OSB.

I will probably stick with that top for now. Getting anxious to just get it all up and running.  

It really makes no difference what you top it with, after 6 months no one will ever see the top again.

does it really get that bad? God Bless.

[Alboy]

does it really get that bad? God Bless.
 
Yep

[davidlt89]

does it really get that bad? God Bless.

Yep

that could not happen to me.

[recoil junky]

does it really get that bad? God Bless.

Ayup.

A tour of the man-cave, On the left you can see the handle of the #45 Lyman sizer/lubricator, then further to the right you can see the old Herters turret press. (I know the model but itr's eluding me right now) with a herters powder measure above it And center stage is the Bonanza/Forster COAX, with a Lyman #55 powder measure above it. And then we have two Lee Pro1000 progressives. One in 40S&W and the other in 45ACP. Yes, I know you an easily change calibers, but I don't want to.



RJ

[JaDub]

Oh, and RJ........   is that Peruvian Blanco,  Panama Sunrise, Columbian Supremeo and quite possibly........  gasp, ...........    Belezian Surprise up  there on the shelf  ?    
 
   COFFEE man.........    COFFEE.         What were YOU think`n ?   :grin:
 
                     
  Cheers, JaDub

[davidlt89]

RJ,
  you should just hire a few people and make a production line!!!!!! God Bless.

[drinksgin (deceased)]

RJ, just how many hours did it take you to get it that clean?

[gitano]

RJ, just how many hours did it take you to get it that clean?

Paul

[recoil junky]

What. That is clean. There's a path from the door to the chair. Most importantly, by the scissors is the remote to the cd player/radio.

Under the remote and the scissors is my gun vise. Note the padding? It's an old wood vise that works very well for holding of firearms wilst cleaning.

By the way, you DON'T want to see the other corner, huh Paul.

RJ

[gitano]

:lipsrsealed:

Paul

[Brithunter]

Hmmm I have been reading all this and perusing the Photos. Yes I REALLY need to get something sorted out for my stuff but I am afraid that Davids set up would need to be about three times the size. In the garage where it was put for storage when I moved some 5 years ago is my old goods inward bench that I used for reloading and it's nowhere near big eonugh. There was only just enough room between the presses to sit a few cases. No good. Looks like I will have to build a lean to against the concrete pre-fab garage for my reloading and work "room". It will have to be as big as I can fit onto the space which is not really going to be big enough.

Just measured the space and the best I can squeeze in is 10 feet long and 8 feet wide at the front but only 6 feet wide at the rear. Hmmm Oh well I will have to make it out of a timber frame clad in 3/4" roofing ply then painted with a "pent" sloping roof felted all sitting on a concrete base. Due to rats it will have to have a wall base of one row of concrete blocks for the timber frame to sit on and the cladding to over lap and inch or so. We have a hard wood front door that will be used and the floor inside will be screed to raise it another 1" to stop water ingress from driving rain and provide a door sill seal against water. I'll double skin it covering the inside of the wood frame with 1/2" ply and fill between with insulation.

Light will be a problem where it is soooooooooooo I am thinking glaze above the door the angled section up to the roof. This faces south. and possibly a roof light. Hmm needs more thought and costing too. Electrics can be tapped into in the workshop and I think we still have a small working electric storage heater to keep the damp at bay and make it usable in winter. If not a free standing gas bottled gas heater will have to be used. That's eats into the space though.

Have to consider security so steel weldmesh might have to be used to reinforce the walls and roof and bars made to fit inside the glazing. This is not going to be a five minute job which is why it's been put off. Oh well it NEEDS to be done so will see if this year it can be a reality. I have a spare steel gun cabinet which I could install inside it for temporary secure storage and a racked cabinet of 3/4" ply built to store my powders. Yep they have got silly about powder storage here now and each 1lb tub it seems is supposed to have it's own little cubby hole . Likewise although I could store cast and non expanding bullets out there the expanding bullets being soooooooo dangerous would still need to be locked in steel cabinets indoors. I could move all my presses and dies plus the service/cleaning tools and stuff out there and make some room indoors.

David see what you have started?

Edit:-   Oh yes and I have to sort out somehwere to set up my casting equipment too as with the price of bullets it's making more and more sense to do so. Hopefully I should be getting a nice .303 mould next month.

[davidlt89]

but I am afraid that Davids set up would need to be about three times the size.

after seeing RJ's pictures, and listening to everyone else, I get the feeling that reloading can start to "spiral". I figured I would just load a few rounds and that would be it:D.
Kevin, my room is "bigger" than just that reloading bench. that is just one corner of the room. I have another bench that I do other work on such as cleaning, etc.... I have a ton of clothes and other gear in there also, not to mention all my firearms. I do however have to store things like gun cases and such in another room!
I got my press mounted yesterday and that seemed to be a chore! It took awhile to get all the reinforcing done! Now I just need to learn how to use it all! God bless.

[Brithunter]

David,

Well I reload quite a bit and shoot as often as I can as you know. Mine started to balloon when I had the 577/450 Swinburn Martini. Now as you know I have a "few" rifles and load for them all. Except the rimfires of course. Currently I have a temp set up. Just the Rockchucker mounted to a bit of old MDF counter top and that bit of top clamped to an old TV stand. Old as in 1950's.

The Lee Turret press, Lyman Spar-T are in the garage and I need to clean them up now along with my 4" vice. The Uniflow is in the mobile home in a drawer. As I added in a edit I have to set up my electric lead pot and get the sizers sorted and set up somewhere but that will be somewhere else. Possible a corner of a shed...............yep cold.

If I can get this reloading/work room done it will have some shelves and a bench for doing my cleaning and stock refinishing. I will also make a cradle for use when doing stuff like scope mounting. It will be possible.................... just I believe to do so in the space available. Hopefully I can put my couple of Deer mounts up and finally get the 4pt and 6pt Roe bucks done and up on show. Those two are still raw in the freezer. Another job to get sorted this year.

Edit:-  You see we only have a small two bedroomed Bungalow so room is at a premium. My books etc are in a 28ft mobile home outside but heating it in the winter is too expensive.

[davidlt89]

I hear ya!!! I don't expect to get many more rifles though. I will load for the 7mm mag, 25-06, and probably the 30-40 krag. then maybe whatever the boys decide to get someday, of course, they will be taking those rifles with them. I am certainly not a collector. My 7mm mag shoots everything I hunt. I like using one shell for bear, deer, and moose! my main purpose for reloading is to actually always have bullets on hand, also of course, to have as accurate a bullet I can get. I already have a place to mount scopes, redo stocks, clean etc.. in that room. I also have all my mounts, many pictures and lots of clothes neatly put away.

[Brithunter]

I hear ya!!!I don't expect to get many more rifles  though. I will load for the 7mm mag, 25-06, and probably the 30-40 krag. then maybe whatever the boys decide to get someday, of course, they will be taking those rifles with them. I am certainly not a collector. My 7mm mag shoots everything I hunt. I like using one shell for bear, deer, and moose! my main purpose for reloading is to actually always have bullets on hand, also of course, to have as accurate a bullet I can get. I already have a place to mount scopes, redo stocks, clean etc.. in that room. I also have all my mounts, many pictures and lots of clothes neatly put away.

 
:laugh: Now there is a man in denial :D " I don't expect to get many more rifles  " Ok we believe you.

  I'll bet most have said that at some point then while mindign  our own business we stumble across and nice rifle and well it just seems to follow one home. Of course some are more effected, like me, than others of course I can stop any time I like :laugh:.

[davidlt89]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I ain't against buying another rifle! I usually sell one to get one:D
I had a request for a picture with the press mounted so here it is. The bottom one is the reinforcement I put in.

[Brithunter]

Well David that should hold it although you will find that over time the new wood will compress slightly so keep an eye on it. meanwhile it's time to get the rest sorted and some loads made up :grin:.

On another note:-

Well I broached the subject of my building a work/reloading room work shop with the Old Dragon and she thinks it's a good idea. It would tidy up a bit of dumping ground. She has even said I can take flowering shrub out so I can go back a bit further so I will now have to work out the size so I can clear the ground shutter it up and get some concrete priced up. We are thinking ready mix for this one.

The pad will be larger so it will form a path between the workshop/room and the mobile home.

We discussed it and having the rear wall and wall adjacent to the pre fab garage of concrete block and the other two walls timber. Having the block wals will allow for secure fixings for some security features like a steel cabinet and sheling/racking for storage but this will mean losing about 10" on the width .

I have worked out how to get natural light into it and the pre fab garage still. It will require a sort of dorma sky light and secondary glazing might be an idea to help keep it warm enough to use all year round.

Not sure about using the casting stuff inside of it though even though I could put an extractor in?

[davidlt89]

meanwhile it's time to get the rest sorted and some loads made up

Hoping to something soon, but it is really not shooting weather right now, been below zero quite a few days in a row. won't really be good until april. I will however start reading my manual and probably gathering materials. Got a friend who wants some 22 hornet reloads, and one guy with a .270 WSM looking for deer rounds. God Bless.

[JaDub]

" the old dragon"..........  
 
          I refer to   mine as "the war department"..............  :grin:

[Brithunter]

" the old dragon"..........
 
I refer to mine as "the war department".............. :grin:

This is the "Old Dragon" at rest in her den. Taken August 2002.
 

 
yes the Old Dragon is Mother and she knows it too.

[kombi1976]

Wow, amazing work there, Dave.
Wish I'd seen this before.
I now need to get on top of my act.
BTW, mine is the Dept of War & Finance.

[davidlt89]

Soooo, it has been a little over a year since I built the bench and got going. People said stuff would "pile up" and I have indeed acquired some more stuff!!! in the initial picture of the set up, there was room for everything I had right on my bench!!!!

Now there is only room for bullets, brass, dies, and primers on the bench. I have dies for guns I don't even have.


powder has migrated to its own shelf also.


ammo needed two shelves!!!


I believe it is impossible to stop acquiring "things"!!! God Bless.

[drinksgin (deceased)]

Snicker, snicker!

;<)

[gitano]

I have dies for guns I don't even have.

What's your point?

:D

Paul

[RatherBHuntin]

Nah, You have dies for guns you will have some day!

[Alboy]

Ahyep, ditto on that philosophy
 

Nah, You have dies for guns you will have some day!

[gitano]

At the moment, I think what he has are dies for OPGs - other people's guns.

Paul

[davidlt89]

At the moment, I think what he has are dies for OPGs - other people's guns.

Correct!!!  I told myself I would make them buy their own dies, but I ended up buying the dies for myself to have. I wanted to have some of the more common dies on hand, 270, 308, 30-06, etc... One set the guy bought me just for doing his ammo. It is getting that time again. been unusually warm here and I can see grass on my lawn. I can see the 44 mag getting some ammo through it soon. I just received my last batch of powder and I should be all set for a couple years!!!! Of course, last year when I ordered I did not think I would have to get powder for another 5 years!!! God Bless.

[gitano]

I told myself I would make them buy their own dies, but I ended up buying the dies for myself to have.

Gee... I've NEVER done that.

And if you believe that, I have a bridge I'm selling. Get in touch.

You may be surprised how useful those "other dies" will be down the road, and not for 'reloading' per se.

I should be all set for a couple years!!!! Of course, last year when I ordered I did not think I would have to get powder for another 5 years!!!

I predict more powder in 6 months. :D Although, at some point, "enough is enough" does apply to powder. At least for me, it does.

Spring is indeed in the air. I am getting a VERY itchy trigger finger for bear. Was talking about it with Grant this morning. NOTHING stopping us from getting in the water by the end of the month. In fact, nothing stopping us today, but we're going to wait 'tll the end of the month to be more assured that the bears will be out of their dens.

You are definitely a bona fide "reloader" at this point. I've never heard of anyone ever 'turning back'.

Paul

[RatherBHuntin]

Looking up some local laws I ran across an ordnance limiting powder storage within a "structure" to 25 pounds...if that 8 lb can of H322 is only half full I think I will be ok.  :grin:

[drinksgin (deceased)]

I have more than 25lb just in mil surp.
Oh,well , when they come to get me, there will be plenty of evidence.
Did you see the news story about the blond lighting up the oven at her boy friends place to make waffles, how on earth can you make waffles in an oven, and destroying his ammo stock, which, as any sensible batchelor would do, he had in the oven so the pilot light would keep it dry.
I hope he dumps her!

[gitano]

he had in the oven so the pilot light would keep it dry.

And the blond is dumb???
I say they deserve each other.

Paul

[drinksgin (deceased)]

Paul, ask Sue if she would light someone else' s oven without looking inside it first.
People keep ALL kinds of stuff in their ovens.
She had to be really careless, sorta like having 3 -4 open cans of powder on the bench at the same time.
I was just remembering things I have seen in ovens;
pots, pans, lids, shoes, boots, gloves, jars of sprouting seeds, yogurt starters, meals being kept warm, garden seed starts,bread rising, vegetables drying on a rack and jerky in the making.
Likely I have missed some.

[gitano]

Right you are, Don.  I just wouldn't keep FLAMMABLES in an OVEN! But hey, that's just me.

Paul

[j0e_bl0ggs (deceased)]

Most of the stuff I put into an oven ends up being flammable...

[gitano]

:D:D:D:D:D

Paul

[drinksgin (deceased)]

Joe, do you use Paul's recipe book, too?

[j0e_bl0ggs (deceased)]

Nahhhh, generally forget that I put summat in it!
I think the term to use is cremation rather than roasting....

[j0e_bl0ggs (deceased)]

Must get my paws on a copy of Paul's 'Meat only cookbook' AKA 'Vegetables are only a distraction'.

[davidlt89]

so it seems like every time I check who is online, this post is always getting a view. Hard to believe it's been viewed over 20,000 times!!
Anyway, I am certainly grateful to the members on here who helped me get into reloading and continued to offer help anytime I had questions when I first started. Heck, I still ask questions and its been 11 years since I started!! Gitano seems to be the lucky guy....I think he really enjoys my questions!! (lol)
Anyway, thought I might post some now pictures! I am still a ways off from really "creative" stuff, but the bench has held up like a champ! I initially purchased the Lee Challenger Breech Lock Single Stage Press Anniversary Kit. The only thing I swapped out from this kit was the scales, as the lee scales were junk and replaced it with the RCBS 5-0-5 scale, which has worked well.
Still using the same press today although I have looked at other presses 1,000 times!
Anyone looking to get into reloading, but just has not made the push yet....just do it, you will never look back!
I consider my bench pretty "neat" compared to some of the other members.....not going to mention any names to protect the innocent!

bench by David LeTourneau, on Flickr

bench 2 by David LeTourneau, on Flickr

[gitano]

Your bench is entirely TOO neat!

You're making the rest of us look bad. That is those that concern themselves with neatness. ��

Paul