New Reloading Bench

phillyr121 · February 11, 2013, 10:17 AM

What should the correct height for a reloading bench be if your 5' 11"

greentick · February 11, 2013, 10:18 AM

Do you want to sit or stand?

phillyr121 · February 11, 2013, 10:19 AM

Could be both...standing or sitting

greentick · February 11, 2013, 10:49 AM

I have a dillon 550b and I like to stand. I (~6'3") made mine about "elbow height." Seems to be ergonomic to me, easy to transfer cases, bullets etc. Easy to see if there is powder in the case before seating the projo. I'm happy with it.

Eppie · February 11, 2013, 10:49 AM

I like to stand mostly but use a folding bar stool (from Walmart) to occasionally sit. I'm 5'8" tall and my bench is 45" tall. That keeps me from having to stoop over to look closely. It works well for me.

Budweiser · February 11, 2013, 11:45 AM

I have mine at standard counter top height of 3'. I have a Dillion 550 on the strong mount. I can either sit or stand. I always stand when reloading because it allows me to look from one side of the press to the other, and over the top to see powder charges, place the bullet, verify primer pick up.

I have an old drafting stool for sitting tasks like case prep, primer tube loading, gun cleaning, final ammo inspection and packaging.

JHLL · February 11, 2013, 11:54 AM

My bench is at 36". I feel that for me, it is ideal for standing, or sitting, in a comfy office chair, Im 6'1". I prefer to sit while loading, but stand while cleaning, or working on guns, and this height works great for me.

1-DAB · February 11, 2013, 12:05 PM

Most tables are 30" high. That's the height of my bench.

**Mike Irwin** · February 11, 2013, 12:07 PM

"What should the correct height for a reloading bench be if your 5' 11"

Hobbit sized.

phillyr121 · February 11, 2013, 01:22 PM

You must see " Budweiser's" reloading room. He's the King. I am so jealous. If I ever spent that much money on equipment like he did, my wife would make me live on the street.

phillyr121 · February 11, 2013, 01:56 PM

Still no luck.........NO 9mm bullets anywhere. Does anyone know when the Turmoil will die down and suppliers will have restocked bullets?

Rebel · February 11, 2013, 02:33 PM

My reloading bench is about 38" tall so i can sit or stand. I just built it this past weekend. Still a work in progress but it may give you an idea of the how you want to build one.

BTW - I'm 5'10" and I think it fits me well.

scottd913 · February 11, 2013, 08:48 PM

i was going to build a reloading bench and i was going to build it the same hight as the counter tops in my kitchen since i find them easy to work on while standing or sitting on a bar stole. if you start out tall you can cut it down.

wild willy · February 11, 2013, 09:03 PM

I'm 5'11" my bench is 43" tall but most of my presses are mounted on 2x10s so working height is 44 1/2 I wouldn't want it any lower for standing.Just remember once you make it higher than your waist don't make it too deep or you won't be able to reach stuff on the wall.

droptrd · February 11, 2013, 10:07 PM

I built mine 36". I'm 5'10. Standard kitchen countertop height is 36"

Lost Sheep · February 12, 2013, 01:31 AM

Build one with 18" screw jacks for feet and about 55" at the tallest setting. Lower to where you like it best.

Or build a tall bench and have a 46" square sheet of 1/2" plywood on the floor. Shim up the plywood with 2x4's until you have the right height difference between the plywood and the bench top.

Or do research on ergonomics as used by factory work station designers. They will have formulas that should give you a good idea. But no cookie-cutter design will be as good as one that you tailor to fit your own body dimensions.

Good luck,

Lost Sheep

david_r · February 12, 2013, 04:14 AM

Cycle your press through it's range of motion. You don't want to have to drop your shoulder or lean over at the bottom of the stroke.

Brotherbadger · February 13, 2013, 03:33 AM

My bench is about 46" tall(tall enough that it doesn't hurt my back standing, but i can still use a barstool to sit on if need be), but I'm 6'4. 38-42 is probably the right height for you. Any chance you can put a board up(on a temporary stucture) to see how high you like it? That's how i figured out what i liked. Just throw up some random board you have around and see what is comfortable.

February 11, 2013, 10:17 AM	#1
phillyr121 Member Join Date: October 27, 2011 Location: Winter Garden, Florida Posts: 20	New Reloading Bench What should the correct height for a reloading bench be if your 5' 11" __________________ " Wanting to reach perfection, hoping never to attain it"

February 11, 2013, 10:18 AM	#2
greentick Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2011 Location: Deep South Posts: 153	Do you want to sit or stand? __________________ NYS expat happily living in the deep South

February 11, 2013, 10:19 AM	#3
phillyr121 Member Join Date: October 27, 2011 Location: Winter Garden, Florida Posts: 20	Bench Height Could be both...standing or sitting __________________ " Wanting to reach perfection, hoping never to attain it"

February 11, 2013, 10:49 AM	#4
greentick Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2011 Location: Deep South Posts: 153	I have a dillon 550b and I like to stand. I (~6'3") made mine about "elbow height." Seems to be ergonomic to me, easy to transfer cases, bullets etc. Easy to see if there is powder in the case before seating the projo. I'm happy with it. __________________ NYS expat happily living in the deep South

February 11, 2013, 10:49 AM	#5
Eppie Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2010 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 521	I like to stand mostly but use a folding bar stool (from Walmart) to occasionally sit. I'm 5'8" tall and my bench is 45" tall. That keeps me from having to stoop over to look closely. It works well for me. __________________ Experience is a very bad teacher because it first gives you the test and then teaches you the lesson.

February 11, 2013, 11:54 AM	#7
JHLL Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Posts: 40	My bench is at 36". I feel that for me, it is ideal for standing, or sitting, in a comfy office chair, Im 6'1". I prefer to sit while loading, but stand while cleaning, or working on guns, and this height works great for me.

February 11, 2013, 12:05 PM	#8
1-DAB Member Join Date: May 5, 2010 Location: Santa Fe, NM Posts: 86	Most tables are 30" high. That's the height of my bench.

February 11, 2013, 12:07 PM	#9
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,116	"What should the correct height for a reloading bench be if your 5' 11" Hobbit sized. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

February 11, 2013, 01:22 PM	#10
phillyr121 Member Join Date: October 27, 2011 Location: Winter Garden, Florida Posts: 20	Reloading Room You must see " Budweiser's" reloading room. He's the King. I am so jealous. If I ever spent that much money on equipment like he did, my wife would make me live on the street. __________________ " Wanting to reach perfection, hoping never to attain it"

February 11, 2013, 01:56 PM	#11
phillyr121 Member Join Date: October 27, 2011 Location: Winter Garden, Florida Posts: 20	9mm Bullets Still no luck.........NO 9mm bullets anywhere. Does anyone know when the Turmoil will die down and suppliers will have restocked bullets? __________________ " Wanting to reach perfection, hoping never to attain it"

February 11, 2013, 08:48 PM	#13
scottd913 Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2012 Location: Texas ... north of houston, east of el paso Posts: 215	i was going to build a reloading bench and i was going to build it the same hight as the counter tops in my kitchen since i find them easy to work on while standing or sitting on a bar stole. if you start out tall you can cut it down.

February 11, 2013, 09:03 PM	#14
wild willy Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2006 Posts: 182	I'm 5'11" my bench is 43" tall but most of my presses are mounted on 2x10s so working height is 44 1/2 I wouldn't want it any lower for standing.Just remember once you make it higher than your waist don't make it too deep or you won't be able to reach stuff on the wall.

February 11, 2013, 10:07 PM	#15
droptrd Senior Member Join Date: September 22, 2011 Location: Illinois Posts: 297	I built mine 36". I'm 5'10. Standard kitchen countertop height is 36"

February 12, 2013, 01:31 AM	#16
Lost Sheep Senior Member Join Date: January 24, 2009 Location: Anchorage Alaska Posts: 2,711	Build one with 18" screw jacks for feet and about 55" at the tallest setting. Lower to where you like it best. Or build a tall bench and have a 46" square sheet of 1/2" plywood on the floor. Shim up the plywood with 2x4's until you have the right height difference between the plywood and the bench top. Or do research on ergonomics as used by factory work station designers. They will have formulas that should give you a good idea. But no cookie-cutter design will be as good as one that you tailor to fit your own body dimensions. Good luck, Lost Sheep

February 12, 2013, 04:14 AM	#17
david_r Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2013 Posts: 131	Cycle your press through it's range of motion. You don't want to have to drop your shoulder or lean over at the bottom of the stroke.

February 13, 2013, 03:33 AM	#18
Brotherbadger Member Join Date: November 10, 2010 Posts: 32	My bench is about 46" tall(tall enough that it doesn't hurt my back standing, but i can still use a barstool to sit on if need be), but I'm 6'4. 38-42 is probably the right height for you. Any chance you can put a board up(on a temporary stucture) to see how high you like it? That's how i figured out what i liked. Just throw up some random board you have around and see what is comfortable.