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Old April 18, 2009, 12:40 AM   #1
jisom001
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Ideas to clamp down presses

I have a dilemma. I bought a new workbench to mount my presses on in a home office. It has this 2" thick varnished maple top that my wife forbids me from drilling holes in. I am thinking of mounting my presses to 2x12's and clamping them to the benchtop with C clamps. I am thinking this will work with my Loadmaster; but I am not sure about the T-Mag or Crusher. Any ideas? Not comments about getting rid of the wife, please.
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Old April 18, 2009, 06:17 AM   #2
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You bought the wrong workbench!

Seriously though, I tried the temporary reloading setup for about a day. It didn't take long to realize that I REALLY needed a dedicated reloading workbench, and more importantly a dedicated reloading area.
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Old April 18, 2009, 07:30 AM   #3
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When I moved away to school, I needed a temporary setup for .38, .45 and 10mm. I was able to mount my Lee "o" frame press to a 2x8 and lay it across the corner of a solid-framed water bed. Basically, it was being used like a hand press, but with a little more leverage and a little less portability.

It was a temporary setup that worked "acceptably" and no better. Obviously, the worst part was the resizing process. All the other steps took much less leverage and force.

Realistically, in your situation, I'd consider a second piece of furniture that can be located near the fancy new maple bench top and DRILL SOME HOLES.
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Old April 18, 2009, 07:38 AM   #4
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I use C-clamps!

I have a Lyman Crusher II and and couple cheap Lee "reloader" presses that I mounted on some 2x's. I used a 2x6 for the Crusher and 2x4's for the Lee's. I use C-clamps to attach them to the bench, which is also my "work bench".
Here's a pic of my setup:


I use the Crusher with my reloading dies and Lee FCDs.
I have one Lee set up with a universal decapper and a Quinetics Self-adjusting Shell holder to decap range pickups.
I have a Lee Auto disc on the other that I use to throw charges for 30 M1 Carbine.

When I load 30-06 or 22-250 I only use the Crusher II.

When loading 30 M1, I use all three presses:
The Crusher II to decap/size, seat bullets and crimp.
One Lee with expand the mouths so I can trim to length.
The other Lee to throw powder.

I can store the presses on one end of the bench when I need room to work on or clean my rifles.

It works for me.

Tim
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Old April 18, 2009, 07:42 AM   #5
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Quote:
a Quinetics Self-adjusting Shell holder
I had heard about this device but never seen anyone that had one or had used one. Can't imagine why I'd need one, but I'm still curious about it.

How much did it cost you? Do you have any close-up pictures of it? Do you like it? Does it have faults?
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Old April 18, 2009, 08:02 AM   #6
closetgunnut
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Sevens,

I bought it a couple years ago thinking that it would be perfect for decapping range finds and to replace the shellholders I had already. It works good for decapping but larger cases (45 auto/30-06 etc) are sorta a pain to get out of the collet thing that adjusts to hold the cases.

I tried F/L sizing some 30 Carbine using it but the jaws kept slipping off the rim leaving the case in the die. I found that I had to hold down on the Shellholder to keep the jaws from slipping. To much of a P.I.T.A.!!! I just use it for range picks and some crimping now and then.

I think it was around $15-$19 at the time. It's a good idea but the collet needs to be refined a little to work better.

Let me get some close-ups and I'll post them in a little bit.

Tim
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Old April 18, 2009, 08:08 AM   #7
Mike Irwin
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You bought yourself a new workbench, and your wife won't let you drill holes in your workbench...

OK...

Anyway, for years I loaded with presses mounted on wood blocks and C clamped to a table. Worked like a charm, until my Mother came home one day and found me reloading shotshells on the kitchen table.

I was banned from that maneuver again.
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Old April 18, 2009, 08:12 AM   #8
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Mounting plate doesn't need to be a 1 1/2" thick piece of wood to do the job. Many have made mounting plates using thinner but stronger material like steel, aluminum, or PVC plastic....even a piece of plywood, MDF, or sheet woods will work. Use the same clamping principle to prevent drilling holes or damaging the bench surface.

Nearly all my loaders are mounted to 1/2" thick PVC plates.
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Old April 18, 2009, 08:20 AM   #9
closetgunnut
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Sevens,

I took some pics and uploaded them.

Here's the Link: http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/d...hell%20Holder/

If you have any questions feel free to ask them here or PM me.

Gotta go! I hear the Range calling......

Closet
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Old April 18, 2009, 08:49 AM   #10
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Hey, really appreciate you going through all that effort! I was thinking that if you happened to have a picture loaded somewhere already that you'd point me to it -- I sure didn't mean for you to dig out a camera, set up a bunch of shots, download the camera, upload to website, etc etc. Thanks for doing all that... and on a range day, even!!

Looks like a handy device. Where I could really see a use for such a device would be with a stuck case. Maybe not the definitive answer, but you could easily put that shell holder in to the ram, move it up over the case and screw it down, and keep tension with the fingers while withdrawing the ram.

I like it. Would also be handy for non-typical pieces you need to quickly run up a press.

Thanks again!
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Old April 18, 2009, 10:29 AM   #11
Russ5924
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Buy a 3/4 plywood cut to fit the top and drill holes in that use countersunk bolts from the bottom up and use clamps to hold down plywood, You may even want to double the plywood
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Old April 18, 2009, 01:20 PM   #12
dlb435
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I've got a 1/4 steel plate that covers my reloading bench. I can drill and tap this to mount my presses and anything else.
I've also got a woodworking bench that I can clamp a board to and mount other an other press at a seperate work station.
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Old April 18, 2009, 03:09 PM   #13
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Quote:
Mounting plate doesn't need to be a 1 1/2" thick piece of wood to do the job. Many have made mounting plates using thinner but stronger material like steel, aluminum, or PVC plastic....even a piece of plywood, MDF, or sheet woods will work.
I had to much flex even using 2x lumber.

I now have steel angle set into each end of 2x lumber to spread out teh clamping force.

F clamps have a lower profile above the bench than C clamps.
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Old April 18, 2009, 04:15 PM   #14
Rembrandt
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brickeyee
....I had to much flex even using 2x lumber.
To flex 2" lumber, press/plate mounts are not spread out enough to distribute force or need some case lube....
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Old April 18, 2009, 05:46 PM   #15
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I think you have far larger problems than how to mount a press on a workbench.
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Old April 18, 2009, 08:58 PM   #16
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I was thinking about using an old Workmate portable bench but don't know if it would be heavy enough for the job. How heavy would you estimate a bench should weigh to resist torque from a press?
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Old April 18, 2009, 09:35 PM   #17
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Will she let you drill into the bottom side of the top? If so, you could mount the press to a plank, and screw the plank to the underside of the bench top. Or you could mount a bench vise like this one from Rockler:



Then you could bolt the press to a plank with a cleat on the bottom, and clamp that in the vise.

Andy
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Old April 18, 2009, 11:52 PM   #18
jisom001
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jisom001

My problem was in buying a workbench that is too pretty. It is massive and sturdy and I just wasn't thinking about the way it looks. I like the Rockler bench vice idea. When I am done my reloading area won't work any better than it did before; but it will be a lot "prettier". That will save me a lot of grief in the long run. (I've been married for 36 years)
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Old April 19, 2009, 09:42 AM   #19
brickeyee
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Quote:
To flex 2" lumber, press/plate mounts are not spread out enough to distribute force or need some case lube....
No, using clamps puts the loading on a single spot on each end of the board holding the press.

My RCBS 4x4 consistently flexed the 2x8 it was mounted to and held in place with a pair of 10 inch Jorgenson C-clamps.

I inlaid 1 inch steel angle across the width of each end of the 2x8 to allow the clamp loads to spread better.

I could even then use Pony F-clamps without issue.

Do some heavy case forming on a Rockchucker mounted to a 2x6 section and had the same problem.

Added metal,no more flex.
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Old April 19, 2009, 09:50 AM   #20
Mike Irwin
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One of the old Workmate benches should do a fine job as a reloading bench.
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Old April 19, 2009, 09:58 AM   #21
Dingoboyx
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Jisom

Do the wood and clamp thing, but glue the wood down with the clamps for camoflage she wont know the wood & press is a permanent fixture (and at least you didnt DRILL any holes in HER new workbench...... er, I mean, YOUR new work bench) and the press wont move
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Old April 19, 2009, 11:08 AM   #22
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That is what I use, a Workmate bench. It's been a good solution for me, but it is an older one with steel legs, new ones might be plastic and too light.

I made a top to go on it, 20"x26" with a 4" high skirt around three sides so stuff won't roll off the back/sides.

Two carriage bolts drop down through it with wing nuts on the bottom to clamp the two tops together. Three bolts drop thru the press base and both tops, with wing nuts on the bottom. Mine is plenty sturdy and I can have it low and work seated, or raise it up and work while standing, which surprisingly I sometimes prefer.

When I am done just loosen the wingnuts, lift the top off and set it away, and the Workmate folds up and stores as well. In just a few minutes I can set it up on the deck, in the garage, a friends house, or even in the Den.... if there is nobody around to monitor my activities......
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Old April 19, 2009, 08:09 PM   #23
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^Hmmmmmm^

What have we here? A closet repeat reloader?
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Old April 20, 2009, 07:39 PM   #24
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Thanks Mike and JFN. Mine is the old one with steel legs. That's going to make life easier and save some space.
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