Space saver reloading.

[brigond]

When I first thought about loading ,I believed I was going to need a lot of space. Yes, it would be nice to have a large bench but I had to improvise. I'm loading only one caliber , 9mm. I'm able to store everything I need to load on a very small bench. I originally made this bench to hold my wine making fermenting container. It stands 3 ft tall with 2 by 4 legs. The legs span 16" x 16" and the plywood top overhangs that by 2". I also screwed a 2x10 on the table top to mount the press. Below the table top are 3 shelves that hold everything i need. Without anything on it, I can easily carry it away. The bullets cases and other stuff help weigh it down when in use. I usually support the back of the press with my left hand on the down strokes. This helps to minimize bench movement. I could bolt it down but I like the idea of mobility. Heck, I was thinking of picking up some locking caster wheels so I can roll it around. My point is that if your starting out you don't necessarily need a lot of room.

[JimDandy]

My reloading room is my woodshop. I glued three sheets of plywood together (not full size sheets of course, scraps I had cut down to shelf size for something else then reclaimed) then mounted my press to that. And I clamp that to my tablesaw in four points and let the weight of the tablesaw provide my base.

[jmortimer]

No you do not need a lot of space
http://leeprecision.com/lee-reloading-stand.html
Cheaper than MSRP listed

[Lost Sheep]

Thanks for sharing your setup. Got pictures?

Everything I use regularly with which to load fits in 3 toolboxes:

One is 23" x 10" x 10" and contains my press (Lee Classic Turret), mounting system (a 2"x6" board that I clamp into a portable workbench or anything handy) a small "4"X8"X1.5" fishing tackle box to contain all the small parts & tools and the primer feeding system. There's room for a couple of manuals in there, too, but I store them on my bookshelf, with one next to the computer.

The second (15"x8"x8") contains all the gunpowder handling parts. Scale, funnel, Lee Auto-Disk Powder measure/dispenser and a set of Lee's measuring scoops/dippers bullet puller, micrometer and my loading safety glasses (as opposed to my shooting glasses).

The third (15"x7"x7") contains seven sets of reloading dies, mounted in their turrets inside their plastic storage cylinders, ready to plug into the press and use.

With my folding workbench, I can set up a reloading room anywhere in just a few minutes. I spread the dropcloth (to keep from losing primers, live or dead, or small parts and to contain any powder spills), unfold a collapsible workbench and load to my heart's content.

My setup over the past 36 years has consisted of a press bolted to a short 2x6 clamped into a folding workbench (or just clamped to an end table), dies, a scale, a couple of powder measures and a number of other miscellaneous tools.

Repeating: My current setup is as follows:

Lee Classic Turret Press
7 Die sets (all mounted in their own quick-change turrets plus one flat die box of unmounted dies
3 Auto-Disk powder measures (2 standard and one Pro)
bullet puller (not shown, it is in my range bag)
calipers (not shown, they are on my desk)
Primer Pocket cleaner
Case mouth Chamfer Tool
Safety glasses (shooting glasses would do, but I keep a dedicated pair)
Powder trickler
Powder Funnel
A set of Lee Powder Dippers
Tweezers and other small hand tools
A half-dozen loading manuals (don't keep them in the toolboxes, though)
Dropcloth (not in the toolboxes, either, but laid atop them
Lee Safety Prime for large and small primers (Lee Primer Dispensers for use on the press)
I think that's about it for the toolboxes.

With the folding worktable, I can set up anywhere (including going over to a friend's house) with just three trips (two carrying the gear and one carrying the components). I make more trips to the car preparing to go to the range.

I don't have a picture of it set up properly, but in post #8 is pictures of the toolboxes and contents.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=497054


Lost Sheep

[JimDandy]

Right now, I'm playing with something in my head to make a collapsible bench made of 2x4's, lagbolts, wingnuts, and hinges. It's still in the early mental development, but I'm thinking of having the table top hinge right behind the press mounting so that when the bench folds up- I'm thinking about easel height, the press will then fold back upright, and possibly bungee in some fashion so it stands a 4-5 feet tall, and 8-10 inches thick, and can stand up in a closet or something when not being used.

[chris in va]

My reloading area is my Lay-z-Boy. The beauty of a hand press and TV tray.

[Gbro]

My 1stpress was mounted on a 3/4" by 12" X 18" plywood with recessed carriage bolts. We lived in a Gerbil Tube (14X70) and this would fit the kitchen counter and the wife's sewing machine spent more time as a counterweight for my press than patching my work clothes.
When i moved that press stayed on the board and the board was fastened permanently to a work table.
Of course her new sewing machine would not anchor that board like the old one's.

[kwm1971]

I live in a double wide with no garage, shop, or spare rooms. I recently bought the Lee 50th kit. I have a my press bolted to a 2x6x8 which I then secure to a Harbor Freight workmate type table with C-Clamps. I C-clamp my powder measure to the table as well. I do it all on the table.
-- When I'm done, the table folds and goes under the bed. the tools & press go into a large tool bag.

when its working it takes up a 4x4 square area to reload 9mm, 243, 22-250, 45LC. When I done, it's out of sight.

[Lost Sheep]

I offered to post Brigond's pictures for him, and he sent them (but I lost the thread). So here they are.

Here also are the steps I performed to upload the pictures.

Save pictures on computer somewhere easy to find (I used a folder on the "Desktop")

Click on the paperclip icon to open a "Manage Attachments" window.

Click on one of the multiple "Browse" buttons and browse to the pictures' location.

When all pictures have been selected, click the "Upload" button

Then in the upper right, click the "Close this Window" phrase

Lost Sheep

[jcwit]

Not my only way I reload by far but one of my favorites is while watching TV using a cut down bar stool and a Lee Loader and a Sinclair Arbor Press. Charging the cases is done separate so as not to be distracted.

Doing it this way its quiet "no hammering" and disturbs no one, may be slow, but I'm not in any rush anyway.