Portable bench pic.

odsixer · March 4, 2008, 11:27 PM

Here's a pic of my portable loading bench while loading .45acp single stage. It's just some pine shelving from home depot glued together and routered, then clamped to a B&D workmate. I haven't taken it to the range yet but so far I'm pretty happy with it.

sgtwebb1 · March 4, 2008, 11:41 PM

I looked at that exact shelving at Lowe's over the weekend, it comes in several different sizes, pre-cut from 2x3ft all the way up to 4x6ft. Good looking wood, thinking about using a large piece for the top of my (Still in planning stages) reloading bench.

Use that for the top, some 3/4" plywood for the lower shelf, add some shelves and pegboard, and presto.
Can hardly wait to get started this weekend.

Sevens · March 5, 2008, 09:04 AM

Looks great! Just one comment, and I apologize ahead of time if I come across as a safety nazi... but if the baby food jar has primers in it, that's a BAD thing. Primers are best kept in the factory packaging. By far, it's the right idea. It keeps you from ever getting them mixed up, but much more so, the factory packaging is designed to keep the explosion risk to a minimum. A sufficient amount of engineering goes in to the cheap little trays that hold the primers because of it. Primers aren't likely to explode on their own, but keeping a pile of them in a jar or small bottle is never going to be a good idea.

I think if more folks had a portable reloading bench at a range, there'd be a heckuva lot more new reloaders getting in to the hobby! I would imagine there'd be a constant stream of folks coming by the get an up-close look at the process.

zxcvbob · March 5, 2008, 01:30 PM

I assumed the BBF jar was for spent primers.

I have a portable bench made from a very sturdy sawhorse. I'd post a picture, but there's no place to put it where the background isn't embarrassingly messy.

odsixer · March 5, 2008, 07:04 PM

Thanks guys, the baby food jars are for the powder(throwing the powder in there to get the weight right), throwing powder directly into the scale pan seems to result in some of it scattering out unless you hold it just right. Any ideas?.
I just saw an RCBS thrower with a spout which you can supposedly drop powder with directly into the pan but I already bought the lee.

Sevens · March 5, 2008, 07:09 PM

When I got a digital scale, I continued to use the Lee powder pan that came with my Lee Safety scale because it worked and I was accustomed to it. But the scale didn't care for it because it weighed quite a bit more than the little plastic pan that it was expecting, so I stopped using it.

If dumping the powder from the measure in to the scale pan is giving you grief, why not dump the powder charge in to a primed case, then dump the contents of the primed case in to the pan? That's how I've always done it when setting up my powder measure. It's kind of an extra step, but it's routine to me.

hanno · March 5, 2008, 08:33 PM

Very nice job! I also used a Work-Mate. Here is my "temporary" portable bench. The top is 3/4" oak plywood. Not as nice as yours but I wanted to get reloading.

odsixer · March 5, 2008, 10:13 PM

sweet...how do you like that powder thrower?

hanno · March 5, 2008, 11:13 PM

odsixer, thanks. I tried the "Lee Perfect Powder Measure" that came with my old Lee press but couldn't get consistent results (maybe I had a bad one). I was using the dippers but really wanted a powder measure so did a lot of research, asked a bunch of questions, then ordered the "Redding Competition Model 10X-Pistol and Small Rifle Powder Measure" and am real happy with it. I spent an afternoon figuring out the micrometer settings for different powder loads and writing them down. Now it is easy to dial in a specific load and this thing is very consistent. Cost a bit but worth it.

Sachem · March 7, 2008, 10:47 PM

Here's a couple of pics of mine Workmate setup. I live in an apartment so everything breaks down when I am done.

hikingman · March 7, 2008, 11:53 PM

Bailey Boat · March 8, 2008, 04:03 PM

The absolute best "portable" reloading "bench" I ever found was a metal framed credenza like you used to see in offices. They can be had for cheap and using the drawers and center area for storage serve to add weight and stability. I still have the one I picked up 20 years ago for 15.00, it sits under my current permanent bench and is still used for storage........

CrustyFN · March 8, 2008, 08:30 PM

Good job guys, those workmates look like they are doing a good jod. Are they sturdy enough, are you having any kind of flex problems?
Rusty

odsixer · March 9, 2008, 01:42 AM

Thanks Crusty, i've had no trouble with flex, I glued the two 3/4" pine shelves together with PL400. There is a little movement when it's on carpet but on concrete it's solid.

March 4, 2008, 11:27 PM	#1
odsixer Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2007 Location: great white north Posts: 316	Portable bench pic. Here's a pic of my portable loading bench while loading .45acp single stage. It's just some pine shelving from home depot glued together and routered, then clamped to a B&D workmate. I haven't taken it to the range yet but so far I'm pretty happy with it.

March 5, 2008, 09:04 AM	#3
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Looks great! Just one comment, and I apologize ahead of time if I come across as a safety nazi... but if the baby food jar has primers in it, that's a BAD thing. Primers are best kept in the factory packaging. By far, it's the right idea. It keeps you from ever getting them mixed up, but much more so, the factory packaging is designed to keep the explosion risk to a minimum. A sufficient amount of engineering goes in to the cheap little trays that hold the primers because of it. Primers aren't likely to explode on their own, but keeping a pile of them in a jar or small bottle is never going to be a good idea. I think if more folks had a portable reloading bench at a range, there'd be a heckuva lot more new reloaders getting in to the hobby! I would imagine there'd be a constant stream of folks coming by the get an up-close look at the process. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

March 5, 2008, 07:09 PM	#6
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	When I got a digital scale, I continued to use the Lee powder pan that came with my Lee Safety scale because it worked and I was accustomed to it. But the scale didn't care for it because it weighed quite a bit more than the little plastic pan that it was expecting, so I stopped using it. If dumping the powder from the measure in to the scale pan is giving you grief, why not dump the powder charge in to a primed case, then dump the contents of the primed case in to the pan? That's how I've always done it when setting up my powder measure. It's kind of an extra step, but it's routine to me. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

March 5, 2008, 08:33 PM	#7
hanno Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2008 Posts: 394	Very nice job! I also used a Work-Mate. Here is my "temporary" portable bench. The top is 3/4" oak plywood. Not as nice as yours but I wanted to get reloading. Last edited by hanno; March 5, 2008 at 11:53 PM.

March 7, 2008, 11:53 PM	#11
hikingman Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 301	Still works in 2008...

March 4, 2008, 11:41 PM	#2
sgtwebb1 Junior Member Join Date: March 1, 2008 Location: Southeast Tennessee Posts: 5	I looked at that exact shelving at Lowe's over the weekend, it comes in several different sizes, pre-cut from 2x3ft all the way up to 4x6ft. Good looking wood, thinking about using a large piece for the top of my (Still in planning stages) reloading bench. Use that for the top, some 3/4" plywood for the lower shelf, add some shelves and pegboard, and presto. Can hardly wait to get started this weekend.

March 5, 2008, 01:30 PM	#4
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	I assumed the BBF jar was for spent primers. I have a portable bench made from a very sturdy sawhorse. I'd post a picture, but there's no place to put it where the background isn't embarrassingly messy.

March 5, 2008, 07:04 PM	#5
odsixer Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2007 Location: great white north Posts: 316	Thanks guys, the baby food jars are for the powder(throwing the powder in there to get the weight right), throwing powder directly into the scale pan seems to result in some of it scattering out unless you hold it just right. Any ideas?. I just saw an RCBS thrower with a spout which you can supposedly drop powder with directly into the pan but I already bought the lee.

March 5, 2008, 10:13 PM	#8
odsixer Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2007 Location: great white north Posts: 316	sweet...how do you like that powder thrower?

March 5, 2008, 11:13 PM	#9
hanno Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2008 Posts: 394	odsixer, thanks. I tried the "Lee Perfect Powder Measure" that came with my old Lee press but couldn't get consistent results (maybe I had a bad one). I was using the dippers but really wanted a powder measure so did a lot of research, asked a bunch of questions, then ordered the "Redding Competition Model 10X-Pistol and Small Rifle Powder Measure" and am real happy with it. I spent an afternoon figuring out the micrometer settings for different powder loads and writing them down. Now it is easy to dial in a specific load and this thing is very consistent. Cost a bit but worth it.

March 8, 2008, 04:03 PM	#12
Bailey Boat Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2006 Location: NC Posts: 365	The absolute best "portable" reloading "bench" I ever found was a metal framed credenza like you used to see in offices. They can be had for cheap and using the drawers and center area for storage serve to add weight and stability. I still have the one I picked up 20 years ago for 15.00, it sits under my current permanent bench and is still used for storage........

March 8, 2008, 08:30 PM	#13
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	Good job guys, those workmates look like they are doing a good jod. Are they sturdy enough, are you having any kind of flex problems? Rusty __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

March 9, 2008, 01:42 AM	#14
odsixer Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2007 Location: great white north Posts: 316	Thanks Crusty, i've had no trouble with flex, I glued the two 3/4" pine shelves together with PL400. There is a little movement when it's on carpet but on concrete it's solid.