RELOADING BENCH,HOW TO BUILD ONE.

sjones · February 5, 2000, 03:19 PM

whats a good way to build a heavy duty bench that wont give any? I have been using a folding table made out of pressboard and it gives up and down and makes it hard to seat the primers every time I would appreciate some good ideas. thanks sj

Ricciardelli · February 5, 2000, 05:56 PM

There are plans for building a heavy-duty reloading bench on http://www.again.net/~steve/page8.htm

swifter... · February 5, 2000, 10:58 PM

I bought a 4X8 sheet of good plywood, and the chipboard they make floors with. Had 'em cut down the middle so I had 4 2X8 pieces. Bought a gallon of carpenter's glue,laid a plywood sheet down, slathered it with glue, laid chipboard, glue, chipboard, glue, plywood. Squared them up as best I could, and put several C-clamps on the edges, stacked all the bullet lead, bullets, brass, and other heavy stuff I owned on it and left it for a week.
Trimmed the edges with a circular saw, added 4X4's for legs. It does not "go up and down"!

If I ever escape PDRCA, it's staying, I will not move that heavy so&so!
Hope this helps, I'm as tool challenged as any, if I can do it, you can!

------------------
The Bill of Rights, and the Golden Rule are enough for civilized behavior. The rest is window dressing. Shoot carefully, swifter...

HankL · February 6, 2000, 04:57 PM

sjones, here is a link from a while back on this subject. http://www.thefiringline.com/NonCGI/...ML/000068.html

Quite a bit of info there.

Good Luck, Hank

Nukem · February 6, 2000, 11:04 PM

I just wait until sears has a sale on work benches and use those. They have real heavy tops with plenty of storage. Once you load them up with components they get pretty solid.

alan · February 8, 2000, 01:14 AM

see my post under reloading room-suggestions. just an idea that seems to work.

labgrade · February 8, 2000, 07:19 AM

I got a hold of a surplus solid entry door = cheap. lagged a 2X4 into the wall at proper height & bolted horizontal door to top of that. 2X 4X4s for legs up front. Angle brackets hold 4X4s to door bottom & to the floor = rock solid.

A old dresser w/many drawers fits just right under bench for lots of storage & an old bed headboard on top gives me lots of shevling.

Ugly as hell & total functional. Don't have more than $50 in the whole shebang.

Mendocino · February 8, 2000, 11:23 AM

[Nevermind]

[This message has been edited by Mendocino (edited February 08, 2000).]

Kingcreek · February 8, 2000, 08:07 PM

I'm putting my reloading room together (see other thread) and I am exploring options for the bench also.
I looked at some of those bracket kits tonight. metal hardware- everything you need but the 2x4s. looked solid as heck:

bench hardware/bracket kit 18.95
4 shelf kit (2000lb/shelf cap) 28.95
extra shelf kits 4.95ea
8' 2x4s@ 1.73ea
something for the top ??
I'm going to use scrap 2 bys with plywood and white poly-tuff on top.
I think I'm also going to make an island bench with locking castors for cleaning, scope mounting, etc.

(my wife says I overdo these things. Of course she also didn't understand why a dog house should be 16'X18' with water and electric.)

HankL · February 8, 2000, 09:12 PM

Links to a great bench design have been posted here http://www.reload-nrma.com/orderform.html for $3.00 or as Steve has put up for download for free. He has it down on this page http://www.again.net/~steve/table3.html listed mix and match named reloading bench plans. I am sure he sends 3 bucks to NRMA. This design could cost you some bucks to build as specified but it will also give you some great ideas.
Hank

TheOtherMikey · February 8, 2000, 11:36 PM

My first real bench was a metal framed, pre-fabricated unit which used 1/4 " fiberboard for it's top and shelf. I had a 4x8 plywood 3/4" cut to replace the fiberboard. It still works out well and I have my Dillon and my RockChucker mounted there.

For my MEC 9000G shotshell reloader, I just made a frame and legs using nice straight 2x4 studs and then topped with a 3/4 plywood top.

Of the two, I like my all wood homebuilt the best. REgards, Mikey

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

February 5, 2000, 03:19 PM	#1
sjones Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 1999 Location: waxahachie,Texas Posts: 337	whats a good way to build a heavy duty bench that wont give any? I have been using a folding table made out of pressboard and it gives up and down and makes it hard to seat the primers every time I would appreciate some good ideas. thanks sj

February 5, 2000, 05:56 PM	#2
Ricciardelli Member Join Date: January 26, 2000 Posts: 57	There are plans for building a heavy-duty reloading bench on http://www.again.net/~steve/page8.htm

February 5, 2000, 10:58 PM	#3
swifter... Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 1999 Location: So. CA Mountains Posts: 540	I bought a 4X8 sheet of good plywood, and the chipboard they make floors with. Had 'em cut down the middle so I had 4 2X8 pieces. Bought a gallon of carpenter's glue,laid a plywood sheet down, slathered it with glue, laid chipboard, glue, chipboard, glue, plywood. Squared them up as best I could, and put several C-clamps on the edges, stacked all the bullet lead, bullets, brass, and other heavy stuff I owned on it and left it for a week. Trimmed the edges with a circular saw, added 4X4's for legs. It does not "go up and down"! If I ever escape PDRCA, it's staying, I will not move that heavy so&so! Hope this helps, I'm as tool challenged as any, if I can do it, you can! ------------------ The Bill of Rights, and the Golden Rule are enough for civilized behavior. The rest is window dressing. Shoot carefully, swifter...

February 6, 2000, 04:57 PM	#4
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	sjones, here is a link from a while back on this subject. http://www.thefiringline.com/NonCGI/...ML/000068.html Quite a bit of info there. Good Luck, Hank

February 6, 2000, 11:04 PM	#5
Nukem Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Posts: 709	I just wait until sears has a sale on work benches and use those. They have real heavy tops with plenty of storage. Once you load them up with components they get pretty solid.

February 8, 2000, 01:14 AM	#6
alan Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 1999 Posts: 3,847	see my post under reloading room-suggestions. just an idea that seems to work.

February 8, 2000, 07:19 AM	#7
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	I got a hold of a surplus solid entry door = cheap. lagged a 2X4 into the wall at proper height & bolted horizontal door to top of that. 2X 4X4s for legs up front. Angle brackets hold 4X4s to door bottom & to the floor = rock solid. A old dresser w/many drawers fits just right under bench for lots of storage & an old bed headboard on top gives me lots of shevling. Ugly as hell & total functional. Don't have more than $50 in the whole shebang.

February 8, 2000, 11:23 AM	#8
Mendocino Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 1999 Posts: 403	[Nevermind] [This message has been edited by Mendocino (edited February 08, 2000).]

February 8, 2000, 08:07 PM	#9
Kingcreek Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: rural Illinois Posts: 590	I'm putting my reloading room together (see other thread) and I am exploring options for the bench also. I looked at some of those bracket kits tonight. metal hardware- everything you need but the 2x4s. looked solid as heck: bench hardware/bracket kit 18.95 4 shelf kit (2000lb/shelf cap) 28.95 extra shelf kits 4.95ea 8' 2x4s@ 1.73ea something for the top ?? I'm going to use scrap 2 bys with plywood and white poly-tuff on top. I think I'm also going to make an island bench with locking castors for cleaning, scope mounting, etc. (my wife says I overdo these things. Of course she also didn't understand why a dog house should be 16'X18' with water and electric.)

February 8, 2000, 09:12 PM	#10
HankL Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 1999 Location: The Sunny South Posts: 2,174	Links to a great bench design have been posted here http://www.reload-nrma.com/orderform.html for $3.00 or as Steve has put up for download for free. He has it down on this page http://www.again.net/~steve/table3.html listed mix and match named reloading bench plans. I am sure he sends 3 bucks to NRMA. This design could cost you some bucks to build as specified but it will also give you some great ideas. Hank

February 8, 2000, 11:36 PM	#11
TheOtherMikey Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 1999 Location: Surprise, Arizona, USA Posts: 171	My first real bench was a metal framed, pre-fabricated unit which used 1/4 " fiberboard for it's top and shelf. I had a 4x8 plywood 3/4" cut to replace the fiberboard. It still works out well and I have my Dillon and my RockChucker mounted there. For my MEC 9000G shotshell reloader, I just made a frame and legs using nice straight 2x4 studs and then topped with a 3/4 plywood top. Of the two, I like my all wood homebuilt the best. REgards, Mikey