Fairly new to reloading.

livingintx · January 22, 2015, 11:24 PM

About 3 months ago I got setup for reloading for the first time. Since then I've loaded 9mm, 40 S&W, .223, and yesterday I tried my hand at .243 Winchester. I still have to get to the range to test .223 and .243 Win, but the handgun loads have gone well so far. I've made a few mistakes along the way but forums and YouTube have been a great supplement to reloading manuals.

I got the bench from Home Depot for $70. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded...2X22/203083493. It's actually very sturdy but I'll be bolting it to the wall to make it more steady.

surveyor · January 22, 2015, 11:38 PM

Welcome,
Nice bench.
What kind of lights are those?

hartcreek · January 23, 2015, 01:51 AM

The lights look like some kind of low voltage kitchen cabinet soffet light.

Shootest · January 23, 2015, 03:19 AM

Looks like you are hooked. Welcome to the obsession.

NHSHOOTER · January 23, 2015, 04:45 AM

Welcome to TFL and your new obsession, I too like those lights, what are they and how do you keep your bench so neat?

olddav · January 23, 2015, 08:59 AM

I like the looks of that. Much nicer than my humble reloading station. You said that you are new to reloading so please let me suggest that you view the following: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=553905.
I've been reloading only for a couple of years now and I found this to be a eye opener, a graphic warning of what can happen if my head is not in the game so to speak.

Sorry about the unsolicited advice. Good luck and enjoy!

livingintx · January 23, 2015, 09:25 AM

Thanks everyone for making me feel welcome! I'm looking forward to getting into long range shooting which is really what got me in to reloading. I figured I better start reloading early so that skill develops as I learn to shoot longer distances.

The bench likes to get neat whenever there is a camera close by.

The lights are under-cabinet lights from Home Depot. The lights are rectangular shaped, but I suspect the round ones would work just as well. These were on clearance so it was an easy decision. They came in sets of 3 that use 110V 20 watt xeon bulbs. The one under the blue bins is mounted to the wall using 2 L-brackets. It's on a separate switch so it's only on when I need it.

Olddav, I'm always open to advice, especially when it can save life and limbs. I took at look the forum thread you suggested. Mixing up powders is actually the one fear I have so I appreciate your advice. That's exactly the reason I put the powder up high, so that I only have one container on the bench at a time.

I'm hoping to learn as much as I can from you all, and to share what little I have as I go down this path. Thanks again!

bangerjim · January 23, 2015, 11:17 AM

Welcome to the madness!

Nice clean (at least for now!) work area. Funny......mine looked the same way back in the dim past! I just tell people "messy work space, organized mind".

HA.....ha!

bangerjim

DaleA · January 23, 2015, 01:21 PM

A very handsome looking bench.

Good luck.

mikld · January 23, 2015, 02:18 PM

Didja know a clean bench/desk is a sign of insanity?

But I think you'll be OK after loading for a few months your bench will become more presentable...

Welcome to the wonderful, often confusing and frustrating world or reloading!

Go slow. Double check everything. Most importantly, have fun...

Gadawg88 · January 23, 2015, 02:26 PM

Welcome aboard. Nice looking set-up you got there. I too have a Lee Classic turret and love it. One thing I did after reading the kaboom thread olddav linked was I created a simple paper label on plain notebook paper with red marker for every powder I load. The label is only about 4x3 or so. When I load the hopper I put the label on it with a rubber band wrapped around the hopper body. Simple and effective. I strictly observe the "only one powder on the bench at a time" rule, but this adds an additional layer of safety and awareness.

livingintx · January 23, 2015, 07:54 PM

There are only two reasons the bench is that clean - for the photo, and the fear I initially had at messing up. I'm hoping to make it presentable soon as I start to load more!

Thanks again everyone.

McCarthy · January 23, 2015, 09:45 PM

I own the same bench, it's a great and pretty heavy deal from Home Depot. Actually going to buy another one.

Your setup looks good so far, very clean.

I'll be setting up my reloading stuff next weekend. Can't wait!

January 22, 2015, 11:24 PM	#1
livingintx Member Join Date: January 21, 2015 Posts: 33	Fairly new to reloading. About 3 months ago I got setup for reloading for the first time. Since then I've loaded 9mm, 40 S&W, .223, and yesterday I tried my hand at .243 Winchester. I still have to get to the range to test .223 and .243 Win, but the handgun loads have gone well so far. I've made a few mistakes along the way but forums and YouTube have been a great supplement to reloading manuals. I got the bench from Home Depot for $70. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Unbranded...2X22/203083493. It's actually very sturdy but I'll be bolting it to the wall to make it more steady.

January 22, 2015, 11:38 PM	#2
surveyor Senior Member Join Date: April 13, 2007 Posts: 773	Welcome, Nice bench. What kind of lights are those?

January 23, 2015, 01:51 AM	#3
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	The lights look like some kind of low voltage kitchen cabinet soffet light.

January 23, 2015, 03:19 AM	#4
Shootest Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2011 Location: Just outside Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 722	Looks like you are hooked. Welcome to the obsession.

January 23, 2015, 04:45 AM	#5
NHSHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2012 Location: Concord NH Posts: 1,002	Welcome to TFL and your new obsession, I too like those lights, what are they and how do you keep your bench so neat?

January 23, 2015, 08:59 AM	#6
olddav Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2008 Location: Lower Alabama Posts: 727	I like the looks of that. Much nicer than my humble reloading station. You said that you are new to reloading so please let me suggest that you view the following: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=553905. I've been reloading only for a couple of years now and I found this to be a eye opener, a graphic warning of what can happen if my head is not in the game so to speak. Sorry about the unsolicited advice. Good luck and enjoy!

January 23, 2015, 09:25 AM	#7
livingintx Member Join Date: January 21, 2015 Posts: 33	Thanks everyone for making me feel welcome! I'm looking forward to getting into long range shooting which is really what got me in to reloading. I figured I better start reloading early so that skill develops as I learn to shoot longer distances. The bench likes to get neat whenever there is a camera close by. The lights are under-cabinet lights from Home Depot. The lights are rectangular shaped, but I suspect the round ones would work just as well. These were on clearance so it was an easy decision. They came in sets of 3 that use 110V 20 watt xeon bulbs. The one under the blue bins is mounted to the wall using 2 L-brackets. It's on a separate switch so it's only on when I need it. Olddav, I'm always open to advice, especially when it can save life and limbs. I took at look the forum thread you suggested. Mixing up powders is actually the one fear I have so I appreciate your advice. That's exactly the reason I put the powder up high, so that I only have one container on the bench at a time. I'm hoping to learn as much as I can from you all, and to share what little I have as I go down this path. Thanks again!

January 23, 2015, 11:17 AM	#8
bangerjim Member Join Date: March 17, 2013 Location: SW Desert Posts: 57	Welcome to the madness! Nice clean (at least for now!) work area. Funny......mine looked the same way back in the dim past! I just tell people "messy work space, organized mind". HA.....ha! bangerjim

January 23, 2015, 01:21 PM	#9
DaleA Senior Member Join Date: September 12, 2002 Location: Twin Cities, MN Posts: 5,340	A very handsome looking bench. Good luck.

January 23, 2015, 02:18 PM	#10
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Didja know a clean bench/desk is a sign of insanity? But I think you'll be OK after loading for a few months your bench will become more presentable... Welcome to the wonderful, often confusing and frustrating world or reloading! Go slow. Double check everything. Most importantly, have fun...

January 23, 2015, 02:26 PM	#11
Gadawg88 Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2013 Location: Georgia Posts: 241	Welcome aboard. Nice looking set-up you got there. I too have a Lee Classic turret and love it. One thing I did after reading the kaboom thread olddav linked was I created a simple paper label on plain notebook paper with red marker for every powder I load. The label is only about 4x3 or so. When I load the hopper I put the label on it with a rubber band wrapped around the hopper body. Simple and effective. I strictly observe the "only one powder on the bench at a time" rule, but this adds an additional layer of safety and awareness.

January 23, 2015, 07:54 PM	#12
livingintx Member Join Date: January 21, 2015 Posts: 33	There are only two reasons the bench is that clean - for the photo, and the fear I initially had at messing up. I'm hoping to make it presentable soon as I start to load more! Thanks again everyone.

January 23, 2015, 09:45 PM	#13
McCarthy Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2015 Posts: 312	I own the same bench, it's a great and pretty heavy deal from Home Depot. Actually going to buy another one. Your setup looks good so far, very clean. I'll be setting up my reloading stuff next weekend. Can't wait!