Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Reload Bench Idea

Very nice buddy. Thanks for sharing.. A bench has to be solid, like yours. Looks great to me. Those saying a top layout like yours won't work, just don't know. 2x6 laid in tight and a thick plywood top glued and screwed is damn stout.. Also, something some guys don't get is a reloading set-up doesn't have to be huge. A small space works just fine/great:



What I like is having cupboards and shelves for keeping your reloading supplies in:


A good place to keep your powder and primers locked up:


50 pounds of powder in that lock box..^^

Whoooaa. I like that. Seen the plans before but not the finished product. I like the way the worktop overhang is done. I’d have scratched my head a while before figgering that out. What did you do for that finish?

Glued & screwed it is. Makes tight even tighter. Glue and screws together make the structure almost impossible to loosen up in use. Countersunk the screw heads everywhere they were used deep enough to hide with wood filler. Glue & screws on the work top, storage top, legs(2x4 & 2x6 cornered) and shelf/backboard.

Finished sorting and processing all the brass I’ve accumulated to my satisfaction so tomorrow I’ll do cleanup. I know there’s a bench under there somewhere.

Amen, I like the way you think buddy...I posted some pics of my new set-up. Screwed glued and tatooed. ... Works great for loading up good ammo. Nice and tight does it right..

shootem- minwax polyshades.

Looks like mahogany with that red tint. And that’s not plywood for the work top is it?

Law you're about the most organized loader on here!! laffin. That looks like a doctors office. But I like it; a place for everything and everything in its place. When you need something you know where to reach. I especially like your coffee can collection. Sure sign of experience.

Ha ha. Thanks buddy. I guess I like to be careful and precise. When I load, I always keep the pound of powder on the bench, so I don't forget what the heck I'm working with. I was telling someone else early this week, even though I've loaded a certain thing a 1,000 times, I always have the recipe in front of me as well. You can never be too careful when loading your own. Just the way I see it though..

I had this bench, I moved from Ca to Idaho and gave it to a friend. There are a few things I would/will change when I build my new bench. The length is one and the other is the 2x that sits vertical under the top. I had issues bolting some of my presses as the mounting holes were inline with that 2x. If I use inline precision mounting plates it wont really matter. Also Home Depot is stocking butcher block countertops, I have been thinking about doubling them for a 1 1/2 top thickness. On my last bench I had a 18ga galvanized top over the plywood not sure I will do it again.

Looks good, are you going to put the sliding doors on? I had taken mine off but missed the clean look it gave when closed.
Hbe you used the the mount you have on the coax press? I am thinking that is the way I want to go.
Jeff

I think the color of Minwax is called honey pine. It is oak plywood.


I did not put on doors. I made the shelves the same depth as the uprights. I used brackets with pegs for the shelves to rest on. In the upright behind the press you can see the holes for the pegs. I've got two Inline Fabrication mounts on the bench. The Forster is in a dedicated mount but the other has a quick mount top so I can swap another press, trimmers, bench primer, etc. I have 2x4s for backing under the plywood for the Inline mounts so they're quite solid.

Very nice job, looks great.

Finished product before deciding on resting place for press and filling up.
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I like your adjustable shelf idea

The name Ol’ Sparky comes to mind. 😀

No need to put metal over a good plywood top..

Ha ha. I don't know about that. Maybe a sure sign I drink too much damn coffee!!!!! I always like these threads of show and tell. What I posted pics of earlier was my old set up and some of my new. My new set up is smaller, but set up in the same fashion as far as use is concerned. Same bench top height, same materials, but more compact. Everything is solid though. I like using 4x4's for support legs and tying everything in good. I'm a steel worker, not a carpenter... Here are a few more pics to show that I bolted the framework to the cement floor with wedge anchors and I also screwed the bench frame to the wall. I also add a steel bracket diagonal brace under the press. My last bench, I used an oak 3x3. Both work equally well and ads more stability. This one is rock solid, just the way I like it:





I have always believed that rigidity is key to producing excellent consistently accurate ammo. Also the reason I keep my scale separate from the bench, so the vibrations don't have an influence on powder variance that is dropped from the powder measure. A lot of my ammo these days is just dropped from the Uni-flow. I like using powders that meter very consistently. This way I can load 300+ rounds/hr if I'm so inclined. Many ways to make something work though, as many of you guys have represented. Good stuff guys...

I’ve got some great ideas from this thread, thank you all!

Unfortunately it was starting to splinter and more than once I ended up with a splinter under a fingernail. That really sucked. Lol
The metal was better for function but looks not so much

Looks good
I need to get busy and build my bench

To the OP, Gooch, I think that will be a great setup. As to the slight hi-jack, when we moved a couple of years ago I was fretting about how to construct my new reloading bench. Someone turned me on to these at Harbor Freight: https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-...n-4-drawer-hardwood-workbench-63395.html

It has worked absolutely great. Heck, I don't think one can buy the materials right now for the cost of this.