Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire New reloading/work bench!?!?!?

The first bench I built used a solid core door with 2" galavnized pipe for legs mounted with threaded flanges. It worked well enough but wasn't as sturdy as I would've liked. I had this idea in my head that an "L" shape bench with presses mounted in the center should be rock solid and a better way to go. Years later and after a couple of moves, I had the opportunity to build a new bench. The top is 2 sheets of 3/4" plywood (laminated for a 1-1/2" solid top). I finished it with a poured epoxy bar top finish. It is set on Oak cabinet bases with drawers at each corner. It's a heavy SOB but easily taken down to move if need be. It is absolutely rock solid no matter how I abuse it. The "wings" on each side allow for a gun vise for scope mounting, cleaning, etc. It doesn't have a lot of storage built in, but I have free standing shelves around the perimeter of the room for components so that isn't an issue.




...and Grandpa's helper:

Way back in the day, Grainger used to sell Maple butcher block counter tops 6' long 30" wide and 2" think for about 350 dollars. We used them in our shop. We had a huge bench vise attached to one of them and busted it, making it only 24inches wide. I have that 24inch wide piece as the top to my reloading bench. (I assume it's still there, I haven't seen my bench top in way too long ) It would be worth the expense, in my opinion to get a top like that for any new reloading bench build.
The beginnings of mine:


I found some free drawer units and added them in.



My shop space is roughly 12' x 24' Thank God it's not bigger or I just have more mess!

"I am fixing"

Hmmm....you're gonna have to 'splane' that to these DAMN YANKEES cuz they're ignut bout southern language!!

I still need a lot of clean up and organization but my redesign is coming together.

hollee chit ed is that a tube range? wtf... Im jelous as hell of your whole set up!

No tube. In the "sound" room in front of the benches I have a window that is raised by a linear actuator. The "sound" room just knocks the noise back a little for the sake of the wife.

any picture of that set up, and back stop? am I right in thinking your shooting into another room of your basement into some sort of a backstop like your own indoor range?

No the window lets up and I have a 800 yard range outside. I Shoot inside at targets outside.

That is bad azz dude

envy!

Wait till spring-I'm think'n!

Thanks for all the ideas and pictures so far. There's lots of great info already.

I did something similar to Jgray, modular units built and bolted together in an ell-shape with the machines mounted in the center 45, just like J. Comparatively lightweight and takes advantage of the extra twist resistance of a corner, easy to move, too.
Eddy, I don't know what to say except I'm afraid to upset you. Wow!

I labored around in the basement for hours on end building myself the perfect reloading bench once upon a time.

It stayed behind after I got divorced because it was too big to get out of the basement.

My current reloading bench is an old, heavy duty dresser that has a 1 1/8" maple top and had an inventory sticker on it which indicated that it was in a University of Miami, Ohio dorm room back in the 50's.

It cost me $30 at a yard sale and has all the storage I'll ever need.

It was a lot easier than building another bench.

Here's my simple little setup that has served me well for over 30 years. Piece of moulded countertop and two cabinet bases picked up from the lumberyard at a damaged goods sale, had some scratches on them is all. Reinforced the countertop with a piece of 5/8 plywood glued and screwed, top glued to the bases. This idea could be expanded upon to make it any size you want, the countertop can be had in any reasonable size and is not all that expensive.

some real nice set ups i'm about ready to build myself but figuring the top material is part not found yet

My load bench is an 8'x8'x2' pallet rack. The lower shelf is the bench. The two upper shelves have enough bullets & powder stacked on them to anchor the entire frame work. It is backed by an 8' sheet of plywood. It will soon get a laminated top like Snake River Marksman mentioned. It'll be $650 but it will last me my lifetime.