Hello All
Having been a committed competitive shooter since 1963, a dedicated reloading (gun room) area has always been part of my life. The first baby marked a need for it to be detached and separate from our home. In the year 1979, an opportunity came to me and I seized it. A six foot long by four foot wide sheet of one inch thick, cold rolled steel plate became available to me. The price was well beyond that of any possible wood built reloading bench, but a bargain of a steel plate price. I split the plate longwise with an oxy/actl torch at work.
Attachment 213001
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What is shown is the press and accessory portion. Simply drill and thread for whatever press. Time has trimmed me down to two Lyman Spartan, two MEC in different gauges, RCBS bench primer and my Lyman case trimmer. There are some holes from stuff that left for one reason or another. 4"X4" lumber is used for bench support. The original paint job is now thirty eight years old and doing well.
Attachment 213002
This piece is the casting, sizing and lubing section. My fifty plus year old Lyman 450 needed a heavy insulator in between the heater plate and the steel bench to break the heat sink effect. The other side of the coin is that hot projectiles rolled off the multi layer towels, cool very quickly on the bare steel.
I understand most folks do not have access to nor ability to facilitate a very heavy chunk of steel, but some may. It is tits for all reloading and casting activities. Mine are freestanding, yet stable enough for full length sizing of 30-06. The shooting angels get credit for me having such great benches. Yeah, they are separate items in my will. Go get you one and try to be humble when showing it off to friends.
Roy