+1 for the steel plate to extend way back on the bench and under the press. also, I put a jack brace under the press (2 x 2 oak) and tied it into the underside of the bench and secured it to the floor. Work forces are transmitted directly to the floor, in addition to gaining strength from the long reach back into the bench top.
Part of my job duties involves ergonomic assessments and I can tell you a lot of back trouble is from bending too low and/or too far forward. My bench is 42" high so I can work standing (get rubber floor mats from Costco) or sitting on a bar stool. If you make your bench too deep you will bend excessively forward and things can get lost too easily. If anything build your bench too high, you can modify that, but if you make it too low you are kind of screwed. I built a box to put my scale on so I can see it w/o bending and I can park the scale in it when done.Originally Posted by ghh3rd
There are two benches in my reloading room. The progressive bench is 2’ deep x 8’ long and 42” tall. The height is based on the handles getting to the bottom of the stroke without any bending on my part. There are front to back full depth 2-bys (10/12” wide) under the 3/4 ply top, tied into the front and back frame members. The 650 is mounted on a drilled and tapped 1/2” steel plate that is bolted through the top and 2x12. It’s near the end of the bench so there’s no compression post under it. The 550 is in the middle of the bench and mounted only with the 2x10 beneath, similarly to the way the 650 is mounted. Being in the middle of the bench it has a compression post under it. The PW shot shell press has a large base. It’s mounted near the other end of the bench and doesn’t have or need any extra support.
The single stage bench is L shaped and topped with red oak veneered 3/4 ply. I built it about 8 years ago and decided to try to make it a little nicer than the other bench. It’s sitting height, framed with 2x4s and holds a Case Master Jr., 2 RCBS presses and the casting station on the 2’x4’ section of the L. It works well for me.
I recently discovered a website and YouTube channel, “Jer’s Woodshop”. He designed and built among other things an awesome workbench (600 pound workbench). The drawers keep it from being a good reloading bench but the frame would be a great start for a very stiff and strong bench. He used laminated 1x4s instead of 2x4s. It’s worth taking a look if you’re contemplating a new bench build.
Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris
Again see post #24.
I cannot stand in one spot for extended periods because of problems with my legs and sitting on a raised stool with my knees 1/2 bent and resting on my butt cheeks causes more problems. At the height I found I can sit flat footed with my back straight and my elbows at about a normal angle so my shoulders are not all scrunched up.. The other top was 30" deep and was actually too deep so going to 25" deep should cure a lot of that and should make it easier to reach everything.
Tonight I got the inside surfaces all nicely sanded and cleaned so the glue aught to grab and hold well. Also spent some time mocking up the plate to where I hope it will position well and also rechecking bench height and will need to make an adjustment to where it will bolt to the cabinet bases. Tomorrow I have to go hardware shopping.
Putting the powder scale on an eye level shelf is the way to go. I made that change almost 10 years ago and wouldn’t change it for anything.
Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris
My next bench top is going to be one of those fake marble counter tops. Mostly for bolting my mini lathe to. A guy on one of my machining forums did that. Really really stiff and stable. Never need replacing. The problem is finding a nice long chunk of scrap. That stuff is expensive and people don't tend to toss the scrap. But eventually I will find a piece.
When I lived in an apartment I used three old file cabinets with three drawers on either side and the shorter one in the middle. Measured the short one and found I could slip a piece of 3/4" plywood on top and the top was two sections of 3/4" screwed together and managed to get the smaller piece screwed on the bottom of the top two sections. Back then all my reloading stuff could fit in all three cabinets. Suitably locked due to my nosy landlord. What he didn't see couldn't hurt me. Used to put clear tape on the little door into the attic where I stuck my guns. More than once the tape was disturbed. There was a clause in the lease that if he wanted to inspect the apartment either me or the wife had to be present. Signed by me,wifey,him and a lawyer. Last time I caught him he denied going up there I told him about the tape. Next time he found a lock for the attic access. I did all the kitchen cabinets after removing all the crappy years of paint. Sanded and sealed then 4 coats of varnish. replaced the kitchen light fixtures and a bunch of other ****. One of his daughters used to come up for coffee. I'd leave the door open. Poor kid,intelligent just needed someone to talk to. Used to take apart my long guns on the kitchen table. I remember his son one day asking about one of my rifles would kill someone today. Told him yes. As long and you respect them and maintain them. He just had an engine rebuilt and the tank job didn't get all the crud out of the oil passages. Got some old cleaning brushes, broken cleaning rods and my varispeed drill. About two hours later had all the pipes cleared out, and flushed out. Really glad to get out of that apartment. There I had the whole basement. Frank
Next brilliant idea that just came to me. VYNIL sheet flooring. Inexpensive and should be very durable and besides I've seen some of this new stull and the patterns look like real wood.
Habitat stores in your area are potential goldmines, countertops that were cut wrong or never installed, blems, business that are redecorating and donate stuff as a tax write offs. And for pennies on the dollar, check them out for your loading bench material.
If you go back to the original post with the pictures you will see that I have already recycled 2 pcs of kitchen base cabinets. The actual top does not sit on top of the cabinets but is lowered and is mounted in-between the cabinets. So far this bench as worked very well and now am just upgrading the top.
Been really enjoying this project so far. It has been some time since I've been able to do much work of any kind. Been slow but am making progress.
My bench is a desk top also, about 1 1/4" thick. I too didn't want multiple holes cluttering things up, so I did this.
I cut two pieces of 2" channel and bolted them to the top, edges up and parallel to each other, about 8" apart. The top of each piece has a 3/8" threaded hole. I had our steel supply store cut several pieces of 1/4" thick steel from an 8" flat, each one 6" long. Two 3/8" holes were drilled in each, to correspond with the threaded holes in the channels. Every press, sizer, etc. was bolted to the 1/4" pieces. Two allen head machine screws hold each 8" piece to the channels, so all I have to do is remove the two screws and change to whatever tool I want. It's fast, easy and keeps my bench top clear.
I used a piece of 4" channel iron on top of a cheap steel HF grinder base. Had to put the channel on an angle because I didn't want to cut into it and had to set it up so the small base of the stand was under the center of the press so it wouldn't tip when pulling hard on the handle...works well.
Small, Portable, Strong, Stable:
Last edited by Traffer; 04-06-2019 at 02:21 PM.
As this is supposed to be about benches, I will say that I have found what i think is the best bench top(at least for my usage) is a solid core door. I got a 24 inch, 6 foot 6 inch door from a construction site that I worked on. It was part of the packing material used for shipping a large quantity of doors used on the site. One side was good the other a little dinged up. Packed it around for a decade before I lived in just the right place to make it into a bench. Built the bench to be able to disassemble and reassemble when I moved. (as I now own a house it will probably still be in the same place when they cart me away) Anyway when I change gear it is easy to change the locations and when the top needs a face lift I can just put a sheet of masonite or plywood on top and it looks great again. The height is a matter of personal taste and need. Mine is at about 45 inches but I have seen the same idea as low as 30 inches and as high as 48 inches(tall guy).
My outside bench is 3/4" road plate, and into a work table.
I've been slowly working on a loading shed in the back.
No way can I make the top out of 3/4" metal.
Would be way to heavy.
But I want it to be metal.
I was thinking 3/4' or 5/8" wood, with a 1/4" metal on top.
I'm sure you're aware of this already, but I'm going to say it anyway.........never work on anything electrical with a metal bench top. The potential for an accident is there!
I can see the logic in a steel table for a welder or a fabricator that needs a perfectly flat surface but don’t see it for a reloading table. I don’t want my firearms, stocks, blue steel or aluminum parts bumping around on something as hard or harder as they are. Got enough boo boos on my guns. You can certainly reenforce a wood or formica topped bench with steel to make it as solid as it needs to be. Start with a level 2x4 lag bolted to the wall studs and go from there.
So we have seen many here recommend solid core doors which is great, Only I don't have access to any and I'm not going to go out and source one. The idea here was to use materials available or easily obtainable. I think I've accomplished that. The material that I am using to finish cover the top was purchased at Menards at a cost of $12.00 plus sales tax. Pretty reasonable I think.
I have a few pictures of this now all mocked together accept for the Plate steel insert which I still need to get cut down and then drilled and tapped.
Old Pallets. Often can get for free. Get the ones made from hard wood, Often oak.
Take them apart, A sawsall works well for this. Use the parts to build a laminated bench top.
This will be strong enough for most any loading you can do and wont need the steel plate.
Lee
The steel plate isn't for strength. The steel plate is to facilitate quick press changes which is the reason it's drilled and threaded for bolts.
Attachment 239491Attachment 239492
I understand that you don’t want your bench to have holes everywhere but just a suggestion, drill and tap your single plate with your main press’s holes, add a new configuration of holes as you add a new press. Similar presses will probably have similar footprints though. I added a extra piece of narrow countertop [a thick oak board would work too] at the front of my bench and use it with furniture nuts to screw the press to so there is a limited number of holes in my actual bench material. Here’s what my two main presses look like. Another suggestion, use ‘c’ clamps to position your presses to see how they work before you drill any holes in anything.
Last edited by Baltimoreed; 04-08-2019 at 05:01 PM.
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