Portable reloading station - mechanical questions

[flashhole]

I'm going to affix Dillion Strong Mounts to a 5/16" steel plate.

The Strong Mounts have two through holes for a 1/4" bolt inboard about an inch at both ends of the 10" length.

I can add a third hole in the center if necessary. I can also open holes to accept a 5/16 bolt.

The question is - am I better off using tapped holes into the 5/16" plate and securing the Strong Mount to the plate bolting down from the top

... or ... using flat head screws coming up from the bottom?

I want the bottom of the plate to remain flat, no protrusions, because I'm going to put a rubber pad on the bottom.

If tapping the plate,

am I better off with fine or coarse threads 1/4-20, or 1/4-28,

or 5/16-18, 5/16x24 bolt threads?

[shaune509]

not sure what the dillon parts look like but tapping the 5/16 plate for 1/4-28 6places should give you all the yield you need as the clamping force is to a ridgid plate, ie near no flex.
shaune

[Doc Highwall]

What is the purpose of the rubber under the 5/16" plate and why are you bolting the strong mount to it? Also how are you going to hold the 5/16" plate? Are you using a Dillon press? The reason I ask is Lyman made a portable wooden mount for presses and I have a RCBS Rockchucker mounted to it and I can take it to the range if I wanted to.

[Xcaliber]

I used 5/16-18 on my plate . Here is how mine turned out with a few presses on
my portable stand. Used 2" pipe and welded a collar on bottom to screw in and mine turns in any direction. the bottom frame is a cross with most of the weight
towards the front. works well for me.

30582

[troyboy]

The 1/4 in capscrews will be more than adequate. I always use grade 8. I like the heads of the bolts where access is easy..... For me that means threading the plate and bolting from the top. I also prefer a course thread for something that is bolted and unbolted a lot Fine threads tend to get stripped out by cross-threading.

[flashhole]

Thanks for the comments.

Doc - this is my idea of a portable reloading station to take to the range and to use on the kitchen counter. The rubber is to keep it from scratching anything and anti- skid. I will use a 5/16 plate as the press mount too but only 6"x6". I will be mounting a Lee Classic Turret and I want to mount a powder measure as well.

Troyboy - I agree with your comments about cross-threading but I won't be taking this thing apart after it is built. I was trying to figure out what will give me more bite on the plate. It's only 5/16" thick and my pea brain was debating coarse or fine thread.

shaune - I think i will go with the 6 fine-thread 1/4-20 bolts.

[Doc Highwall]

This is what I have.

[flashhole]

Mine will be similar. I'm hoping I don't need too much of a frontal extension to maintain stability during resizing.