Building a new bench

[OnceFired]

My son and I started on a new bench earlier tonight. We put about an hour into it so far.

Grabbed several 2"x7"x144" pine boards I had outside. We cut four 48" planks and seven 28" ones. I'm arranging the long ones left to right as the top surface of the bench, with the seven shorter ones running front to back but serving as the lower deck. Got that all screwed together using 2.5" galvanized screws countersunk on top & bottom. It's quick & dirty as well as cheap, but at least it's far heavier duty than what I have had.

Now I need to put 4"x4" braces on the bottom for the legs, and create a shelf underneath.

Any suggestions on bench height? I'm 6'5" so I am thinking probably roughly 40" would work. Alas, I have an electrical outlet right around that height on that wall, so I may not be able to secure the back edge to the wall studs like I have done with the little table.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3810/10585759633_99a778969e_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/h8qMx8)

Right now that little table was only useful sitting down, and that really doesn't give me the range of motion that is comfortable, so I am thinking I'll make it standing only. The only 4"x4" beams I have on hand are just 24" long each, so those are useless for this purpose. I've got a trip to Lowes in my near future.

Once I get the leg joiners placed, I'll figure out what I'm going to do to mount the press. Especially since my press just broke, I want to make sure I am going to be mounting THIS press on the bench.

I've also got a vice that I don't want to mount on my drying table / work bench combo, so it'll end up living on the reloading bench too. I'll have work in progress photos tomorrow.

[David2011]

You might set your bench height so that the bottom of the stroke of the press doesn't cause you to bend at the waist. Mock up the press and figure out the dimensions to suit your height. Long loading sessions are much more pleasant if you don't wear your back out in the process.

David

[BK7saum]

I'm 6'3 and built my bench at 41". Fine for working but presses mounted to the bench require slight bending at the waist when standing. I purchased the 4" Ultramount from Inline Fab to raise the press to about 45".

Sitting/leaning onto a standard height bar stool allowed comfortable operation of the presses at 41" tall.

I agree that a mock-up is a good idea before finalizing the bench height.

Brad

[OnceFired]

I looked at the ultramounts, and they're out of my budget range at the moment.

That said, I'm not even springing for new lumber other than the table legs at this point. I think I remember seeing another brand of riser/stand elsewhere, but I can't recall the name. Anyone know if there is a lower priced competitor out there?

[OnceFired]

And yes, the bending-at-the-waist thing is precisely what I want to avoid.

Since I am probably not going to be able to secure this new bench platform to the wall due to the outlet location, I'll have to rely on the arms & the weight of the table to keep it down. I'm going with a suggestion I was PM'd about putting lead on a solid lower shelf. I don't have that much lead yet, but I have brass coming out of my ears, so that'll do nicely.

OF

[BK7saum]

Yes, the ultra mounts are pricey, but well made.

I built drawers into my last bench, plus its 2x6 with 4x4 legs. 41" tall, 8' long and about 30" deep/wide. With a little weight in the drawers, it doesn't move at all. In fact, it didn't move before I added weight to it.

Brad

[OnceFired]

I picked up the 2x4's and brackets at Lowes tonight. I should have picked up 2.5" screws but didn't realize I was out. Out the door, cost was $42 - half of which was for the 4x4 brackets.

I got the brackets placed to accommodate the legs, and the 2x4's are now cut to 48" lengths and sanded.

I used my drying table / bench as a proxy for my new reloading bench height, and brought the press over to test it out, despite the currently broken handle. After stacking a bunch of 2x4's under the press, I finally realized I am going to want the bench at the full 48" height, plus the 4" thickness of the bench platform, and likely another 2x6 on top of that. So likely 54". I really don't want to have to stoop to reach the handle when it's in the down position, and none of the upper portion is awkward when at that height.

I took apart my existing "bench" and cleared out everything underneath it to make enough space for the newer wooden one. The table I had there is now out in the trash - I had no idea those things had hexagonal paperboard for a core! And go figure, it was an Ikea table. hahahahah

I've got the 2x4's paired up, but not yet screwed together as I ran out of energy tonight. I plan to throw some wood glue between them as well - I want this thing reasonably bulletproof. :)

Pics tomorrow if I get home at a reasonable time.

OF

[1johnlb]

Bullet proof? You know you didn't say boolit proof.

I did like BK7 , 2x6's, 4x4 legs and 2 full sheets of 3/4 cdx plywood. This thing don't move, even when I need it to. It's about 50"S high and I sit on a barstool with backrest. I can put everything in my garage on this table and still have room,but I do have trouble reaching the stuff on the back side.

[gunoil]

bolt to wall and secure legs to floor.

[Wayne Smith]

I used contact cement and screws between two sheets of 3/4" ply. It has been solid now for years.

[OnceFired]

So I built mine TOO big.

I measured the distance between the shelf and the garage door, but forgot to include the garage door track. hahahahah so it won't fit.

Ah well - will be adding a bottom shelf to it tonight.

OF

[OnceFired]

Now with photos...

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3939/15589543912_8480bc5bf8_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pKAugS)
The bench top is made of two layers of 2x8 - top is four 2x8x48 and bottom is seven 2x8x28 sideways for a total of 49" across.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3945/15403093580_a25fe88e77_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pt7T5Y)
Legs have braces screwed 4x into the bottom of the platform. Those were $20 right there. I already had most of the wood, I just picked up a few 8' 2x4's for the legs & bracing.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3956/15589543042_b3d4af7b33_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/pKAu1S)
Bench is sturdy, but about 2" too wide. I could move the shelves over to the left but I'd only gain about an inch. I forgot to account for the garage door track because I was paying attention to the lip of the garage floor where it meets the garage door. Ah well.

https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3952/14968554983_2edfecca22_n.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/oNHKUc)
Here's the bench in the center of the garage. I've added the bottom shelf of 2x8x24's. I've also cut a slot out for the press, and added an undermount to it. Plus secured the powder measure to the top of the bench.

Not shown is the 4" vice I mounted on the far left area. And I have a few hundred pounds of brass & ingots on that bottom shelf, so that should keep the bench from rocking too much.

[dikman]

That top is certainly, err, substantial! As for being too wide, it looks like you have enough overhang each end to trim 1" each side?

[Wayne Smith]

The mark of a good woodworker is how he recovers from his mistakes and factors them into the design!

[OnceFired]

Yeah, I am thinking I can use my reciprocating saw to trim the sides down a bit. I think that would do the trick, but I'm going to be more careful measuring the garage door hardware this time around! :)

Since I got the replacement to the broken press handle yesterday, I tried out a few on the new handle. As heavy as the bench is when fully loaded on the bottom, it still does move a little on the upstroke this press uses. I think I want to secure it to the wall.

OF

[John Guedry]

Measure twice, cut once.:bigsmyl2:

[onegunred]

Measure twice, cut once.:bigsmyl2: I don't care how many times I cut it,..... it is still too short !