A simple portable press stand

[onelight]

I am almost embarrassed to show this crude stand after looking at the amazing work
many of you do on equipment but here goes anyway :-D
When I got married we lived in a small trailer then a duplex neither with a garage , so my reloading equipment needed to be able to live in a closet.
We welded this first stand together 45 years ago out of scrounged scrap perfect for my budget. 236105236106[
Really easy to put together , the post top was large enough to weld bolts with the heads cut off to the sides to mount the press , the bottom of the pipe was set on something to get it up off the floor and the 3 legs welded on it was then set on the large washers & they were welded on.
In use you put your feet on the front legs and load away. Whith this stand you can use any table to hold your scales load blocks and other equipment.
The stand was intended to be temporary but has worked so well I still use it.
We built another in about 1985 this one we welded a flat plate to the top and has been used with several different presses including a Lee pro 1000 and now my Lee turret press it has a strip of aluminum angle to hold three bins for cases ,bullets and loaded rounds.236107236108
For me the stands serve my purpose they can go to the range or be moved to a corner when not needed and leave my benches clear for other projects.
They are cheap and easy to build or modify.

[Daveco]

Those are nice!! Simple and effective. I'm scrounging parts for something similar that I've had rolling around in my head, so seeing these makes me want to get up and get started. Plus, your still being satisfied with these after 45 years of use removes some of the doubts that I had too.
Thanks for sharing!

[Beagle333]

Nice idea. I've been looking for something I can take out on my deck with me on nice days to do my sizing and priming out there and then put away when I'm done.

[trapper9260]

If it works go for it.It dose not matter on the looks. Now you give me a idea now for make one for on the go.

[onelight]

If you make one pick the seat height you want to use you need to sit down so you can comfortably put your feet on the front legs .:wink:

[Conditor22]

I like it. Necessity is the mother of invention.
A lot of my projects/inventions/hairbrained contraptions never got past the prototype stage. The prototype worked as planned I saw no reason to make it pretty :bigsmyl2:.

[KenT7021]

When I was in the Army I used a piece of pipe,two pipe flanges,and two pieces of 3/4 inch plywood.The bottom piece was large enough to stand on.It was very stable and compact when disassembled and was easily shipped when I was transferred.

[hc18flyer]

I use a disc blade for a base. I weld a flange just above table height, which gets clamped with a c-clamp vice-grip. The Forestor I size with is mouned at table height for leverage. My Lee c-style that I seat bullets with about 8" higher for better vision while seating. I have a small table, so setting them off to the side until needed, gives me more space. hc18flyer

[Rcmaveric]

You know what. Still better than the things i put together. I broke down and bought the Lee press stand. So i aplaud your work and it functions the way you want. I too live in an apartment. Upgrading my reloading closet this tax return. Hopefully will clean everything up and get all my stuff into one area.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like 'em...nothing to be embarrassed about.

[beagle]

Also in the Army with a lot of moves. Had one made with a large steel plate on the bottom, a rod and a smaller plate on top. Fit inside a foot locker with the rest of my stuff for moves. Feet sat on the bottom plate for weight and press clamped to the top. Followed me from NC to Georgia, to Maryland on to Virginia and then for 3 years in Hawaii. Returning to Ft Campbell, it was lost in the shuffle and I had to resort to a newer wooden made bench. Used it for a MEC 250, a #45 sizer and a Lyman Comet C press. All that fit in one foot locker along with my casting stuff./beagle

[NyFirefighter357]

This gives me an idea. Portable TRISTAND pipe vise could be modified to use. They are $400 new but cheap if found at garage sale. I've been offered several for free. I know I have one, I might even have 2. https://www.sheridansupply.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Ridgid-36273.jpg

[LenH]

If it works, who cares what it looks like. I am in the same situation. Small house and no place to set up a permanent reloading bench.

When I first got a Dillon 550B (bought a guy out who was getting out of reloading) I got a strong mount and a 2 X 12. I mounted the strong mount to the 2 X 12 and counterbored
the holes on the underside. I would clamp this setup to a work table in the kitchen and would load about 6 or 700 rounds at a time and put the cover on it and put it away until the
next session.

At the time I worked for a steel fabricator and found a piece of steel tubing in the scrap bin, one of the shop hands welded (2) 1/4" plates to the top and bottom of the tubing.
These plates were the size of the foot print of the strong mount and mounted the 2x on the bottom and the strong mount to the top. Now I move it where ever it is convenient
to reload. It ain't pretty but it gets the job done.

[fast ronnie]

I've got a round steel pedestal (kind of like a disk blade) from an old kitchen table with a small plate welded to the top and an aluminum plate bolted to that. I usually keep three Rock Chuckers and my RCBS bench primer bolted to it. When needed, I remove one of the presses to use my Star sizer. To change to a different press, I just turn it around.

[onelight]

:drinks:Wow you guys have a lot of good soulutions to the same task would love to see pictures from our shade tree fabricating group :D :drinks:

[skeettx]

Great ideas, I used a military foot locker and a C-H H press, with carriage bolts and wing nuts.
I stored every thing in the locker.

[RogerDat]

If it works it ain't broke that's for sure. I have heard of people using the Harbor Freight grinder stands with some success but would figure the legs designed to allow feet to hold them down would offer an advantage for a compact closet stored stand.

I have a stool with the swivel chair removed as a sit down stand which I C clamp attach the wood bases I have my presses mounted on. Originally set up for the Lee loader whack a mole kits as a pounding bench. Added heavy shelf across bottom chair rungs that allows me to put lead on it for stability. I don't use it much any more but still have it. Works well as target for impact puller or as a side table at the bench if nothing else. A little iffy for big caliber resizing but for a lot of C press operations it worked fine. I may try it with a MEC reloader soon.

[Tom W.]

I just bought one from Midway a number of years ago.... I still have it, awaiting funds for another press to mount on it, or else my case trimmer.....

[Kenstone]

:drinks:Wow you guys have a lot of good soulutions to the same task would love to see pictures from our shade tree fabricating group :D :drinks:

OK with reference to post #17, this is the HF version of the Lee 3 legged stand but with 4 legs.
So you get an extra leg and save $75 +/-.
I have a drill press mounted here but it shows a simple riser I built out of scrap 2x6/2x8 that would work great for mounting a press, with the added bonus of "wing" shelves that could be easily made longer.
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236324
You could put some patio blocks (or bullets) on the shelf to weight it down or hung from wire like the Lee stand.
https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-3184.html
Can be bought for $26.40 with 20% coupon.
Go to the reviews and put reloading into the search reviews window and it will bring up 20 reviews with pics of stands being used for reloading.
:mrgreen:

[dlbarr]

Hey, that looks great to me. Good on ya for a very useful & economical solution to your needs. I'd have no problem using one of those...I actually told my wife today I'd like to do my reloading beside her in the family room while she water-color paints. Your stand would do the trick for me!

[Isaac]

Great job guys.

I used half of a walk in closet when the Mrs. and I were first married.

This thread should be added to the Homemade forum. :D

Isaac