best portable reloader bench or stand

[farmbif]

I'm looking for designs for a solid portable reloading stand or small bench I can make for use in a camper. wood or metal it doesn't matter what does matter is that its solid and won't jump around when resizing. another thing that is kind of the stumbling block for me is I don't want to have to screw or bolt it to the floor or wall. the camper slide outs are pretty flimsy as is the floor. in the past ive made all kinds of benches and stands but either they have been real solid and heavy or they bolt into the floor but this camper idea has me a bit stumped as to what to build.

[Ickisrulz]

Have you thought about using a hand press. The BPM hand press looks like the best hand press that has ever been made:

https://buchananprecisionmachine.com/products/buchanan-precision-machine-hand-reloading-press

[44magLeo]

I would build one. Get a sheet of 3/4 " plywood, Some places sell smaller pieces so you don't need to buy a full sheet. Two 1 1/2' floor flanges and a piece of 1 1/2 "pipe, at a length that will make the bench the right height. 6 or 8 1/4 carriage bolts about 3" long, nuts and washers. Some 1 5/8" sheet rock screws.
Cut out two pieces of the plywood to 12 x 18 ", cut two to 6 x 8". Use the screws to fasten the two 12 x 18 " pieces together. You can glues these if you want. Do the same with the other two pieces.
On the two larger pieces mark a center line so it gets marked into two boxes 6 x 18". Now measure 6 " from one end of this line. Mount one of the floor flanges at this point. Use the 1/4 carriage bolts up through from the bottom. Thread the pipe into this floor flange. Thread the other floor flange onto the pipe. Get them snug but not use a wrench tight.
Now mark the smaller pieces of plywood like you did the first ones but only measure 3 " in from the end.
This is the point you want to mount this to the floor flange on top of the base. You want the short side of this piece toward the long side of the base. Mount with more of the 1/4 " bolts.
When complete you should be able top thread the top and bottom off for storage.
In use the long part of the base is toward you, the long part of the top is away. Mount your press on the top as you would any press. With the press mounted behind the center of the base it won't tip toward you. as you press the handle down. With you feet on the base it will be even more stable.
You might think the top of this set up is too small but it only needs to be big enough to mount the press to. Set up by a table to hold your supplies it works well. It can also be used most anywhere.
Other options require more space to store.
As mentioned the Buchanan Hand Press is a good tool. The Lee is a similar tool but cost much less.
Leo

[ebb]

Has Buchanan come down on the price? He must have, I am thinking that last time I looked they were over $300. That a real good deal.

[onelight]

Do you want to buy something or build from wood or steel ? Or aluminum ?

[jmorris]

I have made a couple that fit in 2 inch receivers, that work quite well.

[cwtebay]

I really like my Lee tripod. Very stable and breaks down to the size of a rifle case quickly now that I replaced the bolts with thumb screws. I use it in the camper, cabin, and the living room (as long as I'm reloading for the wife also....).

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[Pigboat]

I use the Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Reloading Stand along with the Lee bench plate kit. It's as solid as a rock. I think it's something like $145 from Brownell's. I have presses mounted on both sides of it.

[uscra112]

The "big" kit on the right was built when I was an apartment dweller in the mid '90s. Uses the Lyman Tru-Line Junior press for almost everything except sizing rifle cases. I was lucky enough to own an RCBS Compac hand press (the original model for Buchanan's) for that. I still use this kit, because I really like having the powder scale at eye level! Now it sits on a low cabinet, alongside a bench to the right with an RCBS press on it. To the left is a tall shelf unit that stores dies, tools, primers, bullets, lube supplies, etc., etc. Cabinet underneath is the powder magazine.

3/4 plywood was still cheap back then, which makes it heavy. Portable only if I use a hand truck. Originally it had a cover that could be locked in place to keep my landlady's prying eyes out of it. Long gone now.

Then for the range I made up the kit on the left which is based on an old homemade pistolero's range box. Took out the pistol racks, otherwise nothing changed. The shelf is actually a shallow box that is shown upside down here. It gets flipped over to pack stuff more efficiently. Enough room for 20 rifle cases and a couple hundred cast bullets when packed up. The Compac press does sizing and seating, the old Lyman tong tool does decapping and recapping. The beam balance is troublesome if there's any wind, so I bought a PACT II electronic scale sometime after I took this photo.

[Green Frog]

uscra112, those are some great ideas... and I have an old home made pistol box that is now in danger of conversion!! As a longtime TruLine Jr user, I’ve long wondered about just such a portable loading room for the back of my vehicle... that design looks like just what I need.

Randy, your videos were excellent. The whole concept of a hand press is so flexible and utilitarian. I’m convinced every serious reloader needs some sort of hand tool whether the Lee KIA model or the Buchanan Rolls Royce version.

Just so I don’t get accused by the OP of hijacking his thread, I would suggest one of the middle weight or heavier Black & Decker Workmate folding benches if you can swing it. Currently mine is sporting a clamped-on piece of plywood with a MEC 600 Jr bolted to it. My next planned step is to build a second plywood top to clamp on, carrying a rig for bench loading metallic cartridges. I’ll try to post a picture when I get onto my laptop. :coffeecom

Froggie

[uscra112]

A little add-on for the Compac / Buchanan press is a bit of steel plate that allows you to C-clamp it any horizontal surface. Doesn't even have to be very sturdy - just something to hold it upright.

My other Compaq press:

266799

[uscra112]

Froggie, if you're interested enough, I can post or email you a .dxf file of the big box. I've been asked about it before.

[country gent]

Years back I built a stand from 1" steel tubing that folded up tee shaped on the bottom with 3 foot pads. It was fairly solid with a 12 wide and 18 long top. enough to mount press powder measure and use a the jintsloading block. sat up next to a table the scales sat on the table. Where this got its strength and stability was above the back foot pad was a seat you say on adding your weight mass to the bench and anchoring it. Legs folded back along main beam. top folded sown along main beam and set folded down above top. seat and top were removable with 2 pins. the frame folded p 8" X 8" X 31/2' top and seat sat along side.
Materials were 1" square thin wall tubing some square tubing that slid over it ( for top mount and seat mount) 3/8" bolts nuts and washers. wood for top work surface and seat 1/4" [late pr flat stock for the hinge joints.
tools needed saw for cutting parts, drill press for holes, welder, files, 4" 90* grinder sanders and clamps

[Green Frog]

Froggie, if you're interested enough, I can post or email you a .dxf file of the big box. I've been asked about it before.

Thanks, uscra112, that might get me off my lazy adze to get some work done on mine! I'll send you a PM with my e-mail.

BTW, here is the picture I promised earlier of the Workmate "conversion" I mentioned earlier. I didn't build it or take the picture... it's been floating around on the Inter-Web for years. I'll post the plans as well, but the design is pretty self explanatory.

Froggie

[mdi]

266809
Or a hand press is a good alternative. I have a Lee hand press that along with dies and a few tools would easily fit in a shoe box. Of course components were stored separately...

[onelight]

I have used this portable stand for at least 40 years I have 2 , easy to make if you have access to a welder .in use you sit with your feet on the feet of the stand To hold in place for up stroke of loading lever . It could be made of aluminum but mine are both steel . I use next to a bench or table to hold PM and other items . With a little planning the feet could be made detachable so it would lay flat , as is it would be a bit bulky to carry in a RV but it does work well with no permanent mounting .266811

[uscra112]

There were an awful lot of guys right through the Depression years who reloaded with tong tools, with everything kept in a wooden cigar box except the powder can. I once bought just such a set at an estate auction, primers and all, for .38 Spl. That's the shiny chrome tool in the photos I posted.

In the '50 or maybe the '60s a Lee Loader substituted for the tong tool.

Deluxe versions of the tong tool even had a mould and a sizer built in.

[hporter]

I have reloaded in my 25 foot travel trailer and understand the space limitations. I was onsite in the shipyard for the construction phase of a project I was working on, and we had a local range that was a wonderful place to shoot.

I used the older Frankford Arsenal reloading stand with a the smallest Lee C-press and a powder measure both mounted to the diminutive plastic top. It worked for what I needed, which was just load development. On the weekends I would drive back to Houston and load up my main ammo supplies on my Dillon machines.

This is the stand I am referring to:
266843

And here it is in my trailer. I would sit on the dinette sofa and use it that way.
266844

I liked the concept so I bought the larger Frankford Arsenal stand when it came out.

266845

Here it is in my office at the house. I mounted an Inline Fabrication stand on it, that is fitted with the quick change top plate. I have a Lee Classic Cast single stage mounted to it here.

266846

Although this stand is heavier than the little original version, the top separates from the legs and the legs fold flat. It is very stable, and if I were to load from my trailer again, this is the route I would go. You can also take it outside and sit at the picnic benches that are normally at the RV park sites.

Good Luck.

Harold

[mdi]

Here's a FWIW; I started reloading with a Lee Loader. I reloaded for several months before I got a real press, and I reloaded many safe and accurate rounds. I fine tuned my methods so use of the Lee Loader wasn't so slow and/or crude. If Something happened and I was not able to get to my presses and misc. reloading tools in my shop, I could continue to reload for 8 calibers, safely and produce some custom, accurate ammo, just sitting on a stool with a log in front of me and a plastic mallet hammering out ammo on one of my Lee Loaders...

[uscra112]

My wildcat .22 Lovell 2R rifles all came with gunsmith-made reloading tools not unlike the Lee Loader. That's how it was done in 1947. I still use them. A properly made "straight line" seater using a mallet is just as accurate as the best "competition" seating dies for your press. And quicker.

[John Boy]

Farmbif ... plenty of choices. Which one do you like best?

[farmbif]

one lights example is right up my alley, have always been better at metal fab than wood working. its time to turn the welder back on and light the torch. the idea with the pipe flanges looks pretty good too but would have to find my pipe threader and get some flanges. got plenty of structural steel and pipe would not have to spend any of my limited funds on one lights design.

[Green Frog]

Public thanks and a tip of the hat to uscra112 for going the extra mile to send me pictures and diagrams of his loading boxes. He really came through for a pre-millennial with some severe computer shortcomings. Thanks again!

Green Frog

[Gray Fox]

Froggie:

I just found that Workmate plan on Monday. I found that Amazon had the 225 Workmate on sale for $71 with free shipping for Prime members and ordered it. It was here the next day. I found that hard to believe. It must have been at one of their centers here in the Hotlanta area. Now I've got to go down to Home Depot and get the plywood which I will buy with one of my Home Depot cash cards my wife got from her Discover card points which I'd forgotten about until she pointed it out. She has a vested interest since I load her ammo. I plan to assemble it with countersunk brass screws and Elmers wood glue for travel durability. I'll finish it with wipe on poly. I'll dig out my Rock Chucker and mount it with a double thickness of plywood using bolts, washers and wing nuts. On the top lip I'll have two powder measures and a balance scale. I'm also considering mounting a removeable 24" drop tube on the right side for BP loading of .45-70 and .45-110. I'm going to have to work a bit on that idea, though.

This has been an interesting thread and I'll try to post pics when I'm done. GF

[Green Frog]

Gray Fox,

Glad to be an enabler! Can I assume you plan to bolt the loading unit down to the surface of the W-M? I would suggest using 4 carriage bolts going down through holes drilled to match some of those in the deck of the W-M, then putting a large fender washer on the bottom so you can really wrench them down tight. Carriage bolts up through the bottom of the deck can be countersunk slightly to hold your press so the unit sits flat on the deck of the W-M.

We LOVE pictures! :bigsmyl2:

Froggie

[jmorris]

You not need to be a master fabricator to reload just a board, flat surface and some C clamps.

[hporter]

You not need to be a master fabricator to reload just a board, flat surface and some C clamps.

I agree completely with your point, but I cringed at the thought of my wife coming home and seeing "that" in "her" kitchen. I suppose your example might be why she allows me to have my own dedicated space for reloading? Ha ha.

[jmorris]

I agree completely with your point, but I cringed at the thought of my wife coming home and seeing "that" in "her" kitchen. I suppose your example might be why she allows me to have my own dedicated space for reloading? Ha ha.

If my wife would cook or even do the dishes, I’d gladly keep my reloading stuff in the reloading room. Unfortunately the kitchen is just another one of my rooms...

[onelight]

one lights example is right up my alley, have always been better at metal fab than wood working. its time to turn the welder back on and light the torch. the idea with the pipe flanges looks pretty good too but would have to find my pipe threader and get some flanges. got plenty of structural steel and pipe would not have to spend any of my limited funds on one lights design.
No Funds are how mine was designed in the first place built from a junk pile to fit in a closet when not in use 20 year old motorcycle mechanic with a new baby living in a duplex . Planed on it as a temporary setup but it was so handy when I got a second press I built another and still use them both . The vertical pipe had that wider piece on it that was just the right width to weld press mounting bolts directly to the sides to mount my pacific c frame press on it. I like cheap stuff that works :-P

[bob15]

Just a thought, skip the bench and just get the Lee Classic Reloader. Only a mallet is needed. I loaded a lot of ammo with one before progressing to a Texan Loadmaster turret press

[cwtebay]

Just a thought, skip the bench and just get the Lee Classic Reloader. Only a mallet is needed. I loaded a lot of ammo with one before progressing to a Texan Loadmaster turret press+1 on that actually. I went through a Lee Loader collector phase and have one in every caliber I shoot ( except for 44 American and 401 WSL dang it!!). I taught my kids and many more to use them and still pack them to camp with us. Simple, compact, and as precise as you want to make it.

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[onelight]

Just a thought, skip the bench and just get the Lee Classic Reloader. Only a mallet is needed. I loaded a lot of ammo with one before progressing to a Texan Loadmaster turret press
I have one for 45 colt floating around home that shows up once in a while , I got it in 1970 with my first 45 and all I used for a few years. Glad you guys like them they work. But I have not used mine since I got my first press.
I don't miss it at all. :grin:

[farmbif]

there are no lips on the counter edges in the camper that I got it second hand and previous owner removed the table off the kitchen area. ive been using a angle iron metal stand, kind of like a fish tank stand with plywood top but its not very stable at all when resizing 3006 and 308

[ReloaderEd]

[B]I used a workmate as the base for my portable reloading bench. I made plans that I have if your want I can use the RCBS press and bullet lube Lyman with no problems, size 06 brass no problem. Also use it for progressive reloading with the Piggyback unit. I can transport it easily to the range to work up loads on the spot /B]

[fatnhappy]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=267140&d=1599098712

[Ozark mike]

267142

[W.R.Buchanan]

Has Buchanan come down on the price? He must have, I am thinking that last time I looked they were over $300. That a real good deal.

ebb: my tool has never been $300. The price has never changed in 4 years, but it is about to. The price on the regular tool is $225+ shipping. The LNL Version is $245 + shipping.

Randy

[fiberoptik]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200903/7fdc955c8f7c3bdd83413a3c6bb47f25.jpg
Made mine from trash. Only bought the bolts & washers.


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[W.R.Buchanan]

My original Set Up (1976) was a Workmate with a 2'x3' piece of 3/4" plywood secured in the vise. I screwed a 4" wide strip of 3/4"plywood to the bottom for the vise to clamp onto. My Bro in Law is using it now.

These things produce a pretty solid work place. I really like the top unit that Froggie made and showed in Post #14 on top of the Workmate.

My Hand Press clamped to that would be a very nice setup for an Apartment Dweller.

Randy