Small footprint bench for press and lubrisizer?

[huntinlever]

Moving and downsizing, on loading hiatus. I'll be needing a small footprint bench that will hopefully handle both the press (RCBS Rebel) and Lubrisizer (RCBS). Any particular build plans you like?

[Mk42gunner]

I've always either built to fit the space, or repurposed an existing table or cabinet.

From experience, you don't need all that big of a bench top, unless you want it to become over crowded with stuff.

Robert

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Possibly a pedestal-type such as one based on a wheel rim?

DG

[deces]

The Lee steel bench is about as small as you can get and is highly versatile with the bench plates.

https://youtu.be/F6Xww_gMWng

[hc18flyer]

So My bench is only 2 x 4'. I have my presses mounted on a disc plate base, a 1" pipe runs up to the press mount. A flange just above bench level, allows it to be clamped to the bench edge. I have a Lee C-style press mounted at eye level, for rifle bullet seating. My Forster Coax is at bench height for rifle case sizing and pistol reloading. My Lee Clasic turret is permanently mounted to the right corner of the bench for depriming and my Lee disc powder measure. Let me know if you want pictures? hc18flyer Mounting your press this way, allows an open bench when you want.

[Kenstone]

This Harbor Freight stand:
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Mine with a 2x6 riser and drill press.
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https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-59196.html

Costs about $100 less than the 3-legged Lee version, no bench plates though. :neutral:
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[Mike Kerr]

This Harbor Freight stand:
314149
Mine with a 2x6 riser and drill press.
314148
https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-59196.html

Costs about $100 less than the 3-legged Lee version, no bench plates though. :neutral:
.

Probably just as stable when the base is weighted. Lee's 3 legged model works best with a lot of weight on the base. Otherwise it is not very stable at all. The photo from youtube post has minimal stablizing weight on the base. (looks good though)

[Minerat]

I used a Black & Decker Shopmate in my living room when single. Then SWAMBO came long and made me be civilized. I mounted the press on a wood pedestal that I could clamp in the shopmate. Then when not in use fold up and put in closet. Built a TC Hawkins kit gun on it too.... In the living room.

[JimB..]

I’d see if you could fit an inline fabrication riser with a quick change plate on top of the harbor freight grinder stand. If it fits them reinforce the stand by bolting ply to the sides, back, and front below the shelf also stack some lead on the shelf.

[Kenstone]

I’d see if you could fit an inline fabrication riser with a quick change plate on top of the harbor freight grinder stand. If it fits them reinforce the stand by bolting ply to the sides, back, and front below the shelf also stack some lead on the shelf.

I have used a wooden riser like the one in that picture and it was very rigid under a rock chucker.
314152
Because the wood is wider and can be built even wider, it has "shelf space" that an inline fab riser doesn't, and can be custom built for the proper height.
A wood riser could be mounted "cattycornered", so the press lever is over a front leg for greater stability too.
A 2x6 or 2x8 and some hardware is way cheaper than an Inline Fab. Ultramount.

I have also used drop-down wing/side shelves like this, both bought and made with 2 pieces of plywood and a piano hinge.
https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-storage-organization/tool-storage/tool-storage-accessories-organizers/folding-side-tray-for-5-drawer-tool-cart-orange-64726.html
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jmo.

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[deces]

Probably just as stable when the base is weighted. Lee's 3 legged model works best with a lot of weight on the base. Otherwise it is not very stable at all. The photo from youtube post has minimal stablizing weight on the base. (looks good though)

It's on wheels... :groner:

[poppy42]

Moving and downsizing, on loading hiatus. I'll be needing a small footprint bench that will hopefully handle both the press (RCBS Rebel) and Lubrisizer (RCBS). Any particular build plans you like?

You talking build your own? What size space are you trying to put it into. 314154. This is my design build. I have 2 right next to each other. You know of course no matter how big you build it it’s never gonna be big enough lol. Everything mounts to the top with Tnuts and threaded knobs. Presses, powder measures, whatever can be unscrewed from the top in about two minutes and stored underneath. Did I mention I live in a one bedroom apartment with my wife and he sit in the living room. Send me a PM if you want some more info

[Shawlerbrook]

I was also thinking one of the Black & Decker shopmate type benches .

[Sasquatch-1]

If you have an out of the way area that is dedicated to reloading, you could mount a piece of 2x10 to the wall with a couple of legs to make it sturdy. I also thought that an old 2 drawer file cabinet with a wood riser like the one previously posted might work.

[country gent]

I think the harbor freight stand with a swivel top would be slick. You could mount 3 or 4 tools and rotate to what you want. Make a post from 2 x 8s and a flat bearing from mc master carr. The feet would need to be long enough to be stable possibly 1/2" ply wood under them so your chairs front legs can sit on it to anchor it.

[John Guedry]

As someone who knows your pain I'm in the laundry room.My "bench" is a repurposed cabinet. The top is18and ahalf by25 and ahalf. I have Lyman T-Mag and a Lyman Crusher2. They are mounted on an Inline Fabrication quick change. I can recomend the Inline products. The ability to swap presses is very useful. Ialso have a balence beam scale that stays on the bench top. The lubricator/sizer can be mounted on a quick change plate and used as needed.

[GregLaROCHE]

If you have a corner available, I’ve found an L shape very efficient. Be sure to plan to secure whatever you use to the floor or strong wall.

[Harter66]

I built a cabinet/bench once that occupied 36×42×72 . i could have taken the bench top ends off flush at 36² but chose not to .
37" high bench top 5 shelves 8×33 , 1@24×33 , and 1@35×33 .

But if you want to go really compact I also have a cafe table center base with an 11" triangle of 3/4 plywood attached with the Partner press ram prime set up with Herters and and Lyman 45 lubesizers attached.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Except for one press all my stuff is mounted to hardwood bases (tried pine but the screws pulled out on the sizer) and clamped to the bench with a pair of cheap 4in clamps to keep space free. My bench is L shaped and the hard mounted press is off on the short leg freeing up almost all of the main bench space.

314171314172

[Tall]

When I was an apartment dweller space was at a premium. I mounted my press to a piece of walnut 12" by 12" and 2" thick. Then I used two C clamps to attach it to the dining room table when I reloaded. When done everything went into the closet on a shelf.

[Hick]

My entire reloading setup is a cheap (assemble it yourself) 27 inch wide desk from Walmart, with a piece of thick plywood bolted on top. Powder measure on the left edge, lubesizer on the right edge and Press just left of the lubesizer. I screwed an "L" bracket to the wall and to the back center of the desk so that it doesn't wobble under load. It's all I've ever had-- over 90,000 rounds loaded to date. Small is nice-- you can sit in a swivel desk chair and reach everything. My "bench" is right next to a closet where I keep everything else on shelves.

[jsizemore]

B&D Workmate has a step on the front so you can add some weight to stabilize it.

[Green Frog]

For those suggesting a B&D Workmate™, here is a picture I found many years ago of a really slick design for this. I have a set of plans somewhere in my archives if anyone is interested. I also have a MEC 600 Jr mounted to a piece of plywood to just clamp to my Workmate™.

Froggie

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PS Here's a link to plans;
https://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2022/02/build-your-own-compact-loading-center-with-workmate-bench/

[georgerkahn]

Moving and downsizing, on loading hiatus. I'll be needing a small footprint bench that will hopefully handle both the press (RCBS Rebel) and Lubrisizer (RCBS). Any particular build plans you like?

Bion, I have a rather tiny space for my reloading, and "lucked" into a console table from a way-back-when computer printer. (Back then they were heavy, huge, and VERY noisy! -- Hence the metal unit with a glass-door to access printer compartment. I house my Ohaus/RCBS scales inside, with shelving for small accessories.
In the front I have one of my Lyman All-Americans mounted with a Lee interchangeable base -- where I can swap in any of the other two All-Americans, Lyman 450 lub-sizers, or a MEC Marksman press. To the right I have my Dillon 550b permanently mounted.
Atop, I have a home-built wood unit to house my assorted reloading dies.314363
Below (what was intended for roll-perf-paper storage) I keep much of my cast bullets -- the added weight making it pretty much vibration free -- a plus for weighing charges :).
Just an idea for something to look for (??) -- I got mine from a local University for, if I recall, either ten or fifteen dollars! It is only 30 inches wide, too -- not taking too much of a foot-print and enabling my reloading 28 different calibres.

[huntinlever]

Wow, didn't expect this thread to get so much attention. Thanks for the tons of info, guys, gives me plenty to work with. Hope to get back up in a couple of weeks.

[Fishoot]

I like to do a quick reloading job on my home-built stand made from $" diameter pipe and scrap steel I had. The tubing at the top allows for some shelf supports to be attached on the side towards the wall. The extra brackets on the 4" pipe allow for other presses to be stored on the stand and they do not increase the footprint of the stand very much. I made 2 ( the bare one is the second), because I had too much fun making them and thought I might sell one. I have more pictures if anyone wants them. 314373314374

[huntinlever]

Moved, just catching up (and recovering - old bones don't take kindly to busting it out anymore!). Thanks again for the help guys.

Not ideal, but doable. Just took a piece of 3/4" plywood 2 x 4 and cut it to 2 x 3, found a sturdy table base I couldn't pass up at $25, mounted the plywood, drilled the press holes, and good to go. I do have to lean over a bit but it will get me loading.

314731

[Kenstone]

Moved, just catching up (and recovering - old bones don't take kindly to busting it out anymore!). Thanks again for the help guys.

Not ideal, but doable. Just took a piece of 3/4" plywood 2 x 4 and cut it to 2 x 3, found a sturdy table base I couldn't pass up at $25, mounted the plywood, drilled the press holes, and good to go. I do have to lean over a bit but it will get me loading.

314731

Nice...up and running!!
A simple box built out of 2x6 or 2x8 works as a riser, so no more leaning over, and gets you out of a potential sore back:
314733
Moving any riser inward/off the front edge of a bench will almost eliminate any forward/back rocking of the press.
Check the clearance of the press lever in the down position to determine how far back from the edge the riser can be positioned.
:bigsmyl2:
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[farmbif]

I once made a press stand out of an aluminum I beam and a 1/2" thick plate less than a square foot welded to each end. four holes in the bottom to screw it to the floor and holes in the top to mount press
ive still got it somewhere if I stop getting error messages ill post a picture

[uscra112]

My entire setup from when I was an apartment dweller in the '90s. Still using it.
314747

A smaller kit that I take to the range. Built in an oldtime pistol shooters carrying case. Frequently I have just set this on the dining table when I was in a hurry,
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[Kenstone]

My entire setup from when I was an apartment dweller in the '90s. Still using it.
314747

A smaller kit that I take to the range. Built in an oldtime pistol shooters carrying case. Frequently I have just set this on the dining table when I was in a hurry,
314748

Nice
What is the outside caliper in the range kit used for??
:?
.

[samari46]

I used a couple old 3 drawer file cabinets with two pieces of 3/4" plywood cut to fit the tops and had room to stick my legs when sitting to do all my reloading. Would unbolt any tools as I had a nosy landlord. Frank

[uscra112]

"Caliper" is an old Lyman/Ideal tong tool, which does decapping and, in the field, recapping. At home I use a Lee Autoprime which was on a nearby shelf for this photo.

[PP-67]

Well, I have an apartment in a multi-family block

https://pin.it/4y1YT2s

[Kenstone]

"Caliper" is an old Lyman/Ideal tong tool, which does decapping and, in the field, recapping. At home I use a Lee Autoprime which was on a nearby shelf for this photo.

Thanks for posting that...
OH OK, so what looks like caliper tongs to me are actually the handles squeezed to work the tool.
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[uscra112]

Thanks for posting that...
OH OK, so what looks like caliper tongs to me are actually the handles squeezed to work the tool.
.

Right. The original version was designed by John H.Barlow about 1885. It had a fixed die formed on one handle, and a mould formed forward of the pivot, so it really did look like a pair of tongs. A shooter thus had everything needed to reload his blackpowder cartridges in one tool. The basic design gained separable dies and lost the mould in the early 20th century, and even into the 1950s most home handloaders used the tong, (or nutcracker) tool sets. I still do for some of the pistol and obsolete rifle cartridges I play with. With a small canister of powder and some primers and bullets, the entire setup will fit into a cigar box. Now THAT is compact.

There's a good thread on the history here:
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?234168-A-quick-quot-history-quot-question-on-the-Lyman-310-plier-hand-loaders

And there's an endless thread here devoted to collecting them.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?311718-Lyman-310-Swap-thread

[W.R.Buchanan]

You don't need a bench for this one, but you can clamp it to a table if you want to. It will do anything a Bolt Down Press will do.

Randy

[reloader X]

I used a Black & Decker Shopmate in my living room when single. Then SWAMBO came long and made me be civilized. I mounted the press on a wood pedestal that I could clamp in the shopmate. Then when not in use fold up and put in closet. Built a TC Hawkins kit gun on it too.... In the living room.

a Jawhorse is even better for multitasking.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have a Jaw Horse and am about to make a table top for it to use as a "Portable Bench Rest" so I can sight in All my Big Rifles and suss out loads for them at all ranges between 200 and 600 yards. We have a Silhouette Shoot once a month and we shoot at 4 different ranges and we generally start at 600 M and move forward to 385M then to 300M then finish at 200 M..I can move forward after that to 200 yards which is our Standard Firing Line for final tweaking for my usual 200 yard zero. on .223 and 30 cal. Rifles

The portable aspect of the Jaw Horse Bench makes it easy to pick it up and move and re setup at the new firing line. Couple that with my Hand Press and I have a pretty workable setup for load development, and accuracy testing. I just pop the table off it and fold it up and throw all it in the back of the Jeep. Takes 1 minute to be ready to move.

Here's a hot tip: If your gun ain't sighted in properly you can't expect to hit anything,,, Which is kind of the idea for showing up in the first place.

Now all I need is a Lab Radar Chrono.

Randy

[fatnhappy]

I've been portable for 35 years.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51226204109_f0895e60b0_z.jpg

[stumpjumper]

Harbor freight grinder stand! This is what I take to the range for load development

[WILCO]

I started reloading on a shelf in a linen closet.
Built a king size bench after buying a house.
Ended up using the Lee Loader on the kitchen counter, because there's no woman to yell at me. :)
Life is good.

[huntinlever]

I've been portable for 35 years.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51226204109_f0895e60b0_z.jpg

Nice. Not portable and definitely no room to spread my wings, but pretty happy, and already cranking them out.

Appreciate the input guys.

315033

[hc18flyer]

I've been portable for 35 years.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51226204109_f0895e60b0_z.jpg

I do similarly. No casters and a disc blade on the floor, clamp to the edge of my bench. I have a couple different presses for different purposes. hc18flyer

[deces]

Lee Has their Press stand for about $100 out the door on their site.

[jsizemore]

I bought a Black & Decker Workmate 425 off craigslist for $30. Had some scrap 3/4" plywood that I doubled up to bolt or clamp the presses to. Added a cleat to the bottom so the workmate top would clamp it in place. I can setup wherever I need and when it's not used for casting/reloading it good for other tasks and folds up easy for storage and transport to job sites especially when I need an extra hand or out feed table. It's a bit heavy but you don't have to worry about tipping over. Any parts you need are readily available.

[Kenstone]

Harbor freight grinder stand! This is what I take to the range for load development

yep...
317744
Mine with a riser/drill press...
317745

Less than 1/2 the cost of the Lee stand, has 4 legs instead of 3.
https://www.harborfreight.com/universal-bench-grinder-stand-59196.html
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[Three44s]

I do similarly. No casters and a disc blade on the floor, clamp to the edge of my bench. I have a couple different presses for different purposes. hc18flyer

One of my best portables is based on a used disk blade as well.

Three44s

[gnappi]

Years age I got a tool stand for bench grinders