removeable press mounts

[jpamp]

hello, i am just getting deeper into the reloading bug and am trying to decide if i want the entire front of my bench covered with presses all the time. I currently have the following presses and was wondering what great ideas people have for making them removeable to store in a cabinet or elsewhere to free up space on the bench. I wish someonemade some nice metal brackets or something where you could slide them in and out to change them, but i have only seen these from mec years ago and from one other company but they did not look that great and cost a fortune. any ideas from this ingeniuous group?

mec 900g
mec versamec not setup yet
bonanza co-ax
lee reloader not set up yet
lee pro 1000 not set up yet
lyman 450 notsetup yet

[Char-Gar]

There are all sorts of ways to do this, but I just attach the press to a piece of 2 X 6 and attach it to the bench with a pair of C clamps.

[shooter93]

I use a harder wood...like oak or maple but it's the way all my reloading equipment is mounted and I've been using it that way for 40 years.

[454PB]

On my casting bench, I mounted a piece of 3/8" plate 6" wide by 2' long. I then drilled and tapped holes for my various presses, lubrisizers, and even some for my bench grinder. It also serves as a good spot for peening light metal and on occasion I've tack welded items there for various operations. When I'm done, I use an angle grinder to remove the welds.

[.38 Special]

Most of my stuff (lubrisizer, single stage presses, etc.) is just bolted to short lengths of 2x4 which get clamped into the bench vice. This works perfectly, but isn't adequate for larger progressives and such.

[pincherpartner]

My solution is very similar to 454's.

All of my presses and the sizer are mounted on their own 2x4's or other scrap wood about 12 inches long. There is a hole at each end for a 3/8" bolt. On my workbench I've drilled 2 holes to match where they are on the 2x4's, Underneath the top of the bench is a strip of steel that I've drilled and tapped for the bolts. It's very fast to change out presses and I can have a completely clean workbench when needed.

The next project will be to make something to store the extra presses.

[shotman]

if you make a 12inx 12in piece of 3/4in plywood for each you can see where they best set and then use the C clamps. Like the 9000 needs to be back some from edge-- the Lee 1000 has to be on the edge as do the 450Lyman you can also drill the plywood the same and use 2 or 4 bolts that will save the money of C clamps rick

[HeavyMetal]

I've handled press mounting two ways.

First I've bought the machine stands from Harbor Freight, on special these can be had for $20.00 they come without a top as they are designed to have saws and such mounted to them. I then buy a piece of 1/4" thick steel plate, scrap yard, that is 22" X 22" and make a top! Painted gloss white I never lose anything on it!

This is then drilled and tapped for the specific press. I can get four press mounted on this type table and it's still mobile enough I can slide it around the garage as needed.

For Mobile stuff, such as sizers that I might want to use outside during the summer heat I mount them to scrap aluminum and then C- clamp where ever I want to work. I've pulled stuff off wood mounts so stopped using wood for anything but gun stocks and furniture years ago.

[hotwheelz]

These all sound like great ideas but does anyone have a pic ?? Im very interested in this stuff as well.........

[jpamp]

thanks for all the info guys. with all the items for sale for reloading it just seems funny that there are not more comercial products for this. i think the 2x4 and metal backer plate trick may work for my smaller presses the 9000 and maybe the co-ax will stay permanent. Once i get going on the pro 1000 i may need to get one in 223 aslo so i will need ot have some of them moveable, as my bench space is limited.

[Patrick L]

On my bench, I have what I call "insert boards." They look like this



They are like inverted "T"s which mate into corresponding recesses in the bench top. The problem for you is that you already have a bench. I built this bench with these in mind. The bench top is made out of four layers of plywood, and the insert cavities were cut out before the layers were assembled.

This picture shows a shotshell press installed in the left insert station



I only have my main metallic progressive press permanently mounted to the bench (it is on the far right, out of sight in both pics.) All of my shotshell presses and other tools like case trimmers, lubsizers, etc are mounted in these insert boards. For my other metallic presses I have an insert with holes drilled, and holes drilled in the bottom two layers of the bench. A pair of long carriage bolts go all the way thru. And of course I have the two blank inserts for when the tools are not in use so the bench is clean and smooth.