Bench question....

[Derek]

Im getting my reloading bench setup...ive got the supplies, jsut looking for a good bench. The problem im having is size. I live in an apartment and my wife doesnt want me to devote the spare room to reloading. I have a storage room on my patio, so id like a workbench i can pick up and move from the room to the storage area. I thought about building my own, but if anyone has some suggestions, Id be happy to hear. Lets see some pics of your setup....My press is RCBS single stage if that matters/helps

Thanks!

[Lumber_Jack]

I think there is a thread of reloading bench pictures. Many of which would fit your specs. Search for it, that'll give you some ideas. There is one on 1911forum.com as well, full if pics

[Dolomite_supafly]

I would caution against storing any reloading equipment outside, even if it is in a storage area. The humidity can cause your stuff to rust pretty quickly. Now you can make sure you have everything oiled down to minimize it but their still is a chance.

Dolomite

[Derek]

I would caution against storing any reloading equipment outside, even if it is in a storage area. The humidity can cause your stuff to rust pretty quickly. Now you can make sure you have everything oiled down to minimize it but their still is a chance.

Dolomite

good advice...thanks for this...it never crossed my mind.

[Derek]

I think there is a thread of reloading bench pictures. Many of which would fit your specs. Search for it, that'll give you some ideas. There is one on 1911forum.com as well, full if pics

search function.....what is that?

thanks!

[mikegideon]

I'm going to wind up having to build one. I'm getting by with a short, heavy table right now. Fortunately, it's in the house.

[R_Bert]

Portable Reloading Stand

[Derek]

Portable Reloading Stand

Ive seen the portable stand on midway...really small with the round bottom...thats perfect. Ive heard that its not very sturdy due to the base being too small....any opinions on this?

[Lumber_Jack]

search function.....what is that?

thanks!

Haha, sorry wasn't trying to be "THAT GUY". Just suggesting the thread for its good pics.

That's the first time I've seen that portable stand. Seems if you were sizing rifle brass etc, it could be top heavy.

I've seen guys use the collapsible work stands sold by dealt/craftsman etc. scissor type legs and wood slat top. Usually sold at home repair stores. Should fit your needs, but I'm not sure how sturdy that is either

[Derek]

Haha, sorry wasn't trying to be "THAT GUY". Just suggesting the thread for its good pics.

That's the first time I've seen that portable stand. Seems if you were sizing rifle brass etc, it could be top heavy.

I've seen guys use the collapsible work stands sold by dealt/craftsman etc. scissor type legs and wood slat top. Usually sold at home repair stores. Should fit your needs, but I'm not sure how sturdy that is either

strictly loading pistol right now...I think my saturday will be spent in my dads garage with some wood and tools building something haha.

[Derek]

I found this...

the press is mounted on the slanted top shelf....would the slant present a problem?

http://i949.photobucket.com/albums/ad335/derekgeorgeshields/eef1bb3a.jpg[/img]

Edited December 21, 2011 by Derek

[Dolomite_supafly]

I found what looks like an old portable nurse's station or portable work station at KARM a few years back. It is very sturdy but the best parts is it has wheels that lock and it has its own power cord. I have one plug and then the rest plug into the station. It is about 4 feet long and only 24" deep. It has adjustable table top height as well as a top shelf.

Similar to this except with mine being more heavy duty and having a top shelf.

Not-Desk | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It works really well and even though I don't move it a lot it would work well for someone who needed to move it around.

If I get a chance I'll post pictures of mine later.

Dolomite

[dats82]

My buddy has one of those portable stands with a rock chucker on it, and it seemed plenty stable when I was messing with it. I wasn't really loading anything, but they are heavier at the base than the picture would appear. I am a big fan of do it yourself and building stuff, but I think it would be near impossible to build something of the same size out of wood and have it to function as well. If you are going a little bigger, then obviously it would be a little more reasonable to use wood.

[Grunt67]

Im getting my reloading bench setup...ive got the supplies, jsut looking for a good bench. The problem im having is size. I live in an apartment and my wife doesnt want me to devote the spare room to reloading. I have a storage room on my patio, so id like a workbench i can pick up and move from the room to the storage area. I thought about building my own, but if anyone has some suggestions, Id be happy to hear. Lets see some pics of your setup....My press is RCBS single stage if that matters/helps

Thanks!

Derek, here's a link to a thread some time back with several bench photos. Maybe

you can get some ideas from there. Go to the top right of a page & use the SEARCH

bar, type in reloading bench photos. There are several threads on this.

That's where I came up with the link.

Good luck,

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/ammunition-reloading/17748-reloading-bench-photos.html

Edited to add, I made mine, but might be a bit too large for your space.

As another poster said, don't put your reloading supplies outside, even in

a storage building. Powder, primers, reloading equipment need to be

away from moisture & temp. extremes. Press itself might be ok if sprayed down with WD40 or something. Mine is a bit heavy to carry around.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Grunt67

[Guest Lester Weevils]

If one was gonna try a middlin larger wood bench-- Maybe an oddball idea--

Maybe construct a solid wood bench narrow enough to easily navigate doors, maybe 3 or 4 feet long. Built heavy enough for no possible wiggle and then heavy-bolt it to one of those $50 Harbor Freight big-wheel appliance dollies? Maybe that would be easy to move and rock-solid once you plunk it down where you want to work?

I've tried the locking rubber-wheeled casters in the past on some 3' X 2' tool benches, but they don't lock worth a dam. Waste of money.

Or maybe a solid workbench on ordinary casters, and lift it up a half-inch off the casters with some good ole solid wood chock blocks when you are ready to work? I made a roller stand for a big heavy telescope with the locking casters and the locking casters didn't work worth a flip, but chocking it up on some 4 X 4 scrap wood blocks worked great. Real steady.

edit: Maybe the cheapest way to buy casters would be one of those flat-top harbor freight moving dollies? They go for about $15 and you can't buy four decent casters from Ace Hardware for $15.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Lester Weevils

[dlm37015]

i started useng an old night stand

[Caster]

DLM is on to something.

Years ago when my living conditions were neither stable not spacious, I used an old end table. I capped it with a piece of 3/4 plywood; glued and screwed in place. Then on the inside of the legs I beefed up the legs with 2x4's. It was that I could sit in the floor with my back against the couch with my legs under it. Not super comfy but not bad. Turn on a movie and chunk away. The table was symmetrically square and I could turn the table 90 degrees and slide back under it when changing from press to press. Two presses, powder measure and scale all fit in tightly confined harmony. I bought a tupperware storage box that fit under the table to store things in. When I was done, put my stuff in the tub, cap the lid and slide it under the end table. Push the end table in a corner out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind. You're not going to get a Dillion set up very well like that, but I did THOUSANDS of rounds the old fashioned way.

[Grunt67]

DLM is on to something.

Years ago when my living conditions were neither stable not spacious, I used an old end table. I capped it with a piece of 3/4 plywood; glued and screwed in place. Then on the inside of the legs I beefed up the legs with 2x4's. It was that I could sit in the floor with my back against the couch with my legs under it. Not super comfy but not bad. Turn on a movie and chunk away. The table was symmetrically square and I could turn the table 90 degrees and slide back under it when changing from press to press. Two presses, powder measure and scale all fit in tightly confined harmony. I bought a tupperware storage box that fit under the table to store things in. When I was done, put my stuff in the tub, cap the lid and slide it under the end table. Push the end table in a corner out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind. You're not going to get a Dillion set up very well like that, but I did THOUSANDS of rounds the old fashioned way.

Hey, it don't have to be fancy, pretty, or expensive. If it works it works.

[Caster]

Hey, it don't have to be fancy, pretty, or expensive. If it works it works.

Some times I kinda miss it. I have a dedicated shop building just for reloading and when I see what a dump it is, I kinda miss the neat, compact, and organized little set up I had....almost.

[DWARREN123]

I use a old computer desk, 30" X 60", and keep everything but the press and consumables in a large plastic tool box. I use the Lee Anniversary Kit which is a single stage.

Sorry I do not do pictures.

[analog_kidd]

Before I had a bench dedicated to reloading, I had my press mounted on a 2x6. Then I just used two C-Clamps to mount it to my workshop bench. You could clamp it to whatever you may have that would work for you. When done, you could unclamp and put everything in one of those plastic storage bins and put it away somewhere.

[tnhawk]

DLM is on to something.

Years ago when my living conditions were neither stable not spacious, I used an old end table. I capped it with a piece of 3/4 plywood; glued and screwed in place. Then on the inside of the legs I beefed up the legs with 2x4's. It was that I could sit in the floor with my back against the couch with my legs under it. Not super comfy but not bad. Turn on a movie and chunk away. The table was symmetrically square and I could turn the table 90 degrees and slide back under it when changing from press to press. Two presses, powder measure and scale all fit in tightly confined harmony. I bought a tupperware storage box that fit under the table to store things in. When I was done, put my stuff in the tub, cap the lid and slide it under the end table. Push the end table in a corner out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind. You're not going to get a Dillion set up very well like that, but I did THOUSANDS of rounds the old fashioned way.

My first reloading bench was made from an old table and would fit in the closet of an apartment bedroom.

[Derek]

tons of great ideas here.......I handt even thought about looking for a small end table...I dont want to spend a bunch on something temporary...when we buy our house, Ill get a proper perm set up. I think taking a trip to some thrift stores may be beneficial before i decide on a setup. Thanks again!

[LngRngShtr]

cheap and somewhat easy, heck if you have dimensions Home Depot or Lowes will cut your deck plates

I wish I had taken pics,..back in Fla in our condo we had a shallow ( 26" deep) 5ft. walk by linen closet we didn't seem to use much

replace some shelf cleats with some beefier 1x1 cleats and 3 2 x 8s later and a very sturdy bench was borne and when I was done the closet doors closed and it didn't exist she called it the nook and when I loaded my .30-06 the chandelier downstairs would sway

when it came time to move 38 screws came out and the old shelves ( stored under a bed) went back and all was normal to sell..

John

[Lumber_Jack]

cheap and somewhat easy, heck if you have dimensions Home Depot or Lowes will cut your deck plates

I wish I had taken pics,..back in Fla in our condo we had a shallow ( 26" deep) 5ft. walk by linen closet we didn't seem to use much

replace some shelf cleats with some beefier 1x1 cleats and 3 2 x 8s later and a very sturdy bench was borne and when I was done the closet doors closed and it didn't exist she called it the nook and when I loaded my .30-06 the chandelier downstairs would sway

when it came time to move 38 screws came out and the old shelves ( stored under a bed) went back and all was normal to sell..

John

Nice!

Necessity is the mother of invention.