Building a reloading bench

[03RN]

Ok, I just got a new job that will help me spend some more time at home so id like start reloading again. After we moved last year all my stuff has been in storage and I don't have a bench.

I have plenty of room in my basement.

I just have a single stage press so it doesn't need to be big.

I'm thinking about just getting some 2x4s and ripping a piece of plywood.

Any better ideas? Pictures and plans of your bench would be great.

[Duelist]

Frame the plywood top to add stiffness. Bolt the thing to the wall somehow for stability.

[olstyn]

This looks like a fairly solid option: https://www.lowes.com/projects/woodworking-and-crafts/how-to-build-a-workbench/project

I agree that if at all possible, it makes sense to bolt it to wall studs in order to make it as stable and solid as possible. I might also consider using either an additional 2x4 per leg or 4x4s instead, just to make the whole thing more solid.

[EricP]

There are a bunch of pictures of benches in this thread:http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?19033-Post-your-reloading-setups!

[CDR_Glock]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190202/0173a7061b3319999973d9e930bafa60.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190202/2b63a7234a930486d9acd3fcb060b7e1.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190202/d8a4873c140dc2913113798e510a77fe.jpg

We had a kitchen renovation a few years ago.

Instead of wasting our old kitchen cabinets, I had my contractor bring them down to the basement.

I had plywood, 1 inch thick put into it. I then used a waterproof clear coat to seal it. Nothing fancy. They were able to save the granite of one cabinet when I use as a work bench for cleaning guns.

For $40, I bought an old wooden desk from Habit for Humanity thrift store. It can handle 6 reloading presses. I have mounted 5 onto it.

I have 4 progressive, 1 turret and two single stage presses in tandem. I reload 460, 454 Casull and 500 Magnum on the single stage. There are 4 dedicated powder measures mounted in tandem which speeds up my process in half.

I have dabbled with rifle reloads but I mainly reload pistol.


I think if you go to thrift store or goodwill you may find heavyweight cheap furniture to suit your needs. The key is that you want a stable platform so that the press is stable when using the lever.

I looked into high end tables before but “why” if I’m gonna drill holes into it.

You can build something but raw materials and time can run more money than a thrift store find, in my opinion. A place about an hour away from me, in Wythville, VA sells government surplus furniture for even less ($20-$30 heavyweight wood desks). How can you build something better for less?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[ranger]

Heavier the better. Mine has 4x4 legs with two sheets of plywood on top. My wife who is the painter of the family covered and sealed the plywood with polyurethane. I put a shelf on the bottom with storage for reloading tools and brass. I keep projectiles on the floor under that shelf. I have three Dillon 550s and one old single stage on it. I can add the MEC shotgun presses for 12 and 28 but have not loaded shotgun or many years.

[GuanoLoco]

A buddy of mine literally just built a bench and gave me permission to post these pics.

I believe that’s 2 layers of 3/4” plywood over a 2x4 top.

[mmc45414]

I have built two big benches by bolting a board onto the wall, and running two by lumber perpendicular to the wall, and then another board under the front supporting the legs. One of my benches is 21 foot long, and the other one is about 8 feet, they are both built this way:
34929
Unfortunately this is about the best picture I can get, because the surface of the big bench is pretty much covered at the moment...
But I guess I can show the bottom:
34930
One cool thing about this is if you ever want/need to replace a board it is simple. My Posness/Warren press dumps the rounds out the back, so I made a huge hole in the bench to send them down though PVC pipe to a bucket. Three times already I have, as I have added presses to that bench, moved thee P/W press and it was simple to unscrew the board with the big hole and move it to the new position. Here is that bench:
34931
Whatever you do, if you can attach it to the wall in any way it sure makes things sturdy.

[willie]

Pull up the Home Dept site and see their 2x4 basics work bench. It's a frame. It impresses hell out of me. I'm unable to link it. My apologies.

[Trigger]

Use a solid core door as a bench top. Very flat, strong, heavy and inexpensive. If you are worried about wear and tear, put a sheet of 1/4” Masonite or hardboard on top of the door as a wear layer. Build the frame out of laminated 2x4s, lap joints. Add diagonal stretchers to keep from racking.

This is what I recommend. I have several and they are very very stable.

[LittleLebowski]

I use this one, bolted to the floor and the wall. No issues except the vise sucks because it's wood, no biggie. You can get it much cheaper with a coupon.

https://www.harborfreight.com/60-in-4-drawer-hardwood-workbench-69054.html

[JM Campbell]

I use this one, bolted to the floor and the wall. No issues except the vise sucks because it's wood, no biggie. You can get it much cheaper with a coupon.

https://www.harborfreight.com/60-in-4-drawer-hardwood-workbench-69054.html

I use 2 of the same benches anchored as well. Works very well so far and does not move.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[okie john]

Stiffness and weight are your friends. Lots of ways to get there.

When in doubt, overbuild.


Okie John

[cardguy]

I used a solid core door from a lumber yard. I put a good urethane finish or two on it. Big and heavy.

[03RN]

Pull up the Home Dept site and see their 2x4 basics work bench. It's a frame. It impresses hell out of me. I'm unable to link it. My apologies.

I went with this. $80 and is surprisingly solid.

[mmc45414]

Pull up the Home Dept site and see their 2x4 basics work bench

I went with this. $80 and is surprisingly solid.

Interesting, I like some of the other offerings too:
http://2x4basics.com/default.html

And on Amazon, for convenience:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/node/3015883011?_encoding=UTF8&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=2x4%20Basics&ref_=bl_dp_s_web_3015883011

[ranger]

If you just want to buy something with minimal labor involved - Sams has this https://www.samsclub.com/sams/height-adj-workbench-ultrahd/prod22651720.ip?xid=plp_product_1_3

I have one of these in my basement gun room and I use it for firearms work. I bought an earlier model that was not height adjustable.

[Borderland]

I built this one out of 2x6's and some scrap plywood. The top is 2x6 also with plywood on top of that. Way over built but it doesn't flex or move around.

I don't have any plans for it, just built it from an idea I had in my head. About all you need is a good chop saw, a drill, a hammer, a sander, some screws and a few nails. 2x6 is cheap. I probably have less than $100 in it.

It sits in a corner of my basement and doesn't take up a lot of room.

https://i.ibb.co/s2sFTrp/P1010517.jpg

[Poconnor]

I built a very heavy sturdy wood workbench a couple years ago. I used 4x4s and 2x4s and 3/4 plywood. It only took an afternoon. Did I mention it’s heavy?

[Poconnor]

Finished photo

[David C.]

I needed a small portable setup so I took a cheap workstation table from Harbor Freight and doubled the top with 5/8" plywood over the particle board. Works fine for my RCBS Piggyback II and an identical table works for my shooting partner's Dillon 550B.

https://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-height-heavy-duty-workstation-46725.html

[rob_s]

In my previous experience reloading, I’d advise bolting to the wall if in any way possible. It solves for a lot of potential issues without going into a lot of detail about it.

[Darth_Uno]

Here's plans for mine. You can make your own adjustments if it really bugs you that the middle leg isn't centered. I made two of these down in my basement, just goes together with 3" screws. The back section is bolted to the wall, if you wanted it free-standing just put legs on both sides but I'd then recommend using bolts (not screws) for the legs to really tighten it down and prevent it from becoming loose over time.

Material list:

(2) 96" 2x4's (or a 16' 2x4 cut in half) NOT a 92-5/8" precut, it'll be too short
(1) 10' 2x4, for the 21" pieces
(1) sheet of plywood, 1/2" should be plenty but bigger is better - local lumberyard may have 2'x8' rips which is all you need
(1) 4x4x8' for (3) 30" legs -or- 4x4x10' for (3) 36" legs - double that if you want 6 legs
3" screws to secure all 2x4's
1-1/4" screws for securing plywood (use 1-5/8" if you use 3/4" plywood)
5" bolts/nuts/washers if you want to bolt the legs on
3" x 1/4" Tapcon anchors with washers if securing to foundation wall (recommend 1 between each span, more never hurts)
Beer to bribe friend to help hold top up before securing to wall


I also made mine 36" tall just because I wanted to, that's a standard kitchen countertop height while 30" is a standard kitchen table height. Pro tip: put the plywood top on after you mount it to the wall and secure legs.
35874

[Grey]

Another option is to go buy IKEA hardwood counter tops. They are pretty cheap and ~1inch think. I think I paid less than 90 bucks for a top. I use them as desk tops.

[Sal Picante]

Don't forget the beer fridge...

p/BuH-o4mHpaK

[03RN]

Don't forget the beer fridge...

p/BuH-o4mHpaK

Well... There's an idea

[Sal Picante]

Well... There's an idea

Genius, eh?