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Bench advice

Fade2GrayFade2Gray Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
edited March 2010 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
A while back I came into a little bit of money and bought a Dillon 550 as well as several other things to get started reloading. Unfortunately, a divorce, 3 moves, and a deployment later, I am finally in a position (God willing!) to get started on that hobby.

Our new home has a room off the garage perfect to set up reloading equipment. Now, I am looking for a bench to go in there to start my project. Here is one I was looking at, but figured I would get some advice from the crowd before before dropping anymore money.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=329601

Any advice/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thanks!
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Comments

  • Bubba Jr.Bubba Jr. Member Posts: 8,191 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For $200 you could build a really nice bench yourself, and have money left over for supplies. If that is not an option, the most important thing is to anchor it to the wall so when you pull the handle on the press, it won't tip over.

    Good Luck
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,969
    edited November -1
    Check with a local lumber yard on the price of a solid door and 4X4,s for legs. We've built some loading benches form them. The cost was way less than $200.
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  • remington nutremington nut Member Posts: 961 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    build your own bench, preferably in a corner of the room where it can be attached in the back as well as one side for stability, the solid door idea is great, or you can go with 3/4" plywood, but you have to layer it at least 2-4 thicknesses while screwing the layers together after the top layer is applied, decide how big you want to make it for the equipment you have and then triple that area if room permits, you will always add to the tools of the trade if you stick with it and as time goes on.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    build your own, for much less
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  • BGHillbillyBGHillbilly Member Posts: 1,927 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Instead of plywood, see if you can find some scrap from an engineered floor that uses the 'I' beams. The perimeter boards are like a full 2" thick plywood and 16" plus widths are available.
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  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Fade2Gray,

    I guess I'll have to be the dissenter on this subject. I've built a dozen or more benches in various configurations and from lots of different materials.

    I now have 6 of these same benches in a designed assembly/reloading/research area along with a couple of other benches from the Seville line. They are an exceptional buy for quality, easy to assemble and sturdy beyond what most folks can build with lagging into a wall. A fellow small manufacturer is using 4 in his assembly area for the same reasons.

    Here is a thread from a while ago which has photographs of a nice reloading room using these benches and some added touches.

    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=392826&SearchTerms=reloading,benches

    Scroll down about 1/2 way for the pictures I'm referring to.

    You can modify these benches with shelves on the bottom area or use rolling tool chests under the work top as the photographs in the above thread demonstrate.

    Best.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,664 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Get two sheets to 3/4 plywood and cut them to 32" wide you have a perfect bench top. Get one sheet of CDX and the other a birch finish so you can varnish it. Glue and screw the plywood together for the top; making a frame from 2X6's, 4X4's for legs. The left over 18" sections makes very handy shelves.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    home made
    101_1216.jpg

    101_1215.jpg
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  • BshooterBshooter Member Posts: 246 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought one for my reloading room. Liked it so much, I went back and got another. Very heavy duty, easy to put together and room underneath for storage. You won't be sorry. Bshooter
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  • FEENIXFEENIX Member Posts: 10,559 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here's mine ...

    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=372228&SearchTerms=Newbie,reloading,table,mobile

    Good luck and enjoy!

    Ed
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  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    Sounds like you are still pretty mobile lifestyle...

    I bought a Stanley Folding Workbench - you know, the ones with two jaws to hold things, legs that fold up, and thw whole thing stores flat (for storage OR SHIPPING). Then I got a scrap 3/4 inch thick Plywood piece just big enough for me to work on, and drilled and bolted the Press and ZipTrim on. I put lift-up edges on it, so I can contain screws and bullets etc, when I want, and have them down when I want to put a long item on the benchtop. The Top has a 2X6 across the bottom side, that the vise on the Folding workbench holds onto. I also use a C-clamp to make sure that the whole shebang wont tip off if the vise loosens.

    Makes for a Car-Portable loading bench that is handy at the range, or out shooting P-dogs, etc. That plus a "Toolbox" with dies and bullets and primers, and powders, and... I can go loading at a Bud's house, I can have everything ready to move/ship in ten minutes.

    Just an Idea for you. The Bench is useful when you move into another place, for woodworking or working on any projects you might have. I have multiple tops set up for Working on Models, Painting, Loading, Welding, etc.
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  • carbine100carbine100 Member Posts: 3,073 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I built mine. I went to a local lumber yard for the wood, but for the top, I went by Lowes and Home Depot and asked if they had any damaged cabinet tops. Picked up a 6 ft top with backsplash that had a small chip in a corner for a song. Makes a great reloading bench top.

    edit; and it was 100% made by American workers. Wood, top, glue, and fasteners!
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  • Fade2GrayFade2Gray Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Awesome input! Thanks for the wide array of suggestions and thoughts! Unfortunately, "mobile" may still describe my lifestyle for the next 10 years or so still. Hopefully we will be here for a few years at least.

    Thanks again all!
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  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Fade2Gray,

    This is the thread where I posted the photographs of the portable set ups including one using a Workmate-type clamping table:

    http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=372228&SearchTerms=Newbie,reloading,table,mobile

    Best.
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  • badchrisbadchris Member Posts: 1,668 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nononsense
    portable set ups including one using a Workmate-type clamping table
    Also consider a folding table or an old office/computer desk. Either can usually be found on the cheap at second hand stores or garage sales. Congrats on getting into hand loading!
    Enemies of armed self-defense focus on the gun. They ignore the person protected with that gun.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    My main set up is my workbench, 1/2 of which is reloading stuff. Built it out of 2X8s on top with 4X4 legs. Even THAT flexes slightly on case forming jobs.

    Built a portable out of a slab of oak wood and attached legs splayed out at 30 degree angles to add to stability. Never had it tip yet and it only measures 18" by 30" and weighs maybe 10 pounds. In fact it is even more stable and flexes less than the work bench.
    I'd build one, in short.
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