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designing a reloading room
brassbullets1
Member Posts: 4 ✭✭
i am finally going to build my dream reloading room. this is for cleaning/servicing firearms and reloading only. i have 30ft long x 10ft wide. i plan to have benches down both 30 ft. walls, with storage above and below.. if anybody would have some ideas, or pictures . i would apperciate it
thanks
thanks
Comments
When building your bench make sure you leave room for heavy items under the bench such as shot, lead bullets, etc. Plus I would recommend a place for books. Replacement parts for each machine type should be labeled and near the machine it fits (nothing worse then having parts and not remembering which machine they fit). Also, and I'll catch hxll for this, I have started to number areas and computerise "what" is in each area. After many years you sometimes forget what you have, or at least I do.
And last, a good grease marker and white tape, so you can label things, like what powder in really in this hopper.
Good luck, sounds like a great area.
Welcome to the Gunbroker Forums!
This is the topic which contains a link to a thread which now contains 40 pages of descriptions and thousands of photographs of reloader's workrooms:
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=225062&SearchTerms=reloading,rooms
There are several which address the longer, narrow rooms with some good clean design and common sense approach to the layout.
Thoughts:
All of my benches are standing height, I can't sit and reload.
All of my benches are shallow front to back, approximately 24" since that's what I can reach comfortably. This also precludes the unnecessary stacking and accumulation of junk at the back of some deeper benches.
The same idea applies to cupboards and cabinets, shallow works better.
Lighting should be both general as well as dedicated task lighting. Nothing shortens a reloading session faster than fatigue from poor lighting. Be aware that fluorescent lighting will have a detrimental affect on the digital scale which are so popular these days.
Enjoy the process!
Best.
Here's my take on your new 'gunroom' {congratulations is in order of course for finally achieving this day[:D][:D][}:)][:D]...[;)]}.
As you walk in, the first thing you should see is your reloading bench. You will see it from the outside of the room and want to gravitate there. Left or right. If the entry is on one side of the room that's where I'd put the bench. Right where you can see it and want to go there. On one end? The left or right of that room that gives you more room to reload. As nononsense noted an overhead light in the room is a must and a dedicated light over the reloading bench is just as necessary.
I for one like to sit while I reload. I have an office chair with wheels and it affords me to roll left and right to which station I am working with. If you can do a job sitting, do so, just like lighting, excess (or minimal) standing causes fatigue. I do have to adjust to work the press though. So if you can adjust the press bench work height have a sit or stand and see how it fits you the best. I use a little deeper table for the press as a.) that's how it came and b.) I like to store dies/tools at the back of the table. However, it does lead to clutter if one is more intent on reloading than cleaning and re-organizing once in a while.
As you move down the side I have some 30" and 24" deep, up to the ceiling, shelves for storing your powder, primers and bullets and brass. I bought lots and lots of bullets at low prices before the prices jumped through the roof. Thirteen different calibers for 38 different cartridges. At one end of the shelves I use as a storage for all the parts I pulled off of various rifles and replaced with an upgrade.
In my room, it doesn't work so well, but I have the end dedicated to the cleaning bench. I have storage off one end it and need just a bit more room to clean. Like when I go to insert the cleaning rod down a rifle that I have in the rack I need to 'scooch' just a bit so I can get the rod into the guide/rifle directly. Instead of angling it together. In your case with 30' that should be a dedicated bench, one for rifles and two for pistols. Once past the reloading bench in the room all you really need is an aisle. For the cleaning bench I definitely recommend standing up. Storage beneath the cleaning bench for solvents, rags and patches. You might make a little holder for jags/brushes on top or you can keep them down below on a shelf with the rest of the stuff.
Somewhere next to the cleaning bench you will need the 'heavy duty bench. Built or bought, it's gotta be tough. This is where you'll have a vice, both metal and woodworking. Hopefully you can accommodate a roll-in tool box. This is for when you have to take stuff apart that is rusted, or take off barrels, disassemble bolts, trim on the 'drop-in' stock you bought. etc, etc.
All I can say is when you first move into this room it will look barely inhabited. Once you've been there a year or so, it will look full. Do your best to stay organized. Even some really organized guys I know let this get out of hand quickly. And just general cleaning is almost never enough. Dust builds up faster than you can grow gray hairs. But, cleaning and organizing will keep you from walking into the room with something in mind and all of a sudden ten other things need to be done before you do what you set out to.
Opposite wall had another bench about 10'-12'long which had the Dillon 550 and RCBS single stage mounted. Also used this bench for cleaning of firearms and desk area. Short wall by door had a frig,freezer and shelves. On top of the frig sat a 220V electric heater(never did get it mounted to the ceiling). Above the desk area was a window with a window mount A/C unit.
The other short wall had window,which when looked through gave you a view of my bullet trap 15yds away. Made it handy when I had the chronograph set up. Also nice when I wanted to shoot during a light rain.
The 16' bench was mounted to the wall 4x4's for legs and covered with 2 layers of 3/4 plywood. Other bench constructed same way but with 1 1/2 table tops. I had plenty of storage underneath both benches.
Heat,AC,frig,intercom to the house,even a ceiling fan all I needed was indoor plumbing[:)].
Bad part is after a divorce and 2 moves I no longer have it.
I think I still have some pics around here someplace,will post them if I find them.
i have plenty of stuff to fill it up. i have 4 rifle/pistols presses, and 2 shot gun presses. i have been reloading almost 25 years...
i know storage is my main concern , and press placment, for easy flow, .. thanks for all ideas
Nononsense, I saw you posted you're benches are too high to sit at, have you thought about a bar stool? They are generally quite tall, and most have some sort of back support on them. Just a thought.
GH1[:)]
Thank you. Yes, I've tried bar stools and several variation of taller seating. I guess I'm just too used to standing while working on lathes and mills to sit down while running presses and weighing powder. It just feels more comfortable to me.
Best.