View Full Version : New reloading bench
ar15barrels
01-30-2013, 8:54 PM
I got a good start on the new reloading bench today
The top will be two layers of 3/4" mdf, glued and screwed down to the 2x6 framework.
With my 300lb buddy jumping up on the bench, it only dropped down 1/8" at the midpoint between two of the supports.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/31/hydupute.jpg
NoNOS67
01-30-2013, 9:17 PM
Nice! Looking forward to seeing pictures when it's completed!
3006mv
02-02-2013, 6:07 AM
Wow, add some storage below. What kind of top are you planning on putting on there? You may have to add legs but it looks pretty good. 1/8" deflection one time, no you should be good you are not swaging.
finyllw
02-02-2013, 7:53 AM
Looks fantastic. I am building something like that. I would add some more supports, maybe double up where you all ready have them. When you put your loading machine and all the extras up there it will sag over time.
Bill Steele
02-02-2013, 8:05 AM
Hey, those look like boxes of Bergers!
You are making me feel guilty. Maybe I will go down and at least organize things a little, nah...
Nice work.
Braddah Jay
02-02-2013, 8:14 AM
Very nice work in progress.
sdkevin
02-02-2013, 12:09 PM
Looks nice!
May I suggest some steel rafter/joist pockets where the bench supports meet the wall ledgers. ;)
ar15barrels
02-02-2013, 12:27 PM
Looks nice!
May I suggest some steel rafter/joist pockets where the bench supports meet the wall ledgers. ;)
No need.
The braces are notched over the lower support and under the front face board.
The front board was shimmed to perfect level in relation to the back before it was all screwed together.
It's super solid now and will only get better with the top glued and screwed down.
guns4funca
02-02-2013, 12:29 PM
Looking good my friend :)
ar15barrels
02-02-2013, 12:29 PM
Wow, add some storage below. What kind of top are you planning on putting on there?
Top will be two layers of 3/4" mdf glued and screwed down.
The storage underneath will be plywood boxes that fit plastic tote boxes.
sdkevin
02-02-2013, 1:49 PM
Cool! I have a new appreciation for the loads and vibrations expected of a reloading bench.
Revoman
02-02-2013, 4:33 PM
B-U-Tee-FUl!!!
ar15barrels
02-04-2013, 11:13 PM
Got two layers of 3/4" mdf on it today.
Here is the first layer screwed down and the glue going down.
201497
The second layer is glued on top of the first layer now.
We put a bunch of heavy stuff up on the bench and I put clamps all around the edges.
I'll pull the clamps in a couple days when the glue is all dry.
Lead Waster
02-05-2013, 9:45 AM
Question: Why MDF for a top and not two 3/4" pieces of plywood with a (replaceable) masonite layer on top?
With MDF, just don't spill anything on it!
ar15barrels
02-05-2013, 1:14 PM
Question: Why MDF for a top and not two 3/4" pieces of plywood with a (replaceable) masonite layer on top?
With MDF, just don't spill anything on it!
I built my last bench that way and it was solid as all hell!
I never had a problem spilling anything in 7 years on the old bench.
Everything on the bench is dry.
The only fluids are the oil I put on the press rams and maybe some grease on the pivot points.
I don't clean guns on the bench.
slo5oh
02-06-2013, 3:01 PM
Can't you just paint a couple coats of polyurethane for a perfect moisture barrier?
vmwerks
02-07-2013, 10:18 PM
Sears has 8'x2' 1.5" thick, prob heavy as hell butcher block tops for $159. It's what I'll be using for my new setup.
ar15barrels
02-07-2013, 10:27 PM
Sears has 8'x2' 1.5" thick, prob heavy as hell butcher block tops for $159. It's what I'll be using for my new setup.
I specifically wanted a one piece seamless top since my last bench had a seam in it and it always bothered me.
That's why I got the 10ft sheet of mdf...
I priced a 10ft butcher block top at $450 and it was just more than I wanted to spend.
I have about 115 into this bench total.
SDawson
02-08-2013, 5:20 AM
Here is another option in the same price range.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50086416/#/30086417
bigdrunk92037
02-08-2013, 5:45 AM
That is going to be a nice bench. One thing I like to use on the bench top are t-nuts. My bench also has double layer tops and I place the T nuts between the two layers. This way you don't have to use a nut and washer on the underside when you bolt your press down.
http://www.woodpeck.com/tnut.html
vmwerks
02-08-2013, 12:00 PM
Here is another option in the same price range.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50086416/#/30086417
Thanks.. I'm canceling my sears order since I can get this one asap...
dakman
02-08-2013, 2:41 PM
Jealous.
wood carver
02-08-2013, 3:27 PM
Very nice. Just hope we don't have any earthquakes.:)
vmwerks
02-17-2013, 5:58 PM
updates? I've got ideas to steal! :)
yeahyourightche
02-20-2013, 7:48 PM
http://www.upitall.com/Private/u/456/836/11205
Whiterabbit
02-21-2013, 8:43 AM
oh, bummer, I missed this. I have some unsolicited advice, only too late:
For my bench, I created a ROCK SOLID pressmount. Here's what I did (modified slightly for this build)
Three layers, a bottom and top of .75 MDF, and a middle layer of 1/4" MDF.
Where the presses will go, the 1/4" MDF is notched out and steel plates are added.
The outside edges are drilled from the BOTTOM, tapped, and machine screws clamp the metal plate to the lower MDF surface.
The top is then drilled to the press bolt pattern and tapped. The press is installed via machine screw.
Impossible to strip screws, the press is rock solid. My house will come down before my loading bench/press.
Whiterabbit
02-21-2013, 8:47 AM
Question: Why MDF for a top and not two 3/4" pieces of plywood with a (replaceable) masonite layer on top?
With MDF, just don't spill anything on it!
I built my last bench that way and it was solid as all hell!
I never had a problem spilling anything in 7 years on the old bench.
Everything on the bench is dry.
The only fluids are the oil I put on the press rams and maybe some grease on the pivot points.
I don't clean guns on the bench.
Can't you just paint a couple coats of polyurethane for a perfect moisture barrier?
What he said.
MDF is dimensionally stable, easy to work with, and heavy as heck. All great things. They are void free and also hold pins and screws. They take edging well. if desired masonite or formica can be laminated on top too, just like ply.
For a chemical proof finish, rub some paraffin in there. hit with the heat gun and it will penetrate, darken, seal, and protect the MDF indefinitely. Or maybe some home depot BLO if you can wait for that to cure. For a WORK surface I can't, and paraffin is fine. takes about 30 minutes (from raw to CURED) with a heat gun and a scraper.
Whiterabbit
02-21-2013, 8:51 AM
voice of experience here ar15barrels (I assume you have PLENTY of that to go around of course), the edging. I've been using red oak, ash, poplar, fir, and pine.
go with a hardwood. 1x2 minimum. Your choice to go thicker than the surface or the same thickness. Poplar minimum hardness. Pine and fir are no good. Mark up too easy. Poplar is marginal (thought my poplar bench has a heavy machine on it), everything else is good to go.
Whatever is cheap at your local shop. For me, that means ash, red oak, and maple.
But nothing better IMO for durability and non marring edging than a 1x2 (or cut down 1x3) hardwood strip.
BTW, like the work. :)
kostner
02-24-2013, 9:33 AM
Very nice work you should be proud. Thank for sharing.
David-K
02-24-2013, 10:20 AM
Nice!
CGT80
02-24-2013, 11:53 AM
I saw those white shelves and that sort of salmon color in Randall's photo and I was like "hey that sure looks familiar." Then I saw who it was. I am glad you finally got around to setting up your loading room. Your design looks great. I'll bet you could work at that bench while sitting, without too much trouble. One of my benches isn't good for sitting at and another is so-so, while the latest one was designed around a chair.
I don't mean to steal the attention from Randall, but I thought others might get ideas from seeing what I have used for work benches.
My work bench is a single layer of 3/4" mdf with a layer of 1/4" hardboard glued to the top. My dad actually made it to use as a bench for building cabinets on top of, but I ripped it into two pieces to use as bench tops for our sharpening business. For reloading, I would probably double up the thickness.
The top has a piece of aluminum angle bolted to the bottom. I think my dad counter sunk bolts from the top of the mdf and then used the hardboard to cover the heads. The angle goes on from the bottom and has nuts and washers to hold it onto the "studs." The aluminum is 1/8" or so higher than the surface of the bench. This creates a tough edge trim for the bench, but also keeps items from rolling off the bench.
I repair hair clippers and animal dryers on this bench and routinely have small parts spread out on it. It works great and is very sturdy. If I had built it new, I would have clear coated the top. It was already discolored when I started to use it, so I sanded the top and left it as is.
The two base cabinets are oak faced and were bought at home depot. I stained them and shot about 5 coats of a post catalyzed lacquer on them. The lacquer is very tough. I built a 2x4 frame between the cabinets, for the top to sit on. The back of the frame (and cabinets) is screwed into the studs of the wall.
I added a receptacle to the front of the bench so that I can plug clippers in (for testing) without reaching across the bench. I have my air blow gun on the right cabinet, for cleaning hair and dust our of parts. I used vinyl cove base all the way around the garage and on the bottom of the cabinets to make it look finished. The sides of the cabinets (mdf) and wall under the bench are painted in smoke gray to compliment the epoxy I put on the floor.
The sink/computer area has a base that I built in place. It is made from 1/2" 9 ply birch plywood. It has an electric water heater behind the front panel. The floor was very uneven in that area and I didn't really need cupboard doors, so I made a simple base and screwed a sheet of material onto the front to finish it off. I can remove 4-6 drywall screws to get to the plumbing. The Formica tops are pretty nice to work with and look good for something so cheap. They would need some reinforcement if a press was mounted to them.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k484/CGT80/photobucket-49202-1361737095303.jpg
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k484/CGT80/photobucket-41338-1361737116122.jpg
My loading bench, that I use in the house, was custom made for the previous owner of my 550 press. It is built of 3/4" oak plywood. It is fairly sturdy, but it doesn't sit against a wall, so I screwed the bottom of it to the floor to keep it from rocking on the carpet.
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k484/CGT80/reloadbench2.jpg
CGT80
02-24-2013, 12:37 PM
Here is a photo of the first loading bench I built. I was 14 years old when built this one. I used 2x4's for the frame. The joints were dado cut and screwed and glued. The bottom was built with fence boards. I installed a 4' fence at my grandmother's house and had 2' cuts left over from cutting each 6' fence board. The top is plywood with Formica glued to it, and aluminum edge band.
The portion under the 1935 Hollywood press is an old pancake griddle. My dad showed me how to cut the lip off the front with a torch. My uncle sandblasted the top for me, and my grandfather sprayed the top with automotive paint. This press was mounted to a particle board bench, but resizing 243 and 30-06 brass took enough force that it eventually broke out the top.
This bench has held up very well and wasn't expensive to make. It has receptacles on each end and in the middle to make it easy to plug in tumblers, lead pots, lube sizers, etc., into
http://i1112.photobucket.com/albums/k484/CGT80/photobucket-37657-1361740466988.jpg
MulePacker
02-24-2013, 1:39 PM
Just bought a Dillon 550. They say theres a two month waiting time blah. I guess that will give me time to convert away from my existing bench:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y172/JakesWaves/Kids-Lovely-Princess-Funtime-Table-Set-by-Kids-Only1.gif
egpost916
02-24-2013, 1:55 PM
Nice setups! Need to get started on mines.
Calplinker
02-24-2013, 2:37 PM
Mulepacker,
My 4 year old daughter will pay top dollar for that bench! She's on a princess kick at the moment. :).
OP, very nice bench!!!!!
MulePacker
02-24-2013, 3:14 PM
lol its a little wobbly for reloading, Im sure it'll hold a nice tea party though. my daughters asking price is 4 stuffed animals.
sdkevin
02-25-2013, 8:25 PM
lol its a little wobbly for reloading, Im sure it'll hold a nice tea party though. my daughters asking price is 4 stuffed animals.
Reply With Quote
I'll swap out two animals for a Dora Valentines day set, good??
Apologies, I couldn't resist. :)
510Kal
02-27-2013, 5:29 PM
That's one sweet looking bench!
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