Anybody use a Black & Decker Workmate for a reloading table?

[oddball]

I am looking into creating a portable, easy to store reloading setup for a Dillon 550B. I simply do not have the space to create a nice 4'-6' wide bench (I run my business out of my house and that consumes more than it's allotted space.. I've heard of folks doing this but haven't seen any anecdotes or details about such a setup.

[Sinister_1]

http://www.2x4basics.com/default.asp

check this out.
you can make this as small as 2'x2'

[PJA]

I do. Clamp a 3 x 4 piece pf 3/4 inch plywood on top which has my press and powder measure attached. Works well and stores in closet when broken down. I reload in my bedroom.
Pete

[huckberry668]

I do. Have been for years. Need to add a thicker piece of plywood to increase strength though. I mount my presses on a piece of 2x6 and use 4" C clamps to hold the presses down on the bench. This way I can use whichever I need at the time. I can load at the range or wherever. Best thing is, it breaks down and stows away.

[jwest]

I have two of the equivalent Craftsman versions from Sear's. I have my 550 mounted on one. I have two larger benches I bought from Costco but the wood finish is so nice I couldn't bring myself to drill through it - so I use those two benches for everything else - but the real work occurs on the Craftsman benches.

[PutTogether]

I do. I toook a 2x12 piece of lumber and had it cut 24" long, which is the same width as the workmate. Then I took a strip of 1x1 and cut it to the same length. Using about eight wood screws, I attached the piece of 1x1 to the bottom of the 2x12 leaving around 3/4 inch of over hang. I set this "tabletop" I had just made, and used the sliding workmate wood, clamp, thingies and clamped them down on the 1x1 holding the whole table top in place. Then I attached a 4" c-clamp on either side of the bench, clamping the top down on to the front most wood part of the workmate. This left a very sturdy surface, that overhands the front of the workmate by about 6" just long enough to mount a Dillon 550. It also left the rear most wood part of the workmate available as a shelf of sorts. I could break it down, but I don't, I leave it set up as is in the closet.

I'll take some pictures if anyone cares and post it up. I haven't seen anyone do it quite this way before, but I've been really happy with it, and with two c-clamps, PLUS the entire length of one by one clamped by the bench itself, it has been great so far. (And required no permanent modification to the workmate.

[PutTogether]

Pics:

[oddball]

Thanks a lot guys, and thanks to PutTogether for the pics. I'm slowly gathering equipment (550B, Eliminator scale, caliper, dies, etc) and supplies (primers and powder so far) for reloading and this thread has been educational. The Workmate setup really looks appealing to me given my space, so hopefully I'll make a decision and get to work...

[PutTogether]

I say do it. The workmate isn't really expensive, and 2x12 comes in eight foot sections for like less than ten bucks. You get the guy at home depot to cut it into four equal sections, buy a box of wood screws, and you are good to go for far less than $100 and an hour or so of work. You also end up with more than one "table top" in case you mess up.

The four sections I ended up with, one was split, so I tossed it, one I used, one I had tried running the section of 1x1 down the center, instead of down the edge, which didn't leave enough overhang for the press, so I tossed that one, and the other I gave to another guy who was trying to do the same thing.