What bench top do you use for your reloading bench

[punkur67]

I just got a sweet craftsman work bench for my reloading setup. The only thing I dont like is the pressed top on it. Most people I see have wood tops. Is there a reason for this. I was thinking on doing a stainless top. I can get the stainless very cheap if not free and have a perfect cover made for the existing top. Or should I just go buy a wood "butchers" top. Any thoughts?

[MG34]

Both of my bench tops are 3/4 ACX plywood with a 2X4 rail underneath. You need a good solid bench to take all the years torque and stress.

[freonr22]

3x4 top w/ 4x4 supports capped w/ office desktops I cut off. Bench/ work table was already in grage when we moved in 9ft. Had 12 extra nice office desks, cut tops off 2 to cap.

[Full Clip]

I have a small but solid bench (2x4s, 3/4 ply) topped with white melamine MDF board. Makes it easy to spot errant primers, spilled powder, etc, and cleans up nice.

[Sunwolf]

1"X4"X22" Oak on an angle iron frame.

[Antihero47]

1/2" 2'x4' MDF on bottom with 1/2" 2'x4' wood top glued and screwed in with 15 3/4" screws.

[NRAhighpowershooter]

1" MDF with a 2x4 frame underneath supported by 4x4 legs

[JC Smith]

I probably have the same Craftsman benches. I got four of them to go along one side of my garage. I ripped a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" particleboard and after sanding and a couple heavy coats of lacquer I fastened them to the bench tops so as to have two double length benches with a gap in between, which serves as a location for a drop tube when reloading shotshells with a Pacific 366 or for a vacuum hose for my case trimmer or a place to clamp the backs of my presses to the bench. It's worked great for over 20 years now. Oh, and I added a backsplash (also particle board... before the lacquer) so stuff won't roll off the back. Even if you just have the one bench you can still use the same idea. The lacquer makes the particleboard quite durable and the backsplash is almost mandatory.

[cjskalka]

3/4" particle board for the top

[punkur67]

Is there a reason for using wood? Is it just cause it is cheaper. I like how easy the stainless is to clean up. I have the workbenches in the garage caped in stainless and love it. Dosent matter how messy they get just wipe them down with a rag and they are like new again.

[crowbar]

My bench top is an old 1 3/8" thick solid core masonite door rescued from a jobsite dumpster. My presses mount on it with 3/8" dia. machine bolts into "Tee" nuts on the bottom.

[joelogic]

Afaik, a steel counter can have a static shock problem. Bad for powder and primers.
I installed kitchen cabinets as my work bench so I use home depot pre-fabbed laminate counter top.

[Butthead]

3' x 9' x 1 3/4" double laminated solid core door. My uncle made doors for a living and this was a special order door that was never picked up. The door alone weighs over 350lbs. Framed with 4x4 and 2x4 and wrapped in plywood with 4 doors and a single shelf. You can hit the top of this bench as hard as you can with a hammer and nothing. It even has the rounded edge on the front.

[Divernhunter]

I made my bench out of steel. It is all steel and portable. I ended up building 8 more of them for friends. The top is 1/4" or 4/16" steel. I have 2 presses mounted on it as well as a powder measure and one case trimmer. I load for 35+ different cartridges from 204ruger up to 50bmg. Never had a static problem as if I am concerned I rubberband a couple of dryer cling-free cloths to the powder hopper.

[Synergy]

The bench top is two sheets of 3/4" MDF laminated together with construction adhesive and drywall screws. Subframe is 2x4 with a 2x8 lagged into the wall studs, I have put over 400 pounds of weight on it and it doesnt even flex. Built it for about 60 bucks.