New reloading setup - plastic bench

[energizer]

I'm planning to do an as-needed reloading setup and am looking at Dillon RL550B press.

I only have a plastic folding bench something like in the picture.


If possible, I would like to mount the press without making holes in the plastic bench as it will be as-needed setup.

My idea is to buy a large wooden plank from home depot and mount the press on that. Stabilize the plank on the bench with weights > weight of the press. large surface area and weight may stabilize it. If needed, I can also anchor the plank to the wall as the table is adjacent to a wall.

Is it doable?
Any better ideas?

Worst case, I'll punch a hole in that $80 table.

Thanks.

[NorCalFocus]

Wait a second here. You want to spend the money on a Dillon, but want to half *** it on a plastic table? Do as you want, but that really makes no sense to me.

Honestly, build a solid wood table where you say you would anchor the wood too.

[Bumslie]

Wait a second here. You want to spend the money on a Dillon, but want to half *** it on a plastic table? Do as you want, but that really makes no sense to me.

Honestly, build a solid wood table where you say you would anchor the wood too.

[energizer]

Wait a second here. You want to spend the money on a Dillon, but want to half *** it on a plastic table? Do as you want, but that really makes no sense to me.

Honestly, build a solid wood table where you say you would anchor the wood too.

Some reasons:

1. It may be a short lived hobby. Depends on CA laws and ammo supplies. I have paid more for a Coke bottle than a gallon of gas in CA. You never know.

2. Not a big deal punching holes in plastic. Just want to make sure if I punch it would it work (stability)?

3. Would the hole in plastic be as stable as solid wood. (looking at bad experience with particle wood). Not sure if my table is Chinese made particle plastic.


I know Dillon is expensive. Only reason I chose Dillon 550 over Lee Pro 1000 is the caliber versatility. In case the hobby is short lived, I believe that a 550B will retain it's value like Honda and Toyota

[Germz]

in a bind, it is doable. is it suggested? absolutely not.

you can build a nice 8'x2'x40"(ish) with a 1 1/2" thick tabletop bench for around $120

[Jeymz]

Might work but I cringe at the thought of it. Even if you weigh it down, I still don't see it being a stable enough platform. Save yourself the heartache and get a solid bench. Even a budget one from harbor freight would work.

[energizer]

in a bind, it is doable. is it suggested? absolutely not.

you can build a nice 8'x2'x40"(ish) with a 1 1/2" thick tabletop bench for around $120

Sorry, I live in Bay Area and that equates to lack of space. I can't add additional bench / table in my 'TANDEM' garage :-(

Wondering how do Japanese reload in their cramped housing? ;-)
Soon Bay Area will be like Ginza housing.

[someoneeasy]

Ummm... The Japanese don't reload. There was this thing that happened back in the 1940's that resulted in them being disarmed. Not sure if you ever heard of that

Sorry, I live in Bay Area and that equates to lack of space. I can't add additional bench / table in my 'TANDEM' garage :-(

Wondering how do Japanese reload in their cramped housing? ;-)
Soon Bay Area will be like Ginza housing.

[energizer]

Ummm... The Japanese don't reload. There was this thing that happened back in the 1940's that resulted in them being disarmed. Not sure if you ever heard of that

Just a "Simile". I know why Kitty Hawk was parked there ;-)

[someoneeasy]

Haha, gotcha

[stilly]

I'm planning to do an as-needed reloading setup and am looking at Dillon RL550B press.

If possible, I would like to mount the press without making holes in the plastic bench as it will be as-needed setup.

My idea is to buy a large wooden plank from home depot and mount the press on that. Stabilize the plank on the bench with weights > weight of the press. large surface area and weight may stabilize it. If needed, I can also anchor the plank to the wall as the table is adjacent to a wall.

Is it doable?
Any better ideas?

Worst case, I'll punch a hole in that $80 table.

Thanks.

Please stop. You are starting to offend the locals. And I DO agree with them. When you reload you put a LOT of force on your surface. If it is not SOLID you will snap it with no problems. You can buy a LEE press bench that is small and triangular and takes up 1/5 that space of that table if SPACE is an issue.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/324379/lee-reloading-stand

You remind me of the time I was a little kid and I had a cool box that was folded flat and I kept bugging my dad to pick me up and throw me while I was sitting on this box because I was able to flap the sides and fly around if I could just get in the air...

Thinking back, I am really glad he had enough sense to tell me NO even though I did not like the answer and was mad at him and tried to put a guilt trip on him by telling him that because of him I was not going to be able to fly... Yeah so, PLEASE do it correctly. Wooden table or Lee stand is the BEST way to go in your scenario.

Heck, you would be better advised to go get a strong mount and put the press on the strong mount (from inlinefabrication.com) and put THAT mount onto a Bench Grinder Stand, then redhead it into the floor if need be and you will have a decent starting point, better yet, no strongmount needed actually, it might be too big for a bench grinder stand...

http://www.harborfreight.com/bench-grinder-stand-42986.html

[IntoForever]

Trust us on the table part. A floppy table is a nightmare to work with. I had a reloading set up at the SSZS and with the floppy particle board on a floppy table I had to push against the press to keep it stable and I was only seating bullets or punching primers. Do it right, the headache isn't worth it.

[Germz]

Dont buy the harbor freight 99$ bench or equivalent. I had it. Its excrement.

[energizer]

Trust us on the table part. A floppy table is a nightmare to work with. I had a reloading set up at the SSZS and with the floppy particle board on a floppy table I had to push against the press to keep it stable and I was only seating bullets or punching primers. Do it right, the headache isn't worth it.

Thanks for the headache heads up. Really appreciate your suggestion.

Thinking back, I am really glad he had enough sense to tell me NO even though I did not like the answer and was mad at him and tried to put a guilt trip on him by telling him that because of him I was not going to be able to fly... Yeah so, PLEASE do it correctly. Wooden table or Lee stand is the BEST way to go in your scenario.

Thanks for the suggestion. Duly noted. I'll research the compatibility of the stand with RL550.

One ignorant question though. How and why will the Lee stand provide stability where as the ground surface (surface area) covered is less than the plastic bench.

[stilly]

It is ALLLLLLLL downward force. You will need to weigh that Lee stand down with a cinder block underneath, but if you look, the base is actually wider than the top, so it is like a pyramid.