[Jim]

Time to build another reloading bench

A couple years ago I gave most of my reloading stuff to my Son. Yesterday I picked up a rock chucker press and all the goodies. So I will setup to do some reloading. Not sure how good a bench I will build. I have some ideas. I may just use some industrial shelving units I have. They are very sturdy and are able to be setup like a work bench. With that setup it will be easy to tear down. All I would need to do is build a nice top for the unit. And just bolt it on. Time will tell as to what type of bench I will build. I should just make a run to Homedepot to get the materials to build a bench.

 

[azmick]

If you are in Az, I can help you out with the top :mrgreen:

 

[Jim]

Funny guy I need more than just a top. But Thank You for the offer.
My old bench is a work of art. I gave that one to my Son. It went with the reloading gear. The bench is all walnut and heavy. Even the insides of the bench is solid walnut. The bench top is just over 10" thick. The bench was built by an old time prototype pattern/model maker. It was his work bench in the factory. He built it in his spare time. When ever I would go into the prototype shop. I would admire that bench. It actually was nicer than most furniture. When he retired he did not want that bench. So I managed to get my hands on it and bring it home. I should have kept that bench. He also built some fantastic tool boxes from walnut. He took those but didn't want the bench. Those tool boxes are really something to behold. Plenty of old time workmanship in them. Even the drawers were routed out to make them as a shadow box setup. Every tool had a place.

This time around I'll settle for just a wood bench. I have a friend who owns a custom cabinet shop. I may just pay him a visit and see if I can scrounge something up.

 

[xtimberman]

Azmick has some hardwood segments from a bowling lane that he generously offered to forum members a while back. I'd love to have a slab of that maple (?) for a nice reloading bench! I think he was trying to see if you were near by....

xtm

 

[Jim]

Azmick has some hardwood segments from a bowling lane that he generously offered to forum members a while back. I'd love to have a slab of that maple (?) for a nice reloading bench! I think he was trying to see if you were near by....

xtm

I also would like to have some of those old bowling alley lanes. They are great stuff. A friend of mine has that in his garage. The benches wrap all aound the inside of his garage. That is some tuff wood. And it looks real good when used as a bench top. He beats the hell out of those bench tops and they still look great.
Too bad we are not closer to Azmick's neck of the woods.

 

[Tusker]

I still have the first one I ever made. It is hard rock Maple, and could be rolled around. I use it as a brass prep area now as it still holds my first Lee "C" press and is used to deprime brass. there are about 4 shelves in the back and it is 3 feet long. All the room I had at the time.

 

[xtimberman]

I have plenty of room to reload on the bench in my garage or in my shed, but recently I rigged up a small portable reloading bench for reloading indoors in air-conditioned comfort during the hot summer months. I fastened a nice piece of teak someone gave me onto the top of one of those old timey computer printer tables - the ones with the center slot in the table top for perforated paper feed. I also added some heavy-duty casters onto the bottom so I can move it from room to room or into a coat closet if I want to wheel it out of sight.

My RCBS Piggy-Back progressive is permanently attached. I glued a piece of heavy saddle skirting leather to the base of my Jr. press so I can C-clamp it on without buggering up the nice wood top. It usually stays on my nice bench in the garage, but I can move it inside, too. The bottom shelves are filled with dies and other heavy reloading gear, so the whole thing is amazingly stable. I recently formed a batch of .45-70 brass into .33WCF on this setup and it was nice to be able to do that in the nice warm house instead of the frosty garage.

xtm

 

[Jim]

XTM
Nice setup.
I'm going to go low buck with this bench. I had a couple spare industrial shelving units. Here is the first half. The bench is four feet wide by two feet deep. I made the top part from some old 1x4's I had laying in the rafters of my garage. Took about an hour to slap it together.The nice and thick. The shelves are 12" deep that is ok for me. Now all I have to do is join another unit together and later I will make it an eight foot long bench. For now I will just keep the 4ft. For the top I will use 2 pieces of 3/4 plywood glued together double it up. Maybe three pieces. It will be a nice thick to work on. Then I'll just trim the edges with some 1x4's. Then anchor it to the wall. The room I am going to put it in. Is in need of a good cleaning . So I will just do that on trash day and dumpster a bunch of stuff. Then setup the bench. So far so good. This all will go in a spare room in my basement.

 

[Jim]

I went Hollywood. I have been plugging away on this reloading bench. I decided to use an old school Hollywood press. This press is awesome. I need to finish up the other half of the bench. For now it works until I find the time to finish it up. It will do for now. The press has a little bit of paint loss. Nothing I can't fix. Other than that it works like new. One day I may repaint the press. For now I'm happy.

UPDATE
The day has come to go throuh the press
I rebuilt and repainted the press. Now it looks as it should.

 

[carl418_resigned]

Nice set up! kfjdrfirii

I need a light like that.. yours really lights up that bench.

 

[g17]

I've been thinking about building another bench also but am considering one from Sam's club. It's 72"W x 25"D x 38"H and has a 1 7/8" maple top (looks like bowling lane). The weight if I remember correctly from looking at the box is 225lbs. Here's a link http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=2&item=329601

 

[xtimberman]

Jim,

That big Hollywood turret is a classic! I gave one of those away 21 years ago when I moved to where I am now - and I still miss it. The present owner is a manager at a GM dealership and had the body shop boys repaint it in pearl black - what a beauty!

Somewhere around here, I have a photo of Elmer Keith sitting in front of an identical rig.

xtm

 

[Jim]

Hi XTM
You should have kept that press. I like the old Hollywood stuff.
I have been holding out for a super turret. No luck this one is a 12 station press. I can load 50 cal. on it. And shot gun if I want . I have all the goodies to go along with the press.
Jim

 

[Jim]

Nice set up! kfjdrfirii

I need a light like that.. yours really lights up that bench.

Hi Carl
These old Dazor lights are very nice. They do light up a bench.
Thanks
Jim

 

[Guest]

G17, I have two of those Sam's Club benches. They are excellent for the money, and have nice adjustable rubber pad/feet for leveling. The only thing they lack is a lower shelf, which I built out of 2x10 lumber. After stacking bullets underneath it is very stable.