Added a new bench. Now I need some input.

[grubbylabs]

So I have added a new bench to my reloading room. It is just a counter top. Press board with a cheap laminate top. I'm thinking about moving my single stage press to it. But I'm not sure how to re enforce it so it can handle the stress.

 

[Reefinmike]

Here is how i took all of the flex out of my bench right where my turret press is.

Edit:ugg, iphone likes to upload pics sideways sometimes.

 

[ironworkerwill]

Man..., particle board won't hold up well. It is not worth reinforcing IIMHO. Redux, in PLYwood.

 

[grubbylabs]

I'm thinking about gluing some ply wood to the bottom, then screwing some 2x4's to the bottom like reefinmike has.

 

[ironworkerwill]

Do like the current height?

 

[grubbylabs]

More or less. I'm thinking its at a good sitting height.

 

[horsemen61]

Looks nice and I like your idea

 

[mongoose33]

I would add at least a little plywood support underneath--if I were to do it, I'd flip the countertop over and then glue and screw some 1/2" plywood to the bottom. That will support the particleboard.

Then, I'd add something like you see in the pic below--one or two legs underneath where you mount your press to support it. You could mount a leg so the narrow part was toward you, instead of the wide part as I've done in my pics below. That would give you room for your legs.

In my case, I'm generally standing at my shotshell press so it doesn't matter. I load brass cases to the right of that press, and find that the leg under the bench doesn't affect me. I sit on a stool when I do that.

 

[grogetr]

I made my bench out of counter top and it has been fine with a LCT press on it. Build a frame around the edge with a couple going across the center and screw it together good. If you have the press in the middle of the opening you may need a leg to support it. Make the frame fit tight to the cabinets on each end.

 

[joem1945]

I made several of my benches out of 1 1/4' high density particle board with heavy laminent top. The press is reinforced with steel framing channel and the framing channel is bolted to the concrete wall with 3/8" concrete anchors. There's particle board and then there's particle board.

 

[snuffy]

Well, here's what I would do,,--, but then, I always over-build. No such thing as too strong.

First that bench needs something, A post/leg), in the center, it will have too much flex as it stands. I would find some hardwood to glue and screw to the underside of the counter top, right where you plan to mount a press. Figure on running the bolts clear through the hardwood stiffeners and the counter top. Bolts, not screws. That takes some planning, be sure that's exactly where you want the press, then re-enforce the underside to take the pressure of the press when FL sizing or forming cases.

You could get away with a pine 2 x4 for economy, but it too should be glued and screwed to the underside.

 

[grubbylabs]

So far I am leaning towards flipping the counter over and gluing and screwing some 3/4 ply, or similar size to the bottom. Then I will likely get a square of steel to put under the press at least 12"X12", depending on what I can find in the scrap bin.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO, remove the particle board top and replace it with plywood. Buy a 3/4" sheet and rip it in half to double the top to 1.5". It will be so much stronger that trying to reinforce that top. Remember, a weak base will a always be weak. Start over and make it strong, it will even save you time. I like the cabinets for storage.

 

[polarisgold]

I hated my bench flexing at all so I placed a 4x4 under the press to the floor. Perfectly stable now.

 

[grubbylabs]

Well I made it over to lowe's. I picked up a sheet of 23/32 or something like that. I ripped of two pieces that were 19and 3/4s. Glued the first piece down and ran a few screws in, then glued a second piece down and ran a bunch of screws in.

My next step is to figure out exactly where I want the press to go. Then I am going to re enforce top and bottom with some stainless I have. If it still flexes, I will run a 4X4 post under the press.

This should free up my other bench for running the progressive. As you can see, it's a little cramped for space.

 

[grubbylabs]

I added more shelves already.

 

[LiveLife]

counter top ... I'm thinking about moving my single stage press to it. But I'm not sure how to re enforce it so it can handle the stress.

thinking about gluing some ply wood to the bottom, then screwing some 2x4's to the bottom like reefinmike has.

Personally, I would have built a 2x4 box frame to which the plywood would screw down to and then glue the counter top to the plywood. The 2x4 box frame with plywood screwed to it would be very stiff and prevent any bowing of the counter top if you put any significant weight on it (sit on the middle of the counter and see if the counter ends bow up), especially if you apply torsional force of operating a press to it (been there and done that ).

Since the second layer of plywood is screwed to the first layer, you could unscrew and build a 2x4 box frame. After you screw the second layer down to the box frame, attach the counter top (with glued layer of plywood) to the 2x4 box frame by screwing from the bottom. The resulting 2x4 box frame with 2 layers of plywood and the counter top glued to the plywood should be very stiff and resist any torsional flexing (and readily support weight of reloading supplies you put on top of the counter/shelving).

If you needed to (chances are not with the 2x4 box frame), you can further reinforce the press base mounting point by adding 2x4 underneath the plywood (flat like pictures below or vertical like reefinmike) and running bolts through the press/counter top/plywood/2x4 which would eliminate any bench top flex.

I used even thinner 7/16" OSB for reloading benches I built for other reloaders and a single 2x4 reinforced to 2x4 box frame bench would not flex when resizing thicker walled military .308 cases (in the picture below, notice the C-H single stage press is mounted over the corner of the bench where strength/stiffness of 2x4 frame comes together).

 

[Drop45]

Glue and screw two 2x4's going from the left cabinet to the right cabinet. Make sure they are on edge, not flat. also glue the 2x's to the bottom of the counter top and hold them in place with a couple of pipe clamps while you're securing them to the cabinet bases.