I stained the two I built, and then finished the top with Helsman's varnish. My main bench top is 3/4" plywood on top of 2x6s. My small bench is just 3/4" plywood on on top of the 2x4 frame. Presses are mounted to the big bench.
Anyone painted their reloading bench?
- Thread starter GravelRider
- Start date
lightman
Member
My last bench top was 3 2X12's edge to edge and I stained it and the shelves. It worked well. My current bench top is Butcher Block and was factory finished.
Bearded Phil
Member
My bench when it was newly finished at the beginning of this year. All 2x4s and 3/4 nominal plywood, sanded smooth and stained with a Baer water based stain. It's not poly coated, I weighed the extra time and cost to do that and decided against it. I was forcing myself to get my indoor workshop set up before I would do any loading or shooting so I wanted to wrap it up. It's held up well in spite of not being coated.
It's not paint as I wanted a more natural look but no reason to not paint yours, especially if you're not hung up on aesthetics and just want to not have bare wood quickly.
It's not paint as I wanted a more natural look but no reason to not paint yours, especially if you're not hung up on aesthetics and just want to not have bare wood quickly.
teerex.otw
Member
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- Jan 17, 2023
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- 256
I built mine years ago, in a small alcove and made it intentionally small (24”x48”) as I tend to be a “clutterer”…smaller mess to sort out later.
The top is made of 2x6 material topped with varnished masonite.
It is attached to the walls using 2”x2” angle iron ledgers. I put shelves underneath to hold ammo cans, and a separate shelf above for the powder scale.
My powder measure and case trimmer are mounted on opposite sides of the same 8”x 8”x 1/2” steel plate, which is heavy enough to be stable without having to be bolted down, just shove it back into the corner when finished.
The press(es) mount to a similar plate bolted to the benchtop. Tapped holes and short 3/8” bolts make for speedy press changes.
Pegboard on one side keeps funnels, priming tools, wrenches, etc. handy.
It’s a very simple set-up for old-school type reloading, but it works well enough for what I do that I can’t think of anything I would change.
The top is made of 2x6 material topped with varnished masonite.
It is attached to the walls using 2”x2” angle iron ledgers. I put shelves underneath to hold ammo cans, and a separate shelf above for the powder scale.
My powder measure and case trimmer are mounted on opposite sides of the same 8”x 8”x 1/2” steel plate, which is heavy enough to be stable without having to be bolted down, just shove it back into the corner when finished.
The press(es) mount to a similar plate bolted to the benchtop. Tapped holes and short 3/8” bolts make for speedy press changes.
Pegboard on one side keeps funnels, priming tools, wrenches, etc. handy.
It’s a very simple set-up for old-school type reloading, but it works well enough for what I do that I can’t think of anything I would change.
Highland Lofts
Member
- Joined
- May 1, 2019
- Messages
- 3,037
I used a one inch piece of A/C plywood and a piece of 5/8" plywood underneath then put a light color piece of formica on the top.
My bench has 3" X 3" legs with 1 1/4" X 3" cross members. They started as dimensional lumber and were planed to remove the round corners. The top is 3/4 cabinet grade plywood with a 3/4 melamine sheet bonded to the top. The melamine makes a great surface as its slick and durable. I incorporated T-track into the bench top so I can easily add or remove equipment and move it around the bench top. The top is wrapped in walnut to protect the fragile edges of the plywood and melamine.
This is the bench I built when I was 17.
I initially stained it with a golden oak stain.
Some time after I got married, my father painted it with a latex paint the color of vomit.
It still works just as well.
So long as you're not using chemicals that would damage the paint, I think you should choose the finish that makes you happy.
I initially stained it with a golden oak stain.
Some time after I got married, my father painted it with a latex paint the color of vomit.
It still works just as well.
So long as you're not using chemicals that would damage the paint, I think you should choose the finish that makes you happy.
Attachments
Yes, I painted the last 3 benches with Rustoleum Oil Based Gloss White.
All three were built from scrap wood I had on-hand.
The last one has a 2x6 top, with all joints caulked before painting, and is really a closet-wide shelf.
The top is not level but pitched towards the back, so stuff does not roll off.
I have a cheap carpet door matt on it too, also for trapping small stuff.
I only have room for one press on the bench, so all presses have a common mounting plate and are stored on a shelf.
Those plates double the footprint of the presses for a rock-solid mount that does not rock.
My previous bench was actually a cabinet with a lockable bifold door because there was small curious hands in the house.
Again, painted white, only one press at a time, and built for standup loading.
Closed (in a different place):
So, way too much info right there,
.
All three were built from scrap wood I had on-hand.
The last one has a 2x6 top, with all joints caulked before painting, and is really a closet-wide shelf.
The top is not level but pitched towards the back, so stuff does not roll off.
I have a cheap carpet door matt on it too, also for trapping small stuff.
I only have room for one press on the bench, so all presses have a common mounting plate and are stored on a shelf.
Those plates double the footprint of the presses for a rock-solid mount that does not rock.
My previous bench was actually a cabinet with a lockable bifold door because there was small curious hands in the house.
Again, painted white, only one press at a time, and built for standup loading.
Closed (in a different place):
So, way too much info right there,
.
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Put laminate on it. Will glue up nicely on MDF. It's easy to clean and will stand up to any cleaner or solvent we use.
jmorris
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- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,211
I made my last one out of steel, made the top a truss, to eliminate flex and added the shelf at the bottom to add weight, so it didn’t have to be bolted to anything (hardwood floors in my reloading room) used non slip adjustable feet on the bottom for level. It’s two pieces so I could get it from the shop and into the reloading room, then bolt it together.
The presses bolt to plates that, themselves are bolt to the bench top, so if I want to add another pattern, I just remove the plate, go drill and tap it, then return it to the bench to mount the next press.
There are two switches on the face, the one on the left is for the dental air compressor that sits on the bottom shelf and the other switch shuts off power to the other 12 outlets underneath. You can also see the cross supports the sub plates bolt to.
There are counter sink socket head Allen bolts holding the front of the plate, under the press.
The presses bolt to plates that, themselves are bolt to the bench top, so if I want to add another pattern, I just remove the plate, go drill and tap it, then return it to the bench to mount the next press.
There are two switches on the face, the one on the left is for the dental air compressor that sits on the bottom shelf and the other switch shuts off power to the other 12 outlets underneath. You can also see the cross supports the sub plates bolt to.
There are counter sink socket head Allen bolts holding the front of the plate, under the press.
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my next one... and i have a friend/friend of a friend that powder coats...
dh1633pm
Contributing Member
Never. But then again, mine is made over fine kitchen cabinets I bought from someone who built a small height kitchen for his wife. Nobody would buy the house with the short cabinets. So he ordered right height replacements. They were like new.
doubleh
Member
No, I haven't. Years ago my wife talked me into buying a work bench with a powder coated steel frame and 1 1/2 " wood top that had what has proven to have a durable finish on it instead of building a wooden table. I added some 3/4" plywood shelving underneath the top for storage but it remains bare.
Flatland_mike
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- Dec 22, 2022
- Messages
- 50
2 layers of 3/4" ply glued together, routered edges and 2 coats of oil base Rust-Oleum, zero complaints on that. Would do it again.
Riomouse911
Member
Mine is 2” particle board over cabinets painted gloss white, it came with the house when I bought it so I used it where it stood. Its cramped, but its all the space I have so I make the most of it.
I added a 4x8 shelving unit to the left for ammo and a 1x3 unit stands on the bench top behind the presses for reloading supplies.
The drawers under the presses are screwed shut because the press handles are in the way, but the cabinets underneath hold my tumbler/ media separator and more boxes of bullets I dont have room for on the bench. (The bikes swing to the side on their stands when I am loading.)
Stay safe.
I added a 4x8 shelving unit to the left for ammo and a 1x3 unit stands on the bench top behind the presses for reloading supplies.
The drawers under the presses are screwed shut because the press handles are in the way, but the cabinets underneath hold my tumbler/ media separator and more boxes of bullets I dont have room for on the bench. (The bikes swing to the side on their stands when I am loading.)
Stay safe.
Highland Lofts
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- May 1, 2019
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- 3,037
Nice tidy set up there.
You sure made good use of the available space.
You sure made good use of the available space.
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Dane R. Marley
Member
I did. Here are a few pics of my loading bench being built and painted.
GE-Mini-Gun
Member
Never understood the 2x top layer…what are you guys loading that you need that additional strength? I have ¾” plywood as the top with ledger on back (at wall), 2x6 on edge at the front, I also have a 2x4 under each press as legs, the spacing would drive someone with OCD crazy, but it was cheap to build and has served me for the last 10+ years and countless thousands of rounds loaded.
jmorris
Member
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- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 24,211
A flimsy top isn’t as much of a problem with a single stage but can cause a number of issues on progressives, especially if they have collators above them.
I just trying to make the top solid so with the force of me seating a primer or performing all of the other operations, doesn’t cause the press to move absorbing my input force. A key spot to look at is when the case comes off an expander, if things jump around, your going to have issues that pop up, flipped primers, powder on the shell plate etc. I had them all on my last “bench”.
You don’t have to get fancy though, this is as solid as they get and it was free.
A other “bench” I am painting (have the bed and compressor done already. Needed to load up some .410 the other day and just lag bolted my .410 366 to the solid part of the pallet. Worked as good as my steel bench, just had to stand.
GW Staar
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- Feb 26, 2009
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- 3,705
The torsion beam alternative for us simple woodworkers.....3/8"x6" bolts and nuts are not that expensive. Bolting directly through the beam, handles lots of heavy presses.
The single 3/4 plywood top is plenty as long as you don't bolt presses only to it. I like your steel, but that's not a inexpensive option for some of us.
I don't know, my wife is a pretty good shooter.....I don't think mounting a press to her countertop would be good for my health. Now the trailer hitch, I could get away with.
Bush Pilot
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- Oct 17, 2007
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- 2,397
That is a very rare item you have on your bench, you'll never see the Cubs as world champions again. Even Haley's comet comes around more often than the Cubs winning the series.
