Building a new reloading room...need advice

[redneck2]

Just got a new house. I have a workshop attached to the garage. It's maybe 7x15' so I've got plenty of room. One wall has pegboard but no hooks or hangers yet.

I've already got a super heavy duty bench, and all the presses, tumblers, etc. What I'm looking for is ideas on organization and layout. I've got lots of boxes of bullets, primers, caliber conversions, etc. Also have all the mandatory tools.

What have you used for storage or production that's really helped make your operation more efficient???

 

[Frohickey]

Empty/fill the tumbler in a place with ventilation. Primer residue dust is a lead compound, and could be hazardous.

 

[Jeeper]

The best thing I have ever found was shoeboxes for brass and acro bins for bullets. Here are some pics of previous setups.

Bins

Plastic Shoesboxes( 88cents at walmart)

Same idea different house

 

[capbuster]

Just food for thought but allow me to run a few things by you for your consideration.I decided a few years back to keep my powder and primers in separate locked wooden cabinets.I feel better with these items secured until I need them. Plastic jugs with screw on lids similar to ones that dog food comes in are handy for storing brass cases.They are also sold at the stores to keep such things as sugar and flour in.Surplus ammo cans and the plasic sports utility boxes are great for storing finished reloads.Also you can mount a vise on one end of your bench and several of your reloading tools such as a powder measure can be quickly attacked by the use of wooden T block attached to the measure.

 

[redneck2]

Yo, Jeeper...

great pix. that's EXACTLY what I'm talkin' about. I was looking for something to hold bulk stuff. Perfect!!!

Where is the best place to get acro bins. We have Lowe's, Menard' s and Home Depot all right here

I trust you're a Jeep man...I have 3 myself...thanks

and...CB....I don't have others around so I'm not real worried about the powder/primers, but the ideas about plastic containers anbd storage may work out...thanks

 

[Cherokee]

I store all my brass, primers, loaded ammo in GI ammo cans. 30 Cal cans @ $3 each are not much more in cost than an Akro Bin and give much more protection to the items within. When I built my reolading room, I made the wall studs 2x12" with the wall on the back side, leaving the front open. I installed adjustable shelf standards and made shelving from 2x12". The spacing was set so I can stack a row of ammo cans on each shelf. The cans are labeled so all I have to do is pull one off the shelf and open it to get what I want. Meanwhile, they can be stacked floor to ceiling on the shelves. 2x12"s will not bow from the weight. The vice suggestion was good, I have that on my bench. Give thought to what you do in your reloading routine and what you use and try to make everything as convient as possible for you. Good luck.

 

[ocabj]

store all my brass, primers, loaded ammo in GI ammo cans.

Isn't storing primers in sealed metal ammo cans dangerous?

 

[Edward429451]

Where is the best place to get acro bins

You gotta be careful where you get your AKRO bins. I've seen em for as much as 5 bucks apeice. I believe Dillon sells em for around 2.50. I got mine at Graingers by the case for 1.14 each.
Graingers is a heating, air conditioning and electrical supply house and are very big so you can probably find one close to you. Sorry no link offhand.

 

[Alan Smithiee]

Jeepers the man when it comes to this kind of thing. the plastic "shoe boxes" for brass and the akro bins for bullets while working are a exellent way to go, stress test the akro bin first before you buy. there are some very cheap knock offs, I give them a lenghtwise counter rotating twist before I buy new ones. to flimsy and I pass

any comments on storing primers in a fileing cabinet? (without papers) strong enough to contain flying metal fragments if they do chain fire somehow.

also, I was told that a 20MM rocket "can" was good to store can's of powder with the lid on but not locked down. (rubber seal helpes keep moisture out)

 

[Jeeper]

Like Edward said.

Dillon or Grainger for the bins. Grainger also sells the mounting plates for the walls I used. Each plate was like $23 and there are 4 used in that picture shown above.

They are 36"wide by 19" high. You can probably get them from places other than grainger. any big industrial supply should have them.

Here is a link to the grainger site
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productdetail.jsp?xi=xi&ItemId=1611762905
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/productdetail.jsp?xi=xi&ItemId=1611576261


THe walmart shoe boxes are also great. They are cheap and good since they have a lid. THey make all sizes.

 

[oscar]

LIGHTS, LIGHTS, LIGHTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I did my room, I let my wife and contractor talk me out of one more row of lights on the ceiling and 2 more can lights right over the bench. They both have better eyes than me and neither one reloads. That is my main regret. Have lots of oak cabinets, but could always use more. Have a butcher block top and it works very well. I mounted my presses on identical pieces of wood, so that I can remove my Dillon and put the Hornady in the same place without any extra holes. Did I mention, more lights?

 

[Cherokee]

Been keeping primers in sealed ammo cans for over 40 years. I keep them in the factory boxes so what's the chance of a problem. Keeps them from the changes in weather conditions.

I second the comment about lights. The more the better.

 

[Edward429451]

$3.44 apiece is too darn much for bins. Thats suggested retail, tell em you're with XXX company and put it on a cash ticket, so's to get the contractor price. Rechecked it and contractor price is up to $1.41 per bin in case lots of 12.

Them guys in Graingers can and will drop the price if you buddy up to em a little. Pretty good outfit overall.

 

[Jeeper]

I love graingers. They have everything. I used to get their catalog at work and one always made it home with me.

 

[larryw]

Cherokee, my concern about keeping primers in ammo cans would only be in the event of fire: well sealed container filled with highly explosive materials = bomb in fire.

 

[Edward429451]

I've always just used ziplock freezer bags or tupperware to store primers in.

 

[Clark]

Go mobile

My presses go to the range with me.
They are held on the workbench at home or table at the range with two "C" clamps.

 

[Clark]

Here it is

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Your Reloading Bench

Make sure you have a very smooth surface that powder cannot collect on in cracks. Place a raised lip on the outside edge of the bench top so primers and full primer tubes cannot roll off and go bang.
Seal the edge of the lip or molding so that powder cannot get under it. Have a gap in the raised lip at one end or the other for sweeping the bench off into a safe container.

l always clean up after a reloading session.

On my Star reloaders I disconnect the main spring, actuate the handle all the way down, place a shopping bag over each press and wrap with a bungee cord to keep curious kids or visitors from pulling on a reloader handle.

Do not have rugs that collect powder and primers also.

My favorite chemical supply store burnt to the ground from a spark into ingrained chemicals on the wood floor.

John Paul

 

[BobC]

My reloading bench in the basement doubles as a general fix-it area and always seems to collect junk. Storage bins are essential. The RCBS Rockchucker and powder measure are bolted through the bench but the bolts can be removed easily when the bench top is needed for big jobs. (Be sure to allow free space around the powder measure - I have a vise that is too close & the 50-round reloading block bumps into the vise.)

Although my bench is sturdy, reloading operations cause vibrations that make the display on my electronic scale go crazy. I now isolate the scale by placing it on a separate table (actually an adjacent band saw table). I've also found that a rubber mat on the floor improves personal comfort, makes it easier to spot any dropped primers, any provides some noise dampening for the vibratory case cleaner.

 

[redneck2]

Good ideas...

I had covered the floor with some really good looking recycled carpet....

OK, I went dumpster diving behind a carpet store and pulled it out. The piece fit almost perfectly. It'll be quiet and warmer. Hadn't thought about the primer/powder thing, so I'll get a rubber mat to go over the top.

Probably get formica for the worktop. Easy to clean up. I got a bunch of bins, and I'm starting on the 88 cent shoe boxes.

Track lights with individual spots should be the program.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Jeeper]

This time I used one of those premade counter tops. It is nice because it has a backsplash so nothing falls down behind the top. It was cheaper than doing formica myself. Definately post pictures when you are done.