Redesign the reloading area.....

[fpgt72]

Ok...I know there is a thread somewhere on a "show your reloading area" so some such noise....not what I am looking for.

Here is what I had....a 4x8 sheet of MDF with the presses bolted to it, sitting on some bathroom cabs that had all the other reloading stuffs in it, plus a few stand up cabs for books, some bullets, brass that jazz.

All of it is going south....just too much space.

So I am looking at doing these "modular" garage storage system thingies and wonder if anyone is using them....I am talking about Gladiator from Home Depot, Seville from Sams Club (bunches cheaper) that kind of stuff....I was going to add in one of those rolling workstations from horrid freight or home despot...wood top and drawers....really a tool box. Drawers look big enough to take primers, bullets and such, larger drawers look like dies and such will go in well...and the big drawers will take powder.

I really do not want to build....I will put it this way....I AM NOT going to build.

Anyone gone down this road...if so are you happy with the outcome?

 

[cfullgraf]

My reloading area has similar aspects to what you are looking for, but not exactly. here are some suggestions to consider.

I have much of my reloading equipment (dies, bushings, powder charging parts, tools, etc) in a roll around tool cabinet. It works out well as I'm able to move it around as needed.

Bullets in storage can get heavy, very heavy. It would be easy to overload a drawer in some of these storage systems. Same with some of the shelf units. I have some of these wire shelf units frequently seen in businesses and restaurants and when on casters, their weight limit is fairly restrictive. I inherited some metal shelves made with steel angles that originally came from a locomotive repair shop. They are stout and hold lots of heavy things.

Having the reloading bench on casters may be a limitation. I found that you do not need the bench connected with the wall but it does need to be rigid and not flex. Most locking casters that I have experienced in the consumer market do not hold enough to hold the cart in place when subjected to the load of operating a press. So, better casters or some kind of locking foot/feet may be in order.

Or, if you plan to load in the same place but want the ability of moving the reloading bench into a storage location, you could build a docking arrangement in the wall to hold the bench in place while reloading.

FYI, my presses are mounted on their own free standing floor stands. I move them from storage to operating position as needed. This keeps my reloading area more tidy and expands the available free space I have to work on.

Have fun with your project.

 

[jmorris]

All of it is going south....just too much space....

I really do not want to build...I will put it this way...I AM NOT going to build.

Want to use up no space when your not loading and do as little work as possible to do so? Get a board and a c clamp or two. You can reload over the kitchen sink at that point.

 

[Jack B.]

I like your storage cabinet idea as I bought wooden ones years ago and if it is big enough and you organize your stuff to use maximum amount space you can get a lot in just one of them. I like the idea of going up not out as there is a lot of space that you don't use above 4 or 5 feet and it's not in your way. If this is going to be in a high humidity area I'd go with the metal or plastic stuff and stay away from the fake wood stuff, but the wood cabinets can be had for less.

 

[jmorris]

Anything with casters that you can't raise so it sits firmly when in use, likely won't work very well.

A better and likely cheaper idea would be one of the folding work benches. Check Craigslist in your area and You can find them for $20-50 all the time.

 

[fpgt72]

I hear you on the bullets....I have blown out the bottom of the bathroom cabinets I am using now. Plus the dies don't fit in there well...you cant see them....you have to touch every one to get the one you are after....this just ticks me off.

Space really is not an issue....I just want something that does not take up the entire basement....so I can do other stuff there, and actually move around.

It would also be nice to have space for other "shootin stuff" so it is not all over the flippin basement. It would be nice to have everything from ears, to staple guns, to mats....all that in just one spot or area...getting ammoes out from the corner (currently in about a billion ammo boxes) out of sight and out of mind. I don't have kids home anymore so that is really not an issue....it is just a flat mess.

I have seen just "reloading" benches, and "fancy gun rooms" I guess I am looking for something in between.....a place where everything is, sorted...bla bla bla.

When I get everything sorted I will update....still in the process of selling stuffs off, sold a nice Lane cedar chest, a few guitar amps, and cases....keeping some other stuff but you get the drift.

 

[goldpelican]

Might not be best to store primers and powder inside of a steel draw system - there are fire codes for how they should be stored. In a fire it could turn into a bomb if it cannot vent sufficiently.

 

[ponchh]

Store powder and primers in Mimi frig.
The right file cabinet works for bullets and dies or other small parts.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Store powder and primers in Mimi frig.

Must be nice. I keep mine in a defunk 19 cu ft frig.

Primers in the freezer, powder in the refrig...8lb jugs on the bottom, 4lb ones in the middle, and 1lb canisters on top. Open 1lb canisters in the door

 

[splattergun]

I suspect this is what you had in mind.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/show-us-a-picture-of-your-reloading-bench.218720/

 

[rjbmjb]

I tried the cheap wooden wall cabinets in my reloading room. They can't take the weight of bullets or brass and the shelves sag after a few months.

I did use a craftsman rolling cabinet before I renovated my reloading room- I attached a piece of plywood to the top, overhanging the side enough to mount my rock chucker. It did move a bit when sizing larger cases, but was stable enough for seating and crimping.

I also have two file cabinets similar to the one that ponchh shows in the pics. look for older commercial grade units like these- they are made of heavier metal and the slides are much heavier than a lot of the newer cabinets. As you can see from the picture, they easily hold heavy items like bullets.

I never tried the steel garage organizer storage units- they look like they will hold more weight than cheap wooden ones.

I gave up trying to find cabinets that would work in my space and made my own out of 3/4 plywood with reinforced shelves. Since you don't want to go that route, I would recommend that you buy the heaviest steel units that you can afford.

 

[berettaprofessor]

I have that Seville work bench...the one linked below, and I love it. Amazon, Sam's Club, Home Depot all have the same thing. Solid as a rock; 4'X2', top is about 2 inches thick, good lighting. Have two presses mounted at either end (Lee Breech and Lee Classic Turret) and the center workspace clear. Back is steel, so I hold a lot of reloading stuff up by magnets, but it's also perforated standard pegboard style. You won't regret it.

https://www.samsclub.com/sams/sevil...64131&wl13=&wl15=22972661315&wl17=1o1&veh=sem

 

[Varminterror]

I use rolling workbench/toolboxes in my workshop and in my garage. I also have used the Black & Decker Workmate portable vise tables with different MDF toppers (2ftx 2ft) for different purposes. The worktops could then be hung on a wall or tucked into the storage doors under one of the rolling workbench/toolboxes.

The rolling toolbox/workbenches work fine. You'll have to do a little woodwork to make a tough enough top which hangs far enough over the edge for your press, and you may want to look into quick plate mounting systems to let you pull down the press at will. It's nice if you actually have them in an open enough room to roll them around a bit, as you can work from either side of the bench. I had one set up at my last house with three presses on one side, away from the drawers, with all of my case prep stations and manual charging stations set to be used from the other side of the bench. I'd just spin it around between activities.

I have one set up now as my gunsmithing workbench. I made quick positions for my action and barrel vises, have a cleaning/service vise which keys into the benchtop (plugged holes when not in use), plus storage for cleaning rods under the lip and down the back so I can simply pull out the rod I need when I need it.

 

[fpgt72]

Berettaprofessor.....

I bought two of the Sams club things last week, put them together this weekend....one rolling "toolbox type cabinet" And the larger 4' table that the rolling thing goes under....ahh holy buckets are these things heavy....and I like how the screws go into skirt nuts and not just the metal....this thing is pretty well designed.....and you are right it is the rock of Gibraltar....it is not going anywhere....stout and leveling feet as well, that is nice. The casters on the rolling box...massive....I sound like I should work for the company....this thing is nice, and a bit cheaper over the Glaidator stuff that HD has.

Going to pickup two more tall cabinets, after they get built I will be able to start put stuff away.....want to get the table you have as well, but the SS version is out of stock at the moment around here.

Really if you guys are looking at doing storage for a garage/shop/whatever....check this stuffs out.