Reloading Bench Build

[mstreddy]

One piece of advice that I wish someone had given me was to measure shelf heights to accommodate my stuff.

For example: I store a lot of my ammo in MTM ammo boxes. My bottom shelf is just barely too short to accommodate stacking boxes 2 high. Another 1" and I would have had it. Dumb planning.

I store clean brass in coffee cans. My storage shelf is just too short to store 3 high.

Think about what you store, and design shelf heights to fit your stuff rather than try and make your stuff fit an even dimension that looks good on paper or makes the wood easy to cut.

I'll second that thought. I store most of my brass in the plastic coffee containers. After "killing" a plastic shelf unit from the weight of many cans and boxes of brass, I decided to build a wooden shelf unit, sort of like a book case. Of course, there are a few different sizes of "cans". Folgers has 3 different ones, Maxwell House 2 or 3. So, I figured out what I had, planned some room for growth. And figured out that I could store 2 of the tall or 3 of the short in the same vertical space. Then, I figured out how deep and wide I wanted to go. I made the height enough for the 2 tall/3 short. And the width was for 6 across, and 3 deep. I also added a vertical support for the two bottom shelves. I ended up putting casters on it and can roll it out of the way

I followed a similar principle in building my ammo can shelves. How wide to store two 50 cal ammo cans on side and one 50 and two 30s on the other.
I'll see if I can snap a picture or two.

 

[markr6754]

Built mine using the 2x4basics 90164 Workbench and Shelving Storage System. It has worked out well!!

This is excellent. Love this forum. Saw your post, quick search. Amazon has a “used” one for under $70 (means the packaging is damaged). I have a $50 Amazon gift card...product will arrive Wednesday. So I’ll be the second guy on the forum with this kit in hand, waiting for time and a “round tuit” to get it built. I even have some plywood sheet already! But no 2x4s.

 

[PhillySoldier]

I'll second that thought. I store most of my brass in the plastic coffee containers. After "killing" a plastic shelf unit from the weight of many cans and boxes of brass, I decided to build a wooden shelf unit, sort of like a book case. Of course, there are a few different sizes of "cans". Folgers has 3 different ones, Maxwell House 2 or 3. So, I figured out what I had, planned some room for growth. And figured out that I could store 2 of the tall or 3 of the short in the same vertical space. Then, I figured out how deep and wide I wanted to go. I made the height enough for the 2 tall/3 short. And the width was for 6 across, and 3 deep. I also added a vertical support for the two bottom shelves. I ended up putting casters on it and can roll it out of the way

I followed a similar principle in building my ammo can shelves. How wide to store two 50 cal ammo cans on side and one 50 and two 30s on the other.
I'll see if I can snap a picture or two.

I did two rows of shelves running 10.5' long each row, 12" deep and 13" between rows. Brackets every 16 inches on studs. 1st row I think is like 30" above the bench. I wanted room to be able to hang a rail, tool strip etc under.

I actually received one of the orders from Inline Fabrication yesterday (never even updated as shipped yet). It contained the ultramount that I ordered. WOW that thing is big. The damn thing raises the press like 10 inches above the bench. I'll give it a try for awhile but I think thats too high for me.

 

[Kaldor]

I did two rows of shelves running 10.5' long each row, 12" deep and 13" between rows. Brackets every 16 inches on studs. 1st row I think is like 30" above the bench. I wanted room to be able to hang a rail, tool strip etc under.

I actually received one of the orders from Inline Fabrication yesterday (never even updated as shipped yet). It contained the ultramount that I ordered. WOW that thing is big. The damn thing raises the press like 10 inches above the bench. I'll give it a try for awhile but I think thats too high for me.

I think youll find having the press higher will work out better for you, unless its like eye level
Just less strain on your back and shoulders because you dont have to bend over. My bench is at 42" and I use the handle from Inline as well. Sometimes it could be a little higher TBH.

 

[Doublehelix]

I actually received one of the orders from Inline Fabrication yesterday (never even updated as shipped yet). It contained the ultramount that I ordered. WOW that thing is big. The damn thing raises the press like 10 inches above the bench. I'll give it a try for awhile but I think thats too high for me.

I had the same problem. I had the tall one at first, and used it for about a year and then finally gave up and ordered the midi sized unit. Works GREAT now.

 

[PhillySoldier]

I had the same problem. I had the tall one at first, and used it for about a year and then finally gave up and ordered the midi sized unit. Works GREAT now.

Do the smaller size mounts require drilling even more holes in the counter top or does it match the larger mount?

 

[Doublehelix]

Do the smaller size mounts require drilling even more holes in the counter top or does it match the larger mount?

More drilling...

 

[PhillySoldier]

Damn, i assumed that it might

 

[Andrew Marquardt]

I built my bench as an extension of my workbench. The previous owners of our house had an approximately 15' long workbench attached to the front wall of our garage that was about 30" deep. I ripped the whole thing out except for the 2x4s lag bolted into the studs used as ledges for the lower shelf to rest on. I shortened the bench by about 2' at one end to accommodate my tool chest and raised the bench up about 3" so it sat just above waist level when factoring in the four layers of 3/4" plywood used as the bench top . My reloading area is tucked in on the opposite end of the bench from my tool chest and is about 5' long and 18" deep. The top level of the bench sits on another 2x4 lag bolted into the studs. Five 2x4s are used as vertical supports and were used to level the bench in both depth and length. The lower shelf is a single piece of leftover 3/4" plywood from the bench surface on top of 2x4s and will support anything I could put on it. My reloading area has two slots in it for plywood quick mounts that I can switch out quickly depending on which press or tool I need at the moment. I use a 1/4" bolt and a wing nut inserted into a hole drilled through both the quick mount and the bench to prevent the mount from sliding out of the slot during use and have blank mounts when I need a flat working surface. I have a set of old kitchen cabinets that the previous owner mounted about 2.5' above the surface of my bench that I store my tools and dies in when not in use. I recently deprimed 1000 milsurp crimped .30-06 brass and there was absolutely no flex at all. On the wall next to the bench, I have a 4'x4' piece of pegboard mounted that I use to hang my cleaning rods and several wrenches for the dies.

 

[mstreddy]

Here are some pics of my Brass Shelves

Brass Shelf

• mstreddy
• Sep 11, 2018

Built to handle 2 tall or 3 short Coffee "cans"

My Bench with the riser for the presses, doubles as die storage

Press Bench shelf

• mstreddy
• Sep 11, 2018

Height and depth allows for die storage

Press Bench Shelf 2

• mstreddy
• Sep 11, 2018

Height and depth allows for die storage

And my ammo shelves, for ammo cans

Ammo Shelf

• mstreddy
• Sep 11, 2018

Ammo Shelf 2

• mstreddy
• Sep 11, 2018

 

[greyling22]

If you can get past the chick stuff stigma, Pinterest has some amazing ideas for reloading benches, work benches, etc.

My reloading bench is shallow with 3 presses on it. I really wish I had done something to allow those presses to be removed or relocated. I often wish I had more space around a press. I also angled the front legs of my bench back to the baseboards, the way if I have to exert a lot of upward force on the press arm (seating difficult primer, insufficient case lube, whatever,) I'm not lifting the front of the bench up.

Pardon the mess, it's more of a staging area right now than reloading space. And not as big as I would like. Dang kids are cramping my style. I'm actually glad to just have a space at all......

 

[irishlad]

This is excellent. Love this forum. Saw your post, quick search. Amazon has a “used” one for under $70 (means the packaging is damaged). I have a $50 Amazon gift card...product will arrive Wednesday. So I’ll be the second guy on the forum with this kit in hand, waiting for time and a “round tuit” to get it built. I even have some plywood sheet already! But no 2x4s.

You will like it. Easy to assemble.

 

[markr6754]

You will like it. Easy to assemble.

It arrived last night. Sitting in the garage. Will be working on I soon. I will make a shortie, as I don’t have room for a full 8’ table/workbench. I’ll start with 4’ for now, almost double my current workspace...not to mention the planned non-flexing aspect.

 

[PhillySoldier]

I still have a bit more to do but wanted to share what the bench looks like so far.

 

[drband]

I still have a bit more to do but wanted to share what the bench looks like so far.

View attachment 803950

Looks great!

The cat is a nice touch!

 

[PhillySoldier]

Pain in the arse cat... it was easier to let him just sit in the drawer for the picture. Every time I tried to move him, he would start opening up multiple drawers and cabinet doors

 

[drband]

Pain in the arse cat... it was easier to let him just sit in the drawer for the picture. Every time I tried to move him, he would start opening up multiple drawers and cabinet doors

Typical cat!

 

[Doublehelix]

Pain in the arse cat... it was easier to let him just sit in the drawer for the picture. Every time I tried to move him, he would start opening up multiple drawers and cabinet doors

Typical cat!

Take it to the range. They make great target practice!!!

GREAT looking bench by the way!!! Hope you can keep it clean and organized like that for a while!

 

[PhillySoldier]

Take it to the range. They make great target practice!!!

I wont go that far but I do dry fire practice w a shot timer and laser cartridge. The cats (3) go nuts running around over the laser and make great moving targets. My one cat now will sit there hitting my gun if I leave it out on a table trying to make the laser go on. We keep waiting for the cat to shoot herself

 

[kmw1954]

My bench with the new Breech Lock Pro mounted

 

[GW Staar]

Been watching your progress.....looks really good!
My garage conversion, I built maybe 6 years ago.....and it's still a work in progress. Pictures below was 6 years ago only 2 presses, foot operated Forster Trimmer, and Trim Mate....it's more crowded today with 2 more presses and a bench primer. White table below now holds two more case polishers.....a Berry's, and a Thumlers Wet tumbler. I need to take some more recent pictures....

There's a 6X6 post holding up my Master Bedroom, next to the Lyman Pro Magnum. If this ever blows up in the middle of the night, my wife will be really unhappy to wake up in bed in the garage. I built hanging 6" deep shelves above the Lyman on either side of the post a year ago to store my dies, and bullets, and powder I'm using or about to use. So everything's close. Turn around only is needed. BTW, have your wife wire a timer switch to plug below your tumbler. Did that....and I can switch between them....can run two at a time while I'm at work. Nice to come home to bling.

Below, shows my drawers....not as many as yours only 3, but they're big......they keep my prepped cases. Plastic cabinets to the left, hold spent cases, and powder stocks.

 

[PhillySoldier]

Tried to test drive the one press last night. Damn just about everything is out of adjustment; from the bullet feeder to everything on the press and the primer filler. This is gonna take some time to fix everything.

My 1yr old granddaughter was helping

 

[Doublehelix]

Haha! So awesome to have your granddaughter helping.

Now... about that cat!!! (We have two, and I am not a fan. I always tease my wife about taking them target shooting with me!)

 

[BWS]

1962 set of kitchen cabinets I pulled out a customer house,30 or so years ago.Put in custom cherry. These are in a small spare bedroom now,they were in an unfinished BR upstairs for years. They were much larger there. We used to shoot handguns out the window and try to get the cases to land on the presses,haha.

 

[BWS]

Made this yesterday,fits on the cubby rack behind O frame presses. Cherry upper glued to plywood substrate, Mohagony moulding,shot 2 coats of cheap lacquer tinted with amber yellow.