New Reloading Bench
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New Reloading Bench
Well, I'm glad I had enough ammo stockpiled to see me through the last six months while I settled into our new home in the Houston area. It is good to be back to reloading again, but before I could do so, I had to build a new reloading bench, and thought I'd share some of the techniques I decided to incorporate.
Frame left. Notice top lag screws are countersunk so that I have a flat surface underneath the bench top. I also cut the wood as shown to maximize the under bench space for my cabinet. I still wanted all the vertical weight to be born wood-on-wood, as shown, instead of relying only on hardware to hold it together.
Frame right. I chose a 2x6 sideways to help resist torsion. Press torque is the primary stress.
Liquid nail on bottom 3/4 pine plywood
Top 3/4 in Oak plywood clamped to bottom 3/4 pine for liquid nail to set.
I cut 2 dado cuts in the bench top to mount T-Track. It lets me share the bench space to use multiple presses, a vise, bench grinder, etc. Multi-purpose bench top. I used an ordinary bench saw to make the cuts.
Next, I built a 5 drawer cabinet to go under the bench. These are the drawer fronts. All plywood was sealed with multiple coats of polyurethane because Houston weather is so humid.
The drawers are made using Blum Metabox full extension 330M drawer slides. They are 22" deep by 19 1/2 wide, rated for 75 pounds.
Mostly finished cabinet
I cut the 48 inch T-Track in half at an angle so that it fit flush in the dado cuts.
Mounted:
Finished bench.
Sense of scale for drawer size. Note that having full extension drawer slides instead of the more common 3/4 extension was important to me.
Lightweight mount for my Lee C press that I use to resize bullets.
A heavier mount is 1/16 steel plate backed by 3/4 plywood. This lets me countersink the bolt heads so the mount will sit flush on the bench.
Frame left. Notice top lag screws are countersunk so that I have a flat surface underneath the bench top. I also cut the wood as shown to maximize the under bench space for my cabinet. I still wanted all the vertical weight to be born wood-on-wood, as shown, instead of relying only on hardware to hold it together.
Frame right. I chose a 2x6 sideways to help resist torsion. Press torque is the primary stress.
Liquid nail on bottom 3/4 pine plywood
Top 3/4 in Oak plywood clamped to bottom 3/4 pine for liquid nail to set.
I cut 2 dado cuts in the bench top to mount T-Track. It lets me share the bench space to use multiple presses, a vise, bench grinder, etc. Multi-purpose bench top. I used an ordinary bench saw to make the cuts.
Next, I built a 5 drawer cabinet to go under the bench. These are the drawer fronts. All plywood was sealed with multiple coats of polyurethane because Houston weather is so humid.
The drawers are made using Blum Metabox full extension 330M drawer slides. They are 22" deep by 19 1/2 wide, rated for 75 pounds.
Mostly finished cabinet
I cut the 48 inch T-Track in half at an angle so that it fit flush in the dado cuts.
Mounted:
Finished bench.
Sense of scale for drawer size. Note that having full extension drawer slides instead of the more common 3/4 extension was important to me.
Lightweight mount for my Lee C press that I use to resize bullets.
A heavier mount is 1/16 steel plate backed by 3/4 plywood. This lets me countersink the bolt heads so the mount will sit flush on the bench.
-Just call me Bob . . . Texas Firearms Coalition, NRA Life member, TSRA Life member, and OFCC Patron member
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
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Re: New Reloading Bench
That's beautiful work, well done!
I'll quit carrying a gun when they make murder and armed robbery illegal
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Re: New Reloading Bench
I am envious sir!
Very nice worksmanship.
Very nice worksmanship.
Ubi libertas habitat ibi nostra patria est
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Re: New Reloading Bench
WOW!! And WOW again! That is exemplary wood working. Wish I'd thought of half that when planning my bench. You'll be happy with that project for a lifetime. Very well Done.
Gerry
Gerry
"With atomic weapons, as in many other things, knowing what to do isn't nearly so important as knowing what NOT to do." -- J. Robert Oppenheimer, 1946
Wisdom comes from reading the instructions. Experience comes from not reading them!
Wisdom comes from reading the instructions. Experience comes from not reading them!
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Re: New Reloading Bench
Awesome work! I wish could work as well with my hands and make my own bench!
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Re: New Reloading Bench
Thanks for the compliments. The engineering side of me had me drawing out a complete set of plans/dimensions before I started cutting anything. I didn't use anything more complicated than a table saw, a circular saw, a jigsaw (all ordinary and inexpensive homeowner-grade tools), and clamps, t-squares, etc.
-Just call me Bob . . . Texas Firearms Coalition, NRA Life member, TSRA Life member, and OFCC Patron member
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
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Re: New Reloading Bench
I really like the way you took the time to do some joinery. That really does help in making it stable.
I use to have a friend that made furniture and cabinets with a lot of joinery and they held up amazingly long and well...!!!!
The bench looks very well....I like the addition of the drawers too. That's what I need to do to my benches..I just have plastic tubs under them which are NOT AS GOOD and easy to look through
GOOD JOB SIR.
Don2
I use to have a friend that made furniture and cabinets with a lot of joinery and they held up amazingly long and well...!!!!
The bench looks very well....I like the addition of the drawers too. That's what I need to do to my benches..I just have plastic tubs under them which are NOT AS GOOD and easy to look through
GOOD JOB SIR.
Don2
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Re: New Reloading Bench
[ Jumping Frog ]
Gotta question.
What type/brand of slides did you use for the drawers?
I have not looked at all the new type of drawer slides out there in years...But I want to make some for my benches at some time.
Thanks
Don2
Gotta question.
What type/brand of slides did you use for the drawers?
I have not looked at all the new type of drawer slides out there in years...But I want to make some for my benches at some time.
Thanks
Don2
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Re: New Reloading Bench
I used Blum Metabox 330M slides, the 22 in deep set. I priced about 5-6 places around the Internet, and purchased from ahturf.com for about $14 per set. I'd give you a link if I was on my computer, but it is difficult from my phone. Google Blum products for the manufacturer website and it lists both product specs and authorized Internet resellers. ahturf's service was mediocre, but their price was the best.Don2 wrote: What type/brand of slides did you use for the drawers?
-Just call me Bob . . . Texas Firearms Coalition, NRA Life member, TSRA Life member, and OFCC Patron member
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
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Re: New Reloading Bench
Great...Thanks for the info.Jumping Frog wrote:I used Blum Metabox 330M slides, the 22 in deep set. I priced about 5-6 places around the Internet, and purchased from ahturf.com for about $14 per set. I'd give you a link if I was on my computer, but it is difficult from my phone. Google Blum products for the manufacturer website and it lists both product specs and authorized Internet resellers. ahturf's service was mediocre, but their price was the best.Don2 wrote: What type/brand of slides did you use for the drawers?
I'll find it, no problem.
Thanks
Don2
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Re: New Reloading Bench
Awesome work Frog!! Almost makes me feel bad for customizing an old computer desk. I've been taking pics of my work in progress. Now if I can just get one of my kids to show me how to post them here.
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Re: New Reloading Bench
Ya know, I started with a "modified" computer desk that was all particle board construction. I had to add several vertical supports to keep it sturdy. Plus made some "L" brackets to screw it to the wall.FishInTx wrote:Awesome work Frog!! Almost makes me feel bad for customizing an old computer desk. I've been taking pics of my work in progress. Now if I can just get one of my kids to show me how to post them here.
It actually lasted about a year and a half....Until it just broke down due to the stress
But that gave me time to get the bench's I wanted.
If we all had unlimited funds...Where would be the fun and adventure in that???
Keep moving forward------->
Don2
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Re: New Reloading Bench
My first reloading "bench" was a $3.00 garage sale student desk . . .Don2 wrote:Ya know, I started with a "modified" computer desk . . . But that gave me time to get the bench's I wanted.
If we all had unlimited funds...Where would be the fun and adventure in that???
Took me about two weeks to put a major crack in the half-inch solid top. Remounted the press on a 2x12 on top of the desk and probably reloaded close to 20,000 rounds on it.
-Just call me Bob . . . Texas Firearms Coalition, NRA Life member, TSRA Life member, and OFCC Patron member
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ
This froggie ain't boiling! Shall not be infringed! Μολών Λαβέ