Pics of your reloading area

[APynckel]

You did a great job! It's nice to have a place to hide from the world and make something.

Chas.

Thanks Charles!

[Piney]

I've been allowed to remove some furniture from one of the spare upstairs bedrooms and set up a bench. All it cost me was an iPad ! LOL

Questions-- desk height or workbench height ? I'm leaning towards desk height as I've got a comfy desk chair. If a workbench height is easier to use that's OK. I can get a comfy bench height stool like Gary's Kobalt one for example.

Top surface-- raw hardwood plywood or laminate finish ?

It's currently a carpeted room. I dont see that changing to tile for a couple of years. What do folks do about static electricity ? Static mat for the chair ? Any other precautions ?

[markthenewf]

Questions-- desk height or workbench height ? I'm leaning towards desk height as I've got a comfy desk chair. If a workbench height is easier to use that's OK. I can get a comfy bench height stool like Gary's Kobalt one for example.

I've go an old computer desk and it's ok, but if you're running a press, I think you can get better control and consistency standing at a bench. If you're just doing charges or simple measures/hand work, sitting at a desk would probably be ok. I also find that my back feels less stiff at the end of a couple of hours of bench work as opposed to sitting/hunching over a desk.

Top surface-- raw hardwood plywood or laminate finish ?

If I could do it again, I'd do hardwood with a sealant/shellac on it. If you used a laminate, it might start chipping on hard use or when you drill mounting holes.

Oh yeah, and add a little half-round or something along the edges to keep stuff from rolling off!

It's currently a carpeted room. I dont see that changing to tile for a couple of years. What do folks do about static electricity ? Static mat for the chair ? Any other precautions ?

I have carpet as well. I'm in Houston, so dry/static air really isn't that much of an issue. I am from a northern climate where this can be a problem so I am in the habit of touching a piece of metal whenever I move around the room. I witnessed a guy at a gas pump get lit up on static one day, so now I do this sorta grounding when I'm around anything flammable! Again, if I could do my setup over again, I'd get either an anti-static mat or one of those bamboo 'rugs' that have a rubber backing.

[Gyrogearhead]

It's currently a carpeted room. I dont see that changing to tile for a couple of years.

You might also think about loose primers!! Because no matter how hard you try you WILL at some point in time drop a couple or more live ones on the floor. With some thin or "outdoor" carpets this is generally not a problem but in a "shag" or deep pile carpet it can be a serious Uh-Oh.

I'm not sure how you'd solve this outside of getting rid of the carpet sooner rather than later.

Just my 2c.

Gerry

[Piney]

It's currently a carpeted room. I dont see that changing to tile for a couple of years.

You might also think about loose primers!! Because no matter how hard you try you WILL at some point in time drop a couple or more live ones on the floor. With some thin or "outdoor" carpets this is generally not a problem but in a "shag" or deep pile carpet it can be a serious Uh-Oh.

I'm not sure how you'd solve this outside of getting rid of the carpet sooner rather than later.

Just my 2c.

Gerry

Good point--Thanks

Its a smooth medium pile light colored carpet. No shag since high school days. Problems with loose primers on carpet assume I"d vacum in there !

[Gyrogearhead]

Yeah, My "play room" hasn't seen a vacuum cleaner in a few years either although I've been known to broom up some of the messier goof ups.

Gerry

[Jeremae]

When you need to vacuum your reloading area no matter what floor type, USE a SHOP vac with NO beater Brush.

I found the results of using the normal upright interesting ... my wife not so much .

[gwashorn]

Never thought about the caps and a vacuum cleaner. I have a bunch of the snap caps you throw left over from the holidays. Just thinking how devious I could be with a few of those in the carpet before the wife vacuums...... Hmmmm..Nah... too cold to sleep in the garage....

[Piney]

Greetings--

New 650 on a new bench.

A few comments--
2x4 construction, fastened together with 1/4" lags and deck screws. Based on a number of others' comments on stability, I used 2x6 as the top, covered by a 1/2 grade AC plywood top. I finished the top with 3 coats of polyurathane.
I had hoped it would be stable on the carpet, but nope. I tried using it free standing. It was dificult to use as it shook too much. I fastened it to the wall studs with 1/4" lags at the top rail.

I built the height so that I could either stand or sit on a bar stool. I've had some pratctice at that. I built the lower shelf at a height so that if I decided later to lower the legs to sit in a chair, I wouldnt have to move it. A waste of space with just 1 shelf-- perhaps.

Gotchas--
The height of shelf just happened to sit right at the electrical plug. I connected two extention cords with the flat plugs. I then added a 2x4 along the back to fasten to the wall to give the plugs space.

Dillon's installation instructions state that one should leave an overhang to fasten the press through-- *unless* a strong mount is used. If so, it doesnt matter. Not true ! It also states not to use lags bolts. I built the bench w/o a top overhang on purpose for added strength. I mounted the press back a bit to use bolts through the 2x6 top. Guess what-- the handle hit the top. I sanded a notch for the handle.

Future--
Add 1x4 trim around the front and side
Add 1/4 round molding around the top to keep things from rolling off.
Add rear shelves

[Gyrogearhead]

Great looking bench. That ought to last a lifetime!!

+1 on fastening to the wall. I had to do the same thing when I built my bench. Free standing is just too wobbley.

Gerry

[bagman45]

Hello all,
No pics just now as I'm out of the reloading biz for a bit, but back when I used to do it a lot I used one of those pretty cheap office depot put-it-together yourself credenzas made out of MDF. It worked great and was cheap!! Had drawers for all of my manuals, dies, bullets, powder AND most gear. I mounted my RockChucker press and powder measure on wood blocks and fixed them to the desktop with C-clamps. Had plenty of surface area and was strong enough that no re-inforcement was needed. Also met the Mrs .45 requirement of being neat and organized, as I used a spare bedroom.

For seating I used an old, tall drafting table chair so I sat up almost as high as the desktop to give good leverage for running the press. Sorry for no pics, but thought I'd share a cheap option for those thinkig about it. Cheers!!

[thatguy]

This

is my therapy room...

[texasmusic]

I can see wood on the table = bench is too clean and neat!

What I call a bench is a stool seated in front of a large pile of things... table is somewhere underneath it all.

[Seabear]

I can see wood on the table = bench is too clean and neat!

What I call a bench is a stool seated in front of a large pile of things... table is somewhere underneath it all.

Then you would love mine. LOL What "covers" it depends on the last 3 projects I have done or the stuff my wife wants out of the house. She piles it on my little work space knowing I have to move it to work.

[Don2]

I can see wood on the table = bench is too clean and neat!

What I call a bench is a stool seated in front of a large pile of things... table is somewhere underneath it all.

Then you would love mine. LOL What "covers" it depends on the last 3 projects I have done or the stuff my wife wants out of the house. She piles it on my little work space knowing I have to move it to work.

WoW...Sounds kinda like my bench's..!!!
I have a commercial meat slicer that I am rebuilding for HER, plus a surface planer I am replacing the knives on, plus a computer I am working on...Dang meat slicer is all METRIC...That sucks..!!!!

And YES...I have a pile also of stuff that was in the house she "Asked" me to do something with, which is code for putting it in my shop..!!!

I'm having fun !!!
Don2