Let’s all be honest here. We wouldn’t be reloading if we weren’t (at least in part) thrifty.
So, we are never going to pay for the perfect reloading bench.
But considering money is ALWAYS an object, there are better uses for your money than others.
There are two primary components to the basic structure of a reloading bench.
- It needs adequate space not to be cramped when being used.
- It must be heavy and sturdy enough to handle the reloading and potentially bullet swaging forces.
Materials and Dimensions
When building a bench, use 2×4’s plywood, 2.5-inch sheetrock screws, construction adhesive and a layer of poly on the top piece of plywood.
The 2×4 adds strength and weight. The plywood adds rigidity and storage space.
The poly coating makes for a more straightforward cleaning of debris, spilt powder and other incidentals.
A good size for a bench is 72 inches long by 20 inches deep and 36 inches high. It could have two 14-inch deep shelves under the top.
These hold projectile boxes and ammo cans filled with dies and other tools.
This gives plenty of access to commonly needed tools and bullets and room to store other things like reloading books.
It also helps to increase stability by adding weight.
Behind the press is an industrial shelving unit filled with boxes of brass, less commonly used projectiles and other heavy things.
The bench is bolted to this shelving for the extra stability created by its width and weight.
You may anchor your bench to a wall to create the same effect.
It also provides a means of attaching a piece of luan board along the backside to help with lighting and organisation.
Construction
The bench itself is framed with 2×4’s. The tabletop has a double frame of 2×4’s that support a double layer of glued and screwed plywood for the top.
The topmost layer of plywood (1/2-inch) is cut to allow flush-mounted aluminium U-rails. The lower layer of the top is 3/4-inch.
This provides a solid anchoring surface for the U-rails. They take 5/16 hex bolts for mounting the stands I use for my presses and other tools.
Using them allows me to easily rearrange the position of my press, powder measure or other tools as needed without having to drill new holes into the table’s surface.
Standard tools are all attached to four-inch or 9 5/8” Inline Fabrication quick-change mount bases.
Each tool or press has a quick-change top plate permanently attached so that I can switch items out very quickly.
The tall (9 5/8”) mount also provides much more robust support and brings the working area up to a convenient level for working while standing or sitting on my bar stool.
This height also makes for better ergonomics when pulling the extended lever.
Use the four-inch for my powder measure, as you can run that while seated, and a top-down look is better for checking the powder fill level.
Key Features
If you use different presses, with a simple removal and reinstallation of two thumbscrews, the presses swap out in less than two minutes.
If more dramatic changes to the space, it takes about five minutes to remove the 5/16 bolts and the entire base assembly can be relocated along the track or obliterated.
I keep the commonly used Square Deal B and the Forster Co-Ax presses on an Inline Fabrication double storage dock.
This is mounted on the far end of the bench, up high. I have a single storage dock for the Dillon 650.
It is set so the height with the optional case feeder still fits under the ceiling, but the press is out of the way.
Other Additions
There is also space below and beside the reloading bench to fit my two Lyman tumblers. One is used for preliminary cleaning.
It has pretty used walnut shells that do a first clean. This is especially helpful when I buy lots of once-used brass.
Depending on the lot, it sometimes has quite a bit of dried mud along with the cases.
Then, the cases are moved to the second tumbler with much newer walnut shells and one tablespoon of an automotive car-buffing compound.
The compound helps to shine the cases and capture the resulting dust.
A positive move is a reasonable overhead LED shop light directly over the bench.
The colour spectrum of LED and fluorescent lights plays havoc with specific digital scales.
Conclusion: How to Build a Reloading Bench
You will realise your setup is unique.
You can build it heavy and solid, and you will have a much easier time loading.
Using raised mounts also adds strength and ergonomic advantage to the process.
*courtesy of cheaperthandirt.com
Dos and Donts of Bench Building
Bench Dos
Blueprint the bench – MUST DO
You can design your bench on paper or CAD first. This way, you can figure out that some of the structural elements you are planning may need to be revised. This will save you time and money by eliminating build errors upfront.
If you don’t have access to someone who can model on a computer (or you can’t spare change to bribe them with beer), Google SketchUp has a free version, and you can find tutorial videos online. You could also draw a plan by hand, and if you go this route, I encourage you to remove it to scale.
Go big or go home.
A good size for a bench top measures 5’ x 3’, and this will provide plenty of space. The top should be as sturdy as can be and within your budget. You can use two 8’ x 4’ sheets of ¾ inch plywood, cut them down to 5’ x 3’, and then glue and screw them together.
Seal, if using wood
Most benches will be made from wood. Adding even one coat of polyurethane, like Polyurethane, to the entire bench surface will smooth out the wood, seal it from moisture, and improve the look. For the bench top, we recommend a few coats of sealant to prolong the life of this wood through years of exposure to solvents, gun oil, etc.
Put on weight – MUST DO
A key finding in my upfront research on bench building was that adding weight from the stuff you decide to store on or in your bench is critical to stability, especially if not bolting to a cinderblock wall or wood studs. In other words, design in places for your heavy gear and supplies.
Think about your press mounting.
If you're making your benchtop and attaching it to your frame, please consider your reloading press mounting. It's a good idea to use a piece of thick plywood under the bench when you bolt the press down to run the bolts through this extra plywood to help spread the load across the bar and stop the bolts from pulling through under pressure.
Pro tip: Use liquid nails when mounting your press. This helped attach my lag screws to the wood.
Utilise built-in shelving – MUST DO
Adding shelving below and above the benchtop is convenient for storage; please keep in mind the additional weight. The items I store on my bench weigh more than the bench itself. This extra weight adds rigidity to the frame and prevents flex when using your press.
Please look at what you will store on the bench and where you want it to be. It was worth ten minutes spent measuring bullet boxes, primer boxes, die boxes, etc. and building shelving to best fit my needs. You can see in the picture above that the die boxes and primer boxes slide in perfectly.
Mount to the wall, if possible
This is a simple and cheap way to add rigidity and strength to your workbench. Also, the bench won’t tend to pull towards you when pulling press handles.
Customise
The multi-level edge allows attachment of pretty much anything.
This is the only reloading bench that you will likely build. You can take plenty of time upfront to think about what you want. Add features to suit my needs:
Multi-Level Lip – Allows clamping accessories that would not fit on the full 1.5” lip of my bench top
Stain
Custom work height – Grab a friend and a tape measure. Stand up, grab your phone, and start typing a text –now pause and have your friend measure from the ground to the lower side of your wrists. This will be roughly the exact height measurement from the bottom to your elbow. You subtract 3-5 inches and build your bench to whatever height you measure. I am 6’2”, and I cannot express how much better it is to work on a 42” tall work surface than the 36” height I had been working on. My young back is already singing praises.
Recessed lower shelving enables me to use a stool and have my knees sit comfortably under the bench top. While the bench is 36” deep, the lower shelving starts at the back and only comes 24” toward the front, leaving a nice 12” open area for my legs. Again, your back is rejoicing.
Bench Don’ts
Overcomplicate the structure
Utilise a robust and unique frame setup.
Your uses, budget, patience, tools, and skill will determine how crazy your structure will be. Become an advocate for the K.I.S.S. model – Keep it Simple, Stupid.
Stain
While the stain adds personality to a bench, this step will take time and effort but is worth it.
Forget to update your model.
If you decide mid-build that a change is a good idea, do it! But you'll need to return to your reloading bench plan and make sure your epiphany will work (have a second party check your math/logic). If it DOES work, then you MUST update your model and delete the old one so that you aren’t referencing old data when you check the model.
See the ALL CAPS above? I may have made this mistake….. twice…. I was not a happy camper either time.
Forget to check your model often.
As mentioned, having a physical copy of your bench plans is recommended while building. If you cannot or choose not to do this, please check the plans regularly during the build to ensure you are on track and know your following measurements.
There you have it, the Dos and Don’ts of building a reloading workbench. Take your time and enjoy! Most reloaders are tinkerers by nature. Consider this a fun project for the next few months, and get into it. As with most things in life, you get out of it what you put into it.
*courtesy of ammoland.com