[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by DAB

what is it? i presume the dark, horizontal work on the bench (and not the bench itself).

helping a friend this week build a reloading bench. have the basic design sketched out, need to finalize dimensions, buy lumber, and then build it.

Originally Posted by DAB

in that case, i'll try to take pics this week, and later post them with basic dimensions (which can be changed, depending on needs and space available).

i've built 2 reloading benches, gave my dad input on his too.

basics: this assumes you will be sitting in a standard chair. height is about 30". you will need a plywood top, at least 3/4" thick (mine is double 1/2", so 1" total), with a 4x4 under that to attach your press too. make sure the 4x4 is well attached to the top, there is a lot of force and torque involved. after that, you can make it as deep or as wide as you see fit. mine has some scrap laminate on the plywood, makes cleanup real easy. other tools can be screwed directly to the plywood top as needed (powder measure, case trimmer, bullet swage - if you cast lead bullets). and it's nice to have some shelves for all the other stuff, so you don't have a clogged bench top - dies, bullets, primers, empty cases, manuals, other small tools. i keep powder in a fire proof safe nearby.

Here's my reloading bench. Six 4x4 legs and the upper "outer" frame is 2x4's. On top on the 4x4s are 2x4's laying flat. That allows you to screw the top down without any extra holes.
The lower shelf is 2x4's on the inside and plywood for the shelf.

The top is a solid core door cut down to "reach across" width.

The shelving is 5/4 x 8 all screwed together. It is attached to either end.

It disassembles for moving because when I built it, we were at the other house and I knew we would be moving shortly.