Finally built my reloading bench!

[sentry1]

This thing took me a full day of fitting, gluing, clamping, screwing and hoisting stuff into place, but I got it done!

60"x30" bench top made from a 1 3/4" solid core door blank, two 60"x16" shelves made from another door blank. Framing made with 2x4s. This is one heavy bastard! I found some heavy duty chemical resistant industrial epoxy at Home Depot that I'll use to coat the work surface.

The legs are the 2x4 Basics workbench kit. Pretty sturdy once everything is screwed in. All in all, a workbench that's exactly what I wanted, and came in pretty cheap too, since the door blanks were even cheaper than plywood.

Now to finally get all my ammo and tools off the dinner table, at which point I can strip and refinish the dinner table.

 

[fx77]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Nicely done...

 

[insight3b]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Very nice and it looks like it will handle any task

 

[maclowry]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Looks good

 

[High Binder]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Nice but way too small!

 

[Cproflow]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Looks solid...I've wondered how those kit legs will work for a bench. Let us know how they work out for you.

 

[WyoJoe]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Looks good.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Hah! Is a workbench ever big enough? I almost went the full 80"x32" of the full size door blanks, but that would've taken up too much room. This is all in my extra bedroom, which does occasionally serve as the guest room when friends come in from out of town.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice but way too small! </div></div>

 

[flashhole]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Not too small. You can move it to the center of the room to give you access to all sides like I did. I used floor and stair paint on mine. It dried like enamel.

 

[DanGuy48]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

You have 2 Ultramags??????? How does that work?

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: High Binder</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice but way too small! </div></div>

I'm afraid the Binder is right. I have that size downstairs, worked for awhile. Moved to the garage, a 8'x25" bench, mounted a press, never loaded a round, it was too small.

I went the flashhole dirction, I have a 3'x6' free standing table, 3 presses mounted, all prep stuff underneath for storage. On casters and wired for elec. If you have the room, this is the way to fly!
Hell, I can clean 3 guns at a time, all in cradles on it.

Get some cupboards, storage is a premium!!

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sentry1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hah! Is a workbench ever big enough? </div></div>

Truer words have never been spoken.

Next house I buy will have enough room in the back yard for a "Mother In Law" house. I figure at least 500 sq feet or so should be approaching "enough room". Plenty of heat/AC and sound system too.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

Right now I'm using my extra bedroom as my 'hobby room', it's about 10'x13'. I didn't want to make this sucker too big, since I live in a 3rd floor walkup.

I can't argue about space, as soon as I got everything out of the living room and loaded onto the bench, I realized I need to pull out the shelving kit that came with the legs and build up a couple of shelves too.

I'll probably add some stone tiles to one side of the bench, as insulation for when I anneal my cases. And a shelf is going on the opposite side of the room to keep powder and primers away from the annealing.

 

[sentry1]

Re: Finally built my reloading bench!

TADA! The epoxy clear coat is done! Well, it's set. I'm going to let it cure for another 24 hours before I start loading stuff back on. 2-part, self leveling epoxy, a breeze to use and apply. Hopefully it's as heavy duty as they say. It looks like I've got about a 1/16" layer built up. Only used a 1quart kit, I thought I was going to need 2 quarts.

The little blue dots are where I masked the screw heads with tape, in case I ever need to get them out.

And because I'll be a Jarhead till my last breath, I found a strip of iron-on symbols from boot camp (yea, I'm old enough to have gotten those!) I added this under the clear coat.