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nooch13
XSergeant
Rating: 3.0/5 this site
297 posts this site
Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
So I'm about to build a new 8'x8' corner bench in my garage. It will serve as a reloading station and a work bench. What height and top material would be ideal. I was thinking 3/4 ply?
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padom
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.8/5 this site
3050 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016 Last edited 12/27/2016 by padom
3/4 ply alone won't do it. I combine 3/4 oak plywood with 3/4mdf glued and screwed from the bottom so no screws in your surface top. Makes for a heavy duty solid bench top. Ive built 3 benches in my reloading room this way. I use cedar 4x4 posts, 2x6 framing and bolt everything together. Screw top to frame from bottom with proper length screws to secure top to base. Super heavy and rock solid. I then sand and stain then apply 5 coats of oil based sealer.
Rate now:
MtCreekXFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
3080 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
Screws from the bottom is a good idea, wish I would have thought of it... I did 3/4 ply x 2, liquid nails and screws (from top) on a grid.
Rate now:
jakefreeseX47 MONTHS
Premium Member
First Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
1191 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016 Last edited 12/27/2016 by jakefreese
1.75" laminated maple top
grizzly.com/search?q=(maple)
Rate now:
MtCreekXFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
3080 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
For height, do you want to sit, stand or both? I built mine to be comfortable standing and use a drafting chair for sitting.
Rate now:
padom
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.8/5 this site
3050 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
Rate now:
nooch13
XSergeant
Rating: 3.0/5 this site
297 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
Thanks guys. I will double the 3/4 ply with liquid nails between...or would 2x6's with say 24" on center framing work better?
I plan to sit if I can...
Rate now:
padom
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.8/5 this site
3050 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016 Last edited 12/27/2016 by padom
(1 vote)
The reason I went with 3/4 oak ply and 3/4 MDF doubled up is because the MDF is much cheaper per 4x8 sheet than the Oak ply. Unless your buying standard ply and not finishing it.... Knots, peeling layers and some warping is the reason I did not use standard plywood. They have some nice beach and oak sheets but I went with Oak because its harder.
Here's some pictures of my reloading benches. The light Oak colored one is the first bench I built a few years ago. Its held up nicely and brought it from my old house when I moved last fall. That sucked to move! The Darker stained bench I built over the summer for a dedicated Dillon bench. I love this bench and wish I went with the dark color on the first bench. I did my 10'x3' workbench in the garage in this same color. Looks like a piece of furniture. The other 2 benches in my room were never intended for reloading benches, was going to put shelving their. It since has turned into a dedicated decapping and bullet pulling and Annealing bench on the one and the 6' fold out table has become a SS tumbling, gun cleaning and gun building table. Because of this the unfinished bench is sliding down and taking place of the folding table and I built another bench identical to the Dillon bench in the garage. Just have to get around to staining and clearing it which takes about a week in the summer time with drying and sanding between coats. Who knows in this cold weather how long it will take but Im in no rush. I also added a shelf to the bottom of my benches for additional storage. Make sure you put it up off the floor high enough that you can slide stuff like bins under the shelf on the floor as well.
Rate now:
BrettdecXSergeant
Rating: 3.1/5 this site
114 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016
I recommend a tall height that will allow you to either stand or sit on a bar stool. I am 6'1, so my bench is 42" tall. Standing is the way to go for progressive reloading if you really want to get something done. You will find yourself shifting your balance like a boxer in order to get your hand motions perfected and avoid fatigue.
Try searching for a good deal on reclaimed bowling alley section for the top material. It makes an amazing work bench if you want to invest in something special. I freaking love mine.
A really smart move is to leave 23" above the lower shelf to accommodate 22-⅞" kennedy tool drawers. Leave 7" below shelf to accept items like akro bins and pelican 1750's. Even if you don't own those items now, you may be glad they fit later. Makes for a class A setup.
I am also glad that I wrapped the whole bench in trim to create a ⅜" berm to prevent small parts from rolling off.
Also, build it with moving in mind. Being able to disassemble mine made life much easier.
Rate now:
fursniper
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
1131 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016 Last edited 12/29/2016 by fursniper
The absolutely best top for your reloading bench are solid core door blanks. Avaliable in different sizes from Home Depot and other big box type building supply stores. Most people don't even know what they are or that they exist but they make a super stiff and strong surface for all types of work benches. Check them out. With 4"x4" legs and a 2"x4" base frame, I could have elephants walk across the top of mine without any movement whatsoever. Much easier than trying to double up on plywood and other laminates and stiffer as well.
Rate now:
predatornutXSergeant
Rating: 3.0/5 this site
321 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016
Since you say it will be used as a work bench, I would say around 42". That is where mine is and I like it. I usually stand but I have a bar stool to sit on if I feel like it. I find it difficult to work on projects (wood working, auto) while sitting down.
I got the plans for mine on the internet.
It is a single layer of 3/4 plywood with a 2X6 flat along the front.
Rate now:
GhengisAhn175XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.4/5 this site
2528 posts this site
Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016 Last edited 12/28/2016 by GhengisAhn175
Here's my set up
Don't put plywood together stick with a solid core.
My first bench was plywood and I didn't like it.
Rate now:
jim10801XCorporal
Rating: 0.0/5 this site
64 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/29/2016
What he said ^^^^^^
Rate now:
GenochristXFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.6/5 this site
2133 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/29/2016 Last edited 12/29/2016 by Genochrist
Butcher block top works pretty good. That's what my most recent one is. My last one and my current project bench were oak 2x12 tongue and groved together with a 3/8 hdf top; rock solid. Here's my current one.
[IMG2=JSON]{"alt":" photo EB01F65E-FCBB-4172-A979-8CF9AE81F94C.jpg","data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i266.photobucket.com\/albums\/ii267\/genogunsmithing\/Mobile%20Uploads\/2016-10\/EB01F65E-FCBB-4172-A979-8CF9AE81F94C.jpg"}[/IMG2]
XSergeant
Rating: 3.0/5 this site
297 posts this site
Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
So I'm about to build a new 8'x8' corner bench in my garage. It will serve as a reloading station and a work bench. What height and top material would be ideal. I was thinking 3/4 ply?
Rate now:
padom
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.8/5 this site
3050 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016 Last edited 12/27/2016 by padom
3/4 ply alone won't do it. I combine 3/4 oak plywood with 3/4mdf glued and screwed from the bottom so no screws in your surface top. Makes for a heavy duty solid bench top. Ive built 3 benches in my reloading room this way. I use cedar 4x4 posts, 2x6 framing and bolt everything together. Screw top to frame from bottom with proper length screws to secure top to base. Super heavy and rock solid. I then sand and stain then apply 5 coats of oil based sealer.
Rate now:
MtCreekXFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
3080 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
Screws from the bottom is a good idea, wish I would have thought of it... I did 3/4 ply x 2, liquid nails and screws (from top) on a grid.
Rate now:
jakefreeseX47 MONTHS
Premium Member
First Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
1191 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016 Last edited 12/27/2016 by jakefreese
1.75" laminated maple top
grizzly.com/search?q=(maple)
Rate now:
MtCreekXFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
3080 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
For height, do you want to sit, stand or both? I built mine to be comfortable standing and use a drafting chair for sitting.
Rate now:
padom
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.8/5 this site
3050 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
MtCreek wrote:
For height, do you want to sit, stand or both? I built mine to be comfortable standing and use a drafting chair for sitting.
I did the same but have 3 leather high Island/bar seats with backsFor height, do you want to sit, stand or both? I built mine to be comfortable standing and use a drafting chair for sitting.
Rate now:
nooch13
XSergeant
Rating: 3.0/5 this site
297 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016
Thanks guys. I will double the 3/4 ply with liquid nails between...or would 2x6's with say 24" on center framing work better?
I plan to sit if I can...
Rate now:
padom
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.8/5 this site
3050 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/27/2016 Last edited 12/27/2016 by padom
(1 vote)
The reason I went with 3/4 oak ply and 3/4 MDF doubled up is because the MDF is much cheaper per 4x8 sheet than the Oak ply. Unless your buying standard ply and not finishing it.... Knots, peeling layers and some warping is the reason I did not use standard plywood. They have some nice beach and oak sheets but I went with Oak because its harder.
Here's some pictures of my reloading benches. The light Oak colored one is the first bench I built a few years ago. Its held up nicely and brought it from my old house when I moved last fall. That sucked to move! The Darker stained bench I built over the summer for a dedicated Dillon bench. I love this bench and wish I went with the dark color on the first bench. I did my 10'x3' workbench in the garage in this same color. Looks like a piece of furniture. The other 2 benches in my room were never intended for reloading benches, was going to put shelving their. It since has turned into a dedicated decapping and bullet pulling and Annealing bench on the one and the 6' fold out table has become a SS tumbling, gun cleaning and gun building table. Because of this the unfinished bench is sliding down and taking place of the folding table and I built another bench identical to the Dillon bench in the garage. Just have to get around to staining and clearing it which takes about a week in the summer time with drying and sanding between coats. Who knows in this cold weather how long it will take but Im in no rush. I also added a shelf to the bottom of my benches for additional storage. Make sure you put it up off the floor high enough that you can slide stuff like bins under the shelf on the floor as well.
Rate now:
BrettdecXSergeant
Rating: 3.1/5 this site
114 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016
I recommend a tall height that will allow you to either stand or sit on a bar stool. I am 6'1, so my bench is 42" tall. Standing is the way to go for progressive reloading if you really want to get something done. You will find yourself shifting your balance like a boxer in order to get your hand motions perfected and avoid fatigue.
Try searching for a good deal on reclaimed bowling alley section for the top material. It makes an amazing work bench if you want to invest in something special. I freaking love mine.
A really smart move is to leave 23" above the lower shelf to accommodate 22-⅞" kennedy tool drawers. Leave 7" below shelf to accept items like akro bins and pelican 1750's. Even if you don't own those items now, you may be glad they fit later. Makes for a class A setup.
I am also glad that I wrapped the whole bench in trim to create a ⅜" berm to prevent small parts from rolling off.
Also, build it with moving in mind. Being able to disassemble mine made life much easier.
Rate now:
fursniper
XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.3/5 this site
1131 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016 Last edited 12/29/2016 by fursniper
The absolutely best top for your reloading bench are solid core door blanks. Avaliable in different sizes from Home Depot and other big box type building supply stores. Most people don't even know what they are or that they exist but they make a super stiff and strong surface for all types of work benches. Check them out. With 4"x4" legs and a 2"x4" base frame, I could have elephants walk across the top of mine without any movement whatsoever. Much easier than trying to double up on plywood and other laminates and stiffer as well.
Rate now:
predatornutXSergeant
Rating: 3.0/5 this site
321 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016
Since you say it will be used as a work bench, I would say around 42". That is where mine is and I like it. I usually stand but I have a bar stool to sit on if I feel like it. I find it difficult to work on projects (wood working, auto) while sitting down.
I got the plans for mine on the internet.
It is a single layer of 3/4 plywood with a 2X6 flat along the front.
Rate now:
GhengisAhn175XFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.4/5 this site
2528 posts this site
Bench height/thickness
12/28/2016 Last edited 12/28/2016 by GhengisAhn175
Here's my set up
Don't put plywood together stick with a solid core.
My first bench was plywood and I didn't like it.
Rate now:
jim10801XCorporal
Rating: 0.0/5 this site
64 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/29/2016
What he said ^^^^^^
Rate now:
GenochristXFirst Sergeant
Rating: 3.6/5 this site
2133 posts this site
Re: Bench height/thickness
12/29/2016 Last edited 12/29/2016 by Genochrist
Butcher block top works pretty good. That's what my most recent one is. My last one and my current project bench were oak 2x12 tongue and groved together with a 3/8 hdf top; rock solid. Here's my current one.
[IMG2=JSON]{"alt":" photo EB01F65E-FCBB-4172-A979-8CF9AE81F94C.jpg","data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i266.photobucket.com\/albums\/ii267\/genogunsmithing\/Mobile%20Uploads\/2016-10\/EB01F65E-FCBB-4172-A979-8CF9AE81F94C.jpg"}[/IMG2]
