Reloading Bench ideas

Hey guys i need some help as of now my reloading stuff is in the basement of my grandfathers house ( right next door) but the thing keeps flooding and all the moister is ruining my stuff went down to reload tues and all my lee trim collets where rusted like crazy so i gotta move here is the problem i live in a singlewide and have no extra room so my idea is im gonna eithor build or buy (whatevers cheaper) one of those lee quick attach kits where i can slide my press on and off and build me a little table that i can keep under my bed when ever i want to load i can just pull it out and set it up and load in the kitchen or whatever i know it sucks not to have a loading room but its all i got for now! so what i need from yall are ideas and pictures if you got em on some ideas for a portable storable loading bench! my idea is a 24x24 or so top with 4 folding legs but im not sure how sturdy it will be! i also thought of making like a 3 piece pedistol type where i can just disasymple it if you got any ideas please let me know i gotta get this done soon or im gonna be replacing alot of stuff!

I was in your shoes for many years. I solved my problem by building a wood box kind of like a foot locker that the military uses. I mounted a steel plate under and on top sandwiching the wood that I mounted my press to and using wing nuts I would take and mount and dismount my press when I was done I would just put every thing back in the box. it was cramped and kinda sucked but worked pretty good actually.

A folding leg i think would be wobbly....maybe you could use threaded studs with wingnuts to hold the legs onto the framing of the bench top?

what about an "ironing board" type of bench? one that hinges from the wall?

I don't now how sturdy it would be but how about heavy galvanized plumbing pipe or something like it with flange bracket that you could screw the pipe into for legs. mount this on some 3/4 ply and it should be sturdy enough. You could always sandwich plywood for a sturdier top and have a piece for the bottom if it is wobbly.

I know you mentioned the kitchen, Do you have a table with a leaf insert? maybe you could use that to bolt things to then store that under the bed? Just a thought. I like the ironing board idea though! Interesting.

Do you have a counter top in your kitchen, that you could clamp a piece of plywood to and mount the press to that. Or possibly use a window sill with a 2x6 screwed to.
No matter what you use anything is better than nothing. I personally would try to make whatever you use as solid as possible.
Tripples

I built a small table for my bedroom. It was not stable at all. I went into the cellar and made sure there was no wiring/plumbing among the joists. I then proceeded to drive two 1/2" x 10" lags with my 1/2" impact wrench, positively anchoring the bench to the floor. Problem solved.

It sounds like you might be dealing with something that has to be more moveable. Have you thought about buying a piece of large angle steel (18" long, 8" x 1/4"). If you had one of these pieces, you could simply drive two lag studs (it's a lag on one end, a machine thread on the end sticking out of the wall), one into each stud in your wall. With these two protruding studs, you could set the angle steel over them and put on two wing nuts, securing the shelf-shaped steel in place, then affix your press to it.

When removed, the only evidence of a reloading operation will be two small studs sticking out of the wall, (that you can cover with ornaments or some kind of spousal trinkets).

you could also bolt a large piece of framing to the steel... for a bigger work surface.

If you don't load a lot of semi-auto ,get a lee hand press and set your scales on the kitchen table

george457d wrote:If you don't load a lot of semi-auto ,get a lee hand press and set your scales on the kitchen table

i was serously considering the same thing midway has them for 30 bucks! it would get me through until i get something build i plan on building a shop outside that may be my best bet!
i got another idea tonight at work i have an old card table with metal folding legs i think im gonna try to take off the legs reinforce the top with 2x8s and plywood and reinstall the legs it could slide under my couch or bed i may try that and if its not stable enough get a handloader!
there has been alot of good ideas here thanks guys!

2 pieces of exhaust pipe, the bottom of a old metal desk chair, scrap metal for top, and a nut and bolt and spray paint. I have a old tv stand that I keep my other stuff on. I'll try and get more pictures soon.

momma is gonna be pissed when she sees you using her figurine to prop up your press

lol

that looks really good thanks !!

problem solved!

I have 2 of them and have used them for years. Sit in front of the TV and resize till your heart is content. Prime, powder and bullet seating, turn off the TV.

I use my bench mounted presses when I am doing lots of ammo.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=lee+hand+press+reloading+kit&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7382920176107075495&sa=X&ei=aFcLT6rYEtLLtgfK653ACg&ved=0CEsQ8wIwAA

That's pretty cool!

algunjunkie wrote:

problem solved!

I have 2 of them and have used them for years. Sit in front of the TV and resize till your heart is content. Prime, powder and bullet seating, turn off the TV.

I use my bench mounted presses when I am doing lots of ammo.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=lee+hand+press+reloading+kit&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7382920176107075495&sa=X&ei=aFcLT6rYEtLLtgfK653ACg&ved=0CEsQ8wIwAA

yea thats what i was talking about getting how do they would on rifle brass is it long enough?

yea they will do rifle brass if your hoss enough.

where do the spent primers go? is there an ejection hole or do they just pop out wherever

You aim the spent primer discharge hole at your child when he interrupts your tv watching!

Just saw this grinder stand on sale at harbour freight for & 29.95. It looks very sturdy and may fit under the bed.

http://www.harborfreight.com/garage-shop/workbench/bench-grinder-pedestal-68321.html

why not just mount your press to a piece of 2 x 8 or 10 and get those clamps then you can just use your kitchen table.
http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/1584/Bora-Quick-Grip-Bar-Clamps

Reload3006 wrote:why not just mount your press to a piece of 2 x 8 or 10 and get those clamps then you can just use your kitchen table.

If he is not married he may have a chance. If I tried to clamp something to my kitchen table I would have to hide under it when my wife found me.

Sasquatch-1 wrote:

Reload3006 wrote:why not just mount your press to a piece of 2 x 8 or 10 and get those clamps then you can just use your kitchen table.

If he is not married he may have a chance. If I tried to clamp something to my kitchen table I would have to hide under it when my wife found me.

LOL who wears the pants in your family. LOL as long as you pad it so it doesn't mar anything up no worries. unless you leave a mess for her to clean up then .... well maybe you should make friends with Fido LOL and besides it won't hurt me a bit when she gives you a whoopn LOL

My vote would be the hand press. A friend of mine lived in a single wide. He had a wooden box that he kept his stuff in. He would slide them out into the living room, sit in recliner and do everything from there.

Plus, when you go camping, take it with you, shtf, toss it in a bag. Go to your range and work up your loads right there at the table your shooting form. Very versatile...

dartfreak75 wrote:where do the spent primers go? is there an ejection hole or do they just pop out wherever

They go into the ram. You gotta turn it up-side-down and empty it every 50 or so primers. And be careful not to spill it when it is not empty.