Would it be possible to build a reloading stand from PVC?

Would it be possible to build a reloading stand from PVC?

The light weight would make it portable. But what material would you use for the top?

Why am I asking this? It is December and here in Houston the temperature is still in the 80s! That garage is hot!
FYI: I do prefer standing while reloading. Sitting while reloading makes these old joints stiff.

It could be done using some larger sized pvc pipe. It may take some extra bracing to keep it steady though. The top could be anything that doesn't have a lot of flex to it, 3-4 inch plywood or mdf, hardwood planks, or a piece of UHMW (the type on butcher tables) would work

eagle60 wrote:It could be done using some larger sized pvc pipe.

How big? 4 inch diameter?

I imagine that would work. I would want to use a thick walled pipe like schedule40 that is more rigid than the thin wall stuff. I've never built one out of pvc ( and therefore have no basis for comparison) but if you get enough of it in the right places it might work.

I think that pvc could cause issues. The main reason for bolting to a bench is the rigidity like eagle spoke of. You would not want any movement when pulling down your handle. I would think that heavier would be better. It would be possible to build a steel pipe table and add some wheeled system like they use for stools at the part stores. The ones that you can lock the wheels down to roll it out and lock them up to stabilize the platform so it sits on the legs not the wheels.

IDAce wrote:It would be possible to build a steel pipe table and ....

How about aluminum? Being lighter is a plus.

Personally , I think there would be too much flex with pvc. I am getting ready to order myself a hand press for portability.

What I use for all 3 of my progressive press's, is a tool stand from HF. It works great!!!

EdgarEg wrote:How about aluminum? Being lighter is a plus.

I think it would work. If you can get strength out of a lighter material you can always throw a sandbag or cinder block on the bottom to hold it down. The flex that Daywalker is talking about is the issue I see with pvc. You want to make sure that every pull is effective and consistent. Think your only limitations are stability and your imagination.

Sure ,flexing is a bad thing ... but the static-shock and gunpowder should have a pucker effect ...

http://www.sparkbangbuzz.com/els/stat-gen-el.htm

Daywalker wrote:What I use for all 3 of my progressive press's, is a tool stand from HF. It works great!!!

Is this the one you use?

http://www.atgreloading.com/t1895-can-a-body-make-a-reloading-stand-out-of-this-harbor-freight-tools-grinder-bench

No, The universal tool stand. I have 3 progressive press's mounted to it. 2 Dillon Square B's and a Hornady LnL......

http://www.harborfreight.com/universal-tool-stand-46075.html



I bought my tops at Home Depot. Pretty thick board. I paid alot for the tops. I want t say close to 1"??

I will go down to the shop and get a picture. I thought I had placed a picture on this forum. Let me check here first and link ya...

This picture only shows 2 of the press's. I was waiting for my other dillon to be returned. It is mounted across from th first blue machine...
Here is a link to the thread. Not sure if there is another picture of this or not.

http://www.atgreloading.com/t1648-wife-is-happy-i-am-out-of-the-house

There is enough room for a 4th press if I wanted one. I have 2 of these stands. I will be putting a board for a bottom shelf soon...

On that grinder stand, I don't see why it won't work. Lee sells a stand identical to that for a press. Only different, they won't way too much money. They have a shelf for a cinder block under theirs to keep it steady... If your just using one single stage, it should work or you no problem at all....

The nice thing about your stand Tommy is that if it is moving you can mount it to the floor. Can't really tell but is yours fixed to the floor?

I know this is not what the OP wants but this is how I mounted mine. Excuse the mess I am kind of a slob.

The stand in the picture wasn't in it's place at the time of the picture. Now it is where I want it. I did mount the legs to the floor so that there is no movement at all. The second stand, I am going to do some rearranging and mount my RC on it so that I can start swaging again for my .357. I have another RCBS press that is presently being refurbished by me and it will go where the RC was....

Yes if you used double wall pipe and use 2x6 for the top. You might want to bolt it to the wall.