Back to the drawing board

[Kevin]

Back in time — pre Covid — I wanted a new reloading bench. I bought a Hornaday Progressive and just needed more space.

First, why is this important? It isn't, but while at Contender's he helped me buy a Dillon 750. Thanks again my friend! You have a way of getting me to spend money.

Anyway, I use my garage. In Dallas the weather is nice 10 months out of the year, so it's very pleasant to be in the garage.

So I bought one of those heavy duty shelving systems from Home Depot. Here's a picture. I did a good job building the bench. It's not coming apart without destroying the whole thing. And heavy. It doesn't move when I'm reloading.

But, as you can see the top bar, part of the structure only gives me 37 inches of room between the blue shelf and the top cross bar. The problem is, the Dillon is 40 some inches, plus a strong mount, making it almost 50 something.

Here's the picture. Yes I know it's a mess right now. I donated my Hornaday press and powder dispenser to my range so they could have a reloading room there at the range. Hopefully that works out.

I think what's going to happen is on the other side of the garage, I have a heavy oak desk our neighbor gave us when they moved. The nice neighbor, not the anti-social one. It's very nice, and solid, I hate to drill into it, but 4 holes isn't that many, right?

At least, today is a nice cool day, so my plan of attack is to get both the bench and desk cleared off and ready to mount the Dillon.

 

[Kevin]

It's getting there. I moved the desk closer to my reloading bench. Luckily it's Bulk Trash time again (each month) so some of this stuff is just going to get tossed. Like that pallet I thought I'd use. Not sure what for...

Like a spare dining room table. I think it's Maple and I just couldn't pass it up at a thrift store. But it's going back next week.

Anyway, here is the desk. I started to refinish it, and so I just put a coat of oil on the raw wood top. It looks pretty good, but I'm so sick and tired of oak. Perhaps someday I'll paint it.

Yes, I know the garage is a mess. In my defense when it's 110F outside, I don't really feel like cleaning a garage.

This is my Fall project. And what's better to do than document it here?

 

[contender]

I was wondering how high your bench was,, but now I understand the "height" issue. That cross support piece is just a wee bit in the way!

That desk should do the trick with the strong mount.

Hey,, you buying this machine kept me from buying it and doing a bunch of swapping stuff around here.

 

[jgt]

My first two loading benches were oak desks. They make fine loading benches.

 

[contender]

Hey,, who's garage ISN'T messy???

 

[JiminMaine]

My first reloading bench was an old solid-core door across a couple of sawhorses. This is my new one. It is constructed on a layer of 2x10s with a layer of 3/4" particle board screwed down to it and another layer of 3/4" particle board glued on top of that. Oak strip on the face and 5 coats of gym floor poly to finish it. I still use my old 1974 Lyman Spar-T and a newer RCBS Summit press.

It normally doesn't look like this, there is usually so much crap on it I have to clear it off before I can do any reloading.

 

[Aqualung]

@Kevin
As an alternate, couldn't you use something else or reconfigure that cross-brace? Something that could be bolted on and modified to give clearance for the Dillon?

I'm thinking some angle iron or pipe that can be bent (or pipe with threaded fittings) around the Dillon and then attached to both uprights.

Aqualung

 

[Randyzzz]

Kevin, I understand your frustration in defending a "full" workbench. It seems that any flat surface in the garage seems to magically fill itself over the course of a weekend or two.

We moved 11 months ago and I still have to build a reloading bench. I have the Hornady AmmoPlant. I'm still trying to decide if I want it inside in my office or out in the garage. There's no real good spot in either place- but the office is at least heated, cooled, and low humidity. But the size of the bench would be limited. Much more room in the garage- but hit in summer, cold in winter.

This was my setup ( before finishing) in my old shop. The shop was was 24 x 36.

My current garage is much tighter at 20 x 18.

 

[Johnnu2]

Kevin, your setup looks perfect to me....
Mine has been the same set-up and size thru four different homes over 50 years.... it has always worked for me without overdoing it.

 

[kmoore]

I learned many years ago that to get what I needed was to build it. Done that in 3 homes. The current bench is 12 feet long. I like to stand and be able to move left and right so bench is made tall. I have another (work on guns bench) 8 feet long, lower so I can work while looking down on the guns. while mounting scopes or sit on a stool to clean guns.
My builds are like this. Bench top 3/4 thick plywood ripped so it's 2ft by 8 ft. I glue and screw that together. Mount a 2x4 on the wall at height you want. It's mounted into the wall studs. Cut legs from 4x4s. Use another 2x4 across them. Mount plywood top with screws. Add shelfs for what you want to store on them. Figure spacing by your needs. Use 2x4s for support with double thickness ply as the shelf. Figure out where you want to mount presses. You can even mount them on 2x8s that you clamp to the bench if you want to move them.
Build shelving above bench if you want. Mine don't move, wiggle when using them. Shelfs below hold ammo and bullets to add weight. Ammo cans with bulk ammo and bulk lead stay on the floor under the bench.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm going to keep the Dillon on the Oak desk. That desk just couldn't be heavier, so it's a nice solid platform.

Plus this give me more space on my other reloading bench. I had the Hornaday there and it always felt too cramped.

I'll get it all cleaned up and put together and post an "after" picture.

 

[gjgalligan]

I have a piece of 5x5x1/2" angle iron mounted on the front of my bench to hold my loading press. If you did something simialar would that give you the nessary space for your Dillon?

 

[Kevin]

I have a piece of 5x5x1/2" angle iron mounted on the front of my bench to hold my loading press. If you did something simialar would that give you the nessary space for your Dillon?

Oh! Like a bump out section? Hadn't thought of that. Yes, something like that would work.

I'll give it some thought.

Thanks!

 

[GypsmJim]

Hey,, who's garage ISN'T messy???

Mine...

 

[contender]

Neither is my garage. Neat as a pin! Oh wait,, I don't HAVE a garage!

Clean set-up there Jim!

 

[Bullthrower338]

There is never enough room, my last house will have enough room!

 

[Mobuck]

My 'reloading area' looks like an ammo factory was hit by an earthquake.

 

[contender]

Mobuck,, your comment made me think of a few of the videos I've seen of Jerry Miculek's reloading area. It too looks quite "jumbled & erratic." When Miss Penny saw it,, she said; "That mess would make my head explode."
She likes things a bit more "organized."

 

[Kevin]

Nice setups Jim and Bullthrower!

The problem I've had with my garage is over the summer it's just so blasted hot! I store my powder and primers inside. I have a "special closet" Which sounds super funny. But powder and primers and ammo are all nice and dry and cool.


Now thankfully it's nice enough weather I can have the door open and clean it all up.

That's the plan anyway.

 

[the_leper_colony]

...The problem I've had with my garage is over the summer it's just so blasted hot! I store my powder and primers inside. I have a "special closet" Which sounds super funny. But powder and primers and ammo are all nice and dry and cool...

I used to live in Arizona (Phoenix area), and the only space I had for reloading or firearms projects was out in the garage (like you, I kept primers/propellant/ammo inside, in an air conditioned closet). Working out in the garage was ok for me, until the garage temp hit 99 or 100, and then I was done for the season. Having a basement in Arizona would have been ideal, but for some reason almost none of the houses have them (go figure).

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, etc.