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Bench For Reloading

2K views 27 replies 22 participants last post by  glockem2014 
#1 ·
I bought this woodworker bench from Harbor Freight as a separate workbench for my reloading shack. My primary presses are bolted to an existing workbench but there is always a need for a little more work space (rifle cleaning?). Given that this unit has drawers, it remains an exercise to prevent collisions with the press overhangs. I use Dillon Strong Mounts on all my presses so this is not a consideration. The presses could also be mounted on the other side of the bench, away from the drawers. This might be better if the user wanted to run a hose through the table to a trash can to catch primers.

https://www.harborfreight.com/60-inch-workbench-93454.html

Mine came with a bit of shipping damage and a little wood glue fixed up the problem areas. None of the damage was visible through the packaging, the packaging was perfect.

From time to time, newcomers ask about building a bench but, in my view, just buy this thing and be done with it. There's a bunch of drawer space for dies sets and other odds and ends as well as a bottom shelf. I wouldn't even think about putting 500# of bullets on the shelf but it will hold something. The table weighs about 100# so it should be fairly stable.

Mounting the vise is optional - I did. If it becomes a PITA, I'll just remove it.

I'm thinking about ordering another for my wood shop when I finally get around to setting it up again.
 
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#3 ·
I bought this woodworker bench from Harbor Freight as a separate workbench for my reloading shack.
https://www.harborfreight.com/60-inch-workbench-93454.html
Thanks for the tip & the link. Prices look very good.
Have you bought other items from Harbor?
Quality overall 1-10?
Looks pretty good let us know how it holds up. If you've got the tools and time it's quite easy to make one. I built mine for less than 20$
You gotta be a master craftsman!
It would cost me more than that in re-do's.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the tip & the link. Prices look very good.
Have you bought other items from Harbor?
Quality overall 1-10?

You gotta be a master craftsman!
It would cost me more than that in re-do's.
I wouldn't confuse this bench with one of the high priced and seriously elegant benches. There are some very nice benches in the $2-3k range and a few in the several hundred dollar range. This ain't one of them!

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/workbenches-hardware.aspx

I have bought a few items from Harbor Freight over the years and while I certainly don't consider their tools to be professional grade, I often wonder it just plain old 'homeowner grade' isn't adequate. All of my woodworking tools tend toward the high priced spread.

All I wanted was a table that wasn't too massive for the area and I didn't want to have to resurrect my wood shop to create it. And, frankly, I can't build much of anything for $160. I don't even have a source for clear dry lumber. All of the wood at the big box stores comes pre-shrunk and pre-warped.

I'm thinking that I might clamp down some oddball press or something. Maybe when I load .38 wadcutters on one of the unmounted 550s. Or, maybe I'll use it for cleaning guns. It also seems to be a good place for messing around with the primer flip tray and pickup tubes. There's always a need for a bit more space.

If the bench falls apart into a heap on the floor, I'll try to remember to add a post to this thread but I just don't see that happening.
 
#4 ·
With drawer hardware, you could barely build it for that. Adding plywood to the sides would stiffen it, keep stuff from falling out the bottom.
 
#8 ·
So did you use the 20% off coupon?
Never even thought about it. I'm not sure the coupons work for online orders but, truth be known, I still wouldn't have thought of it. I don't buy enough from Harbor Freight to keep track of that kind of thing.
 
#10 ·
I have a HF within walking distance. Since I have a wood shop too, I'm a frequent flyer there. I have had the dust collector in my shop for over 10 years - had to bypass a crap switch and wire a regular switch, but works very well. A number of things I steer clear of, others actually work very well. I had a large set of Pittsberg sockets on the farm and didn't break, not even on tractor lugs using an impact.

My overall point is that I see that wooden bench in there all the time and have thought of it for the same reason. If space wasn't as much of a commodity as it is, I'd own one for the same reason.
 
#11 ·
I too have been intrigued as well with that desk but I built a rather large bench for reloading. It shares my leather working as well, not to mention gun maintenance. I really don't need it so, I've passed.

As for HF, they are hit or miss! I had some Pittsburgh tools that stripped with tight bolts. Some are really good and others are a waste of money, like their portable battery chargers!
 
#12 ·
80.00 in mine. piece of cake to build. Went to lumber yard and picked up 3 12"x8' glue lam beams along with some scrap 4"x4" post. bench ended up being 3' x7', 42" tall. I put the beams side by side, drilled holes all the way thru and installed 3' threaded rods and nuts to tighten them up. Sanded the top, installed a sheet of 3/4" plywood on top with an epoxy finish.
 
#14 ·
I just received the HF sale flyer today it has the Windsor Bench on sale for I think $129.00 maybe even less.

I have one that I've used as a gun cleaning station for about a year. It is one of those things that HF sells that is a good quality at a great price. The only thing I don't like about it are the drawer slides. Some day I'm going to replace them with something better. If I didn't already have a solid and functional handoading bench and I needed one in a hurry I would use one of these without hesitation. They are well built and solid and actually look good.
 
#17 ·
I built my "load lab" from mostly left over lumber from other projects. I did finish it with clear poly to make it look "not so throwed together". When I moved it in this 6' x 5' closet off of my man cave 20 odd years ago I had plenty of room. Now not so much.LOL
Shelving Shelf Retail Collection Plastic
Shelving Shelf Retail Collection Plastic
 
#18 ·
I wish I had as much room as some of you guys. I have a corner of one room. I bought an inexpensive tool stand at Harbor Freight, made a thick plywood top, and positioned it so that the mounting bolts of my press (LCT) straddle one of the top supports. It is sturdy, but I wish it was heavier.
 
#21 ·
My only advice is you need to bolt that bench to the wall in the rear. Use a couple good size angle irons and 7/16" lag bolts into the bottom of the bench and the studs in your wall. It will add much needed rigidity to your loading bench which will make it easier on the resizing operations but also have the added benefit of making everything more stable and you will benefit from more precise powder drops from a bench that doesn't vibrate and move around every time you touch something. You may think this doesn't matter. It does. You can thank me later...
 
#23 ·
I bought two wooden kitchen cabinets at the local Marden's salvage store. Drawer on top, and swing open door on bottom. Set them about 3 feet apart and then put a 2x8 "top" on them, and covered the 2x8s with 1/2 in hardwood plywood. Little bit of sanding and poly for a smooth finish, a 1/2 round edge to keep things on the table top, a 8 inch backboard and I was in business. Maybe 200 bucks and some time. Didn't need to bolt it to the wall studs until i got the RCBS BMG press...that baby needs some torque!!
Mounted my various presses and swagers on sections of 2x12s, and made an angle iron jig on the bench to slide them in and out.
 
#27 ·
I am an amateur woodworker and like making sawdust so I built two benches. One is bolted to the wall and dedicated to reloading and other stuff and made from 2x6’s with a hard rubber top (smooth truck mud flaps) that is nearly indestructible. I probably have $50 in this bench. Other posters are right you only need a small spot to reload. The bench is 6’ long and 24” wide and I think I only use about 18” x 18” area for the press, bullets, and empty cases during the reloading process. What takes space is all the “stuff” I seem to need. Containers of clean and dirty brass, tools, micrometer, case gauges, primer trays, primer tubes, and the list goes on.

The wood bench is 6’ x 20” and made from cheap 2x4’s set on edge laminated together (top is 3.5” thick) with extremely solid legs a wide jaw woodworkers vice and dog holes. It has a heavy duty two drawer filing cabinet I got for free built in between the legs and is mounted on retractable casters. Between the thick top and heavy legs it does not wiggle and with the drawers full of tools it must weigh close to 400 lbs. I have less than $250 including the heavy duty casters and two weekends of my time in this bench.
Wood Hardwood Cabinetry Drawer Home appliance


I am setup so I can put the Dillon digital powder scale on the wood bench right behind me and the press right in front of me and I sit on a swiveling shop stool to reload.

Box Baggage Plastic Gadget Cylinder
 
#28 ·
I wish. I reload on my kitchen table. Good thing I'm single. I know about the bench you have. Maybe someday. As long as it is fairly solid. Loads will be more consistent that way. I clamp the strong mount down to the kitchen table with C-clamps and just crank 'em out. O well.
 
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