Construction of Reloading Bench

[Scarlett Pistol]

If there’s one thing I can appreciate it is over engineering everything, especially reloading and work benches! You, sir, are a man after my same efforts of overkill.

[romukom]

Looking good! It looks like you have plenty of room. I can't wait to see everything set up.

[Duke Nukem]

Thanks all!  I'm going to go ahead and post as I make progress; partly to show what I'm doing, but mostly in hopes that any errors in my ways or room for improvements can be identified.  It's nice to feel I've got experts looking over my shoulder to keep me on the straight and narrow!   

[SoCal]

This is an alternative to individual outlets. Comes in a variety of lengths, dual circuits, etc.
It's non-metallic so it never rust and holds up well to heavy use.

https://www.hubbell.com/wiringdevice-kellems/en/Products/Electrical-Electronic/WireCableHose-Management/Raceway/Non-Metallic-Raceway/PlugTrak/PT155112/p/1530197

[Duke Nukem]

This is an alternative to individual outlets. Comes in a variety of lengths, dual circuits, etc.
It's non-metallic so it never rust and holds up well to heavy use.

Thanks for the suggestion, SoCal! 

[Duke Nukem]

I've got a cabinet built for storage over one end, just test fitting here, door has been assembled but not attached:



The press has been mounted, but I overlooked the fact that there is supposed to be a tube connected to the bottom of the ram to catch spent primers.  If I'm going to use it I'll have to bore a hole through the bench, so it'll need to come back off:

[M1A4ME]

If you have a small piece of PVC or conduit, cut it so that it fits up against the bottom of the ram so you can raise the handle, push the PVC/pipe down till it contacts the bench top and then draw your circle around the PVC/pipe.  That should put the hole right where it needs to be when you put the press back on it.

You'll like that press.  I don't use mine as a progressive, I do use it to reload every caliber I own.  Comes in handy to be able to set the dies up in that disc and easily rotate the disk to the die you need when you run across an empty that needs the case mouth belled, or you need just a few more cases to finish off a box of ammo or a box of bullets and you can grab some brass, size it, bell it, prime it and load it without having to remove one die to install/use another.

And, the hose will fall off the bottom of the ram.  Eventually it will split, too.  I finally clamped the hose to the ram with a small gas line clamp. 

Since I'm now in the new shed with the press mounted to the big bench I've wondered about tying to find a piece of PVC pipe/tube that I could clamp to the bottom of that ram.  Get it the right length and get the right plastic jug/jar under it and the tube/pipe could raise/lower with the ram travel and never raise up high enough to "lose" spent primers outside the jar.

[Duke Nukem]

Thanks, M1A4ME.  I got the hole bored, chose to go 1" diameter, so it's a loose fit but I got lucky and it's centered.  That's not surprising that the spent primer tube will need attention later, no big deal, though.  I went with this press on the advice of a friend out west that does a lot of reloading, I was heading for a progressive press until he talked some sense into me!  As a beginner, I think this was a good choice, and it may be all I ever need.  I've been surprised to learn that lots of old time reloaders are satisfied using single stage presses.

  I got all the cabinet parts fit, they're now getting some stain and will soon get a clear coat.  Next on the agenda is to build a low shelf for the bullets, I don't want to load the cabinet with too much weight.  Nothing photo worthy right now.  I had hoped to get some rounds loaded up this month, but the holidays are approaching quickly. 

[Duke Nukem]

So I'm heading out the door today and my wife says "hold on, here's something to throw away".  It was an old foot massager thing that wasn't seeing any use.  I think, hmm, wonder if there's any parts I can use.  After looking at it, I think there might be a vibratory cleaner here- this thing is designed to shake a bunch of water around and numb your feet, so it might just be able to handle some brass and media . . . crazy?  The motor has two offset weights to get things rattling.



I threw some brass in and watched it circulate around, looks promising:



I think I'll try it out as is with a bag of rice (either outdoors or with a cover fixed on somehow), if it doesn't work out I'll rig up a more conventional bowl shape and see how that does.  Funny, I wanted to buy a vibratory cleaner, but my fun-with-things-that-go-bang budget has been stretched lately so I was going to have to delay the purchase.

[Wobbly]

Might need to make a label to cover the "Foot Fixer"... the "Brass Brightener".   

[Duke Nukem]

Might need to make a label to cover the "Foot Fixer"... the "Brass Brightener".   

Good idea!  I was thinking either Ammo Brite or Brass-O-Matic. 

Need to test it first to see how it works.

[eastman]

Might need to make a label to cover the "Foot Fixer"... the "Brass Brightener".   

Good idea!  I was thinking either Ammo Brite or Brass-O-Matic. 

Need to test it first to see how it works.

"RONCO Brass-A-Matic" has a nice ring to it

[Wobbly]

FORUM RULES VIOLATION !!

Rule 7891652, Sub-section 978, Article Y, Paragraph 1279.....
"It is unlawful to begin a thread about building a reloading bench and not post daily updates, with photos."


Sir, this is a serious violation of the microscopic print on page 15,856 of your CZ Forum Membership Agreement which should be rectified ASAP, or the Reloading Police may be knocking on your door at 3AM.

The Management


 

[Duke Nukem]

My Humble Apologies, rectification to follow ASAP!

[Duke Nukem]

I've made some progress, but still need to make a shelf for over the bench and some shelves for under the bench.  I put a lock on the cabinet because it seemed like a good idea, at least I made an effort to keep things safely out of curious hands (no kids in our house, it's just because).



The cabinet will be for powder and primer, as well as accessories I have room for.



I picked up an LED light from Lowes, seemed like a handy thing:



The most ambitious part of the project is the dust cover, I may upgrade this to a larger model   :



I got impatient, er, I realized the most prudent thing to do was put this setup through the paces and see how it does, so I spent time I could have been building, and started working up some loads.  Other than having powder leak from the auto-drum it went well.  I haven't tried it again, but I opened it up, cleaned with solvent and added graphite under the cone.  Those pesky holidays and relatives are going to keep me from getting more done until after New Years, but such is life.

With the spent primer tube on the right, the stool stores neatly on the left.  I'm thinking shelves will need to go on the right unless they're shallow.  The low storage I'm thinking will be for bullets and cases, and case cleaning gear.