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Post by hacker54 on Apr 24, 2017 21:27:42 GMT -5
Well it has been quiet of late so topic of discussion is "where do you place your press" on the reloading bench? To the left, to the right, or in the middle? I will be in the process in the coming days building a new bench. It will be 28Wx72L. This will be for my cartridge reloading as I'm going to be moving this type of reloading out of the basement and into a small spare room. This room has more area than what I have in the basement. I'll be using my mounting system as I have now on the one in the basement. I'm not sure as I type this as to where I'll mount. It will be either in the middle or to the right near the corner or maybe between the middle and right corner. I am going to try to make a drawer unit for underneath it and maybe some shelves on each side of that unit with what scrap I have on hand already. I will try to do a step by step in pics as I go along. So with that in mind where do you guys like to have your press on the bench?
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Apr 25, 2017 0:30:51 GMT -5
My first press was the Rock Chucker on the right. My drawers as you can see are not under the press but to the right. Obviously, when you are cranking rounds with your right hand, you have to do all the case handling with the left hand. So it makes sense to me to have the press as far right as you can get it, to give you working room on the left. You muddy the waters when you add another press like the Summit I have on the left. But I still have room between them to work. Notice I have a primer swager behind the Summit and a Powder Measure behind the Rock Chucker. When loading Nato .308 with crimped pockets, I prep using the Summit, the Swager behind it, and a case prep machine behind to the left of the swager. So then: 1. Deprime on the Summit 2. Swage 3. Uniform the primer pockets on the case prep machine 4. Place the prepped brass in a tray for trimming and loading later. I trim on my motorized Forster on the far left of my bench as a separate operation.....it trims, chamfers, and deburrs in one pass. Then I can load on the Rock Chucker if I want....or use the Progressive. I have a very busy bench, I'm afraid. When I load .308 I like to use the R.C. to size a tray then the powder measure fills it. Then I seat using the Summit. the Summit is awesome for seating careful-straight. Next picture was taken just after I set up my Pro 2000.....no Summit yet. My bench is 8' long, 2' deep. I felt that a deeper bench would just be a junk collector. Yellow screw gun is the "motor" of my "motorized" Forster Trimmer. My bench is built on a torsion beam at the front. I'll post again with the structure.....its a method that makes the bench solid as a rock without a lot of material.....the top is only 1 thickness of 3/4" plywood, layed over the beam.....it moves...nowhere.
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Apr 25, 2017 0:44:24 GMT -5
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SnapShot
Member
Jeep & Mocha "Remembering Patches, always"
Posts: 699
Location: Finally free from the Republic of Kalifornia!
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Post by SnapShot on Apr 25, 2017 10:35:23 GMT -5
To answer the basic question; just right of center of the work area. I have a “shared space” in my garage for reloading equipment, etc. I have lots of bench space but not always available due to multiple project use. I overcame this problem by covering the bench-top with a large 1/4” thick steel plate. The plate is firmly secured to the bench with bevel headed mounting bolts assuring a smooth work surface and there are holes located where I use each piece of equipment (press, primer pocket swager, case trimer, primer press, etc). There is a 3/8” steel plate mounted under the bench with a matching set of holes. The top plate has smooth holes with zero-clearance to allow the equipment mounting bolts to drop through. The bottom plate has threaded holes matching the mounting bolt threads. This allows a quick and very secure way to mount and un-mount equipment. The steel plates sandwich the 2” thick wooden bench between them and make for a very solid mounting. All of this will be changing very soon. We are in the process of building a new home and will be moving this summer. The new place will have a room where I can set things up permanently.
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Post by hacker54 on Apr 25, 2017 14:38:22 GMT -5
Larry, Please when you have your setup completed I do hope that you will post photos of the new reloading room.
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SnapShot
Member
Jeep & Mocha "Remembering Patches, always"
Posts: 699
Location: Finally free from the Republic of Kalifornia!
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Post by SnapShot on Apr 25, 2017 17:52:44 GMT -5
Gary ~ Will do. Our move should take place mid-July. By summer's end I hope to be building out a new (larger) reloading and gunsmithing area. I will be able to leave things setup without other projects interfering. ~ Larry
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poohzilla
Member
Give me a place to stand and a long-enough lever, and I will invariably break the lever.
Posts: 1,050
Location: New Hamster
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Post by poohzilla on Apr 25, 2017 19:48:01 GMT -5
Sounds like some great projects ongoing ! Greg, something caught my eye in your pictures and it wasn't the loading set up. In the background, I noticed evidence of some serious scale model buildup ! I suffer from that as well, having a leaning toward 1:48 warbirds. Sometimes, there's a cross over, like when I got kit of the Vulcan. It was Airfix, and a real putty queen. The exhaust nozzles were badly sprued, but cleaned up using my RCBS deburring tool ! Anyway, fun to see a similar crossover !
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Apr 25, 2017 22:59:43 GMT -5
Gary, my first bench had the press just left of center,not really convenient though, it was mounted to a 1" X 6" X 24" drilled and tapped steel plate along the lines of Larry's so it could be easily removed. My present bench is 2"X6" "joist @ 12" centers attached to a ledger mounted to the wall,the out side is also 2"X 6" supported by walls and 4"X 4" legs one is next to the Rock Chucker the Jr, is next to it about 12" to the right(a comfortable distance) both to the right about the 3/4 position. My bench is 24"X 96" right side works well for me. My uniflow powder measures are movable both mounted to a single stand on a 3/4"X 8" dia. plate
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gws
Member
Posts: 969
Location: NW New Mexico
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Post by gws on Apr 26, 2017 0:59:05 GMT -5
Pooh.......yup, 1/48 scale warbirds are another IMPORTANT love!......I don't hide that too well do I? Which brings up another thing about "man caves". Just like reloading hobby forum threads, man caves need "COLOR".........so what do you guys do to decorate the walls around your beloved loading benches! Here's one of my "colorings" Ain't she beautiful?.........the girl isn't too bad either. P40C Warhawk for those not properly educated! Hey guys......show some of your bench pictures!
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Post by hacker54 on Apr 26, 2017 11:08:51 GMT -5
Well Greg at this point in time I don't have any accents for my room. If I put anything up it will more likely be about hunting. I'll have to see what I have and go from there but got to get the bench done first.
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poohzilla
Member
Give me a place to stand and a long-enough lever, and I will invariably break the lever.
Posts: 1,050
Location: New Hamster
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Post by poohzilla on Apr 26, 2017 11:41:09 GMT -5
Greg, as to décor, in the reloading area, mine is largely cobwebs ! I've got to get some shots of my office for you. As to your decoration, I'd note that the picture shows something that is high maintenance, and will kill you if you let your attention wander. The other is an airplane !
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