Bench Setup

Hey all,
I have done a lot of reading on reloading and am about ready to setup my reloading bench. I have painted it with two coats of oil based paint, but wanted some opinions on how I should setup all the tools, etc. The bench is 12 ft. wide by 2 ft. deep. How/where should I place my press/other tools to best facilitate the reload process. Thanks.

Every reloader adapts to the space available. It sounds like you have plenty of elbowroom to spread things out. I think one very important thing is to have an eye level shelf for your scale, independent of the bench, so it isn't shaken every time you work your press. I have two presses on my main bench, (which is about 40" long), one on each end. On the left is the workhorse, an ancient but venerable Rockchucker that handles everything but priming, and on the right is a little Lee Reloader that I prime with (I use an AP2), and push-through size my cast boolits. That gives me room in the middle for loading blocks, die sets, bullets, manual, loading logbook, etc.

Powder and primer storage should either be below the work surface or in a separate location to avoid any possible confusion about what is in the powder measure - replacing the powder in the wrong container after use, etc. (Even if you catch yourself and avoid a major catastrophe, powder is expensive and you've just cost yourself $25.) If you make your setup and routine idiot-proof right from the start, you can prevent most any chance of screwing up that way. (And don't kid yourself, EVERYONE screws up once in a while.) That's why you only have one kind on the work surface at a time.

Much more important than the actual layout of bench and tools is the routine that you personally develop to use them. If you place your supplies and small tools in the same locations every time and proceed through the steps in the same order, after a few sessions, it will be imprinted subconsciously. Then, at some point in the future if there is a problem - a skipped step, powder from the last session still in the measure, that little "Something's Wrong" alarm goes off in the back of your head, and all you need to do is stop and think to figure out what's wrong and correct it. It seems like so simple a matter, but I have found many loaders who plunk their stuff down in the handiest open space on the bench and have at it. If they later discover something is wrong, it's usually at the range and much too late to correct it. I have seen a handgun blown to shrapnel from a double charge (not mine, and I didn't load the ammo, but it made a strong impression on me).

But, we are all of us human. I was in a hurry last fall to load up some ammo for a friend. I set up everything, or so I thought, and sized & primed the cases, set them up in the loading block. I noticed I had forgotten to put the bullet box on the bench, so I dug down underneath and got the box of them. No big deal. I put the seating die in the press, which I knew was already set up for that particular bullet, took a case out of the block and seated one. As I reached for my dial caliper to double check OAL, something didn't seem right, so I stopped. Something was missing, and it took me a moment to figure out what. The powder measure and scale were set up where they were supposed to be, but there was no can of powder sitting on the shelf next to the scale. [smilie=1: A closer look told me there was no powder in the measure and no check-weighed charge in the scale pan.... and no power in the case into which I had just seated the bullet. :cry: Good thing it was only one, and the kinetic puller fixed that quickly. I went back, filled the measure, and set it for the correct charge, then I filled the cases in the block, seated bullets, and crimped them. I broke one of the most important rules of safe loading: Never do it when you are in a hurry, always take your time. What kept it from becoming a disaster was the missing powder can - I had sat at that bench for thousands of sessions with a powder can in that same exact spot, and when I noticed subconsciously that something wasn't right, I trusted my instincts and stopped to find out what it was that had set of the alarm. Even an idiot proof system is not proof against all kinds of idiocy, but it will stack the odds more in your favor, and may be the cheapest life insurance you can get.

I like the press at the far right, unless there is/are less used one(s) going to the extreme right, with free air on the left. From there make yourself comfortable and safe :).

Most of these tools are made for right handed action with left handed feeding, but you might need some free space if you feed some components from the right, like brass coming from a stool for example.

You could start by screwing the press on a plank that you will weight down with heavy stuff, and move along the bench untill you find a setting you're comfy with... we don't want too many holes in that paint right ;)

kg

As these learned Gentleman have already pointed out a reloading bench is a very personal thing ! You have to set it up so it works the best for you! The biggest trap I've found over the years is Clutter ! I have the MK15 reloading bench these days (It's taken me 14 prototypes to get to this one ) Remember one Cal at a time ,one type of powder ,bullet wieght ect ! Don't rush it ! & when your finnished with something put it away (now if I could only do that I'd be right ! :coffee: )


Dave

I am on loading bench model HR3. My wife has just allowed me to move my setup inside the house. I was in the barn until then and I did loose a lot of space with the move. I think the heat is worth the trade off though. For a reloading beanch I found a old second or third or fom the looks of this one 12th hand desk to use that fits in the space my wife has allocated to me. All the supplies go in the several drawers. Because of the limited space I am unable to mount more than one press on the bench at a time. I was mounting and remounting whenever I needed to change presses. I finally came up with a solution that is a real time and space saver. A beveled cavity in the desktop to receive removable inserts for the presses. I put a 1" thick MDF top on top of the original desk surface. But before I did that I cut a 6x6 inch opening with 45deg bevels just right of where the chair snugs up to the desk. I then cut out a 6x6 chunk of 1" oak with the opposite 45 deg bevel. I didn't have any 1" oak and the cost of 1" thick of any hardwood was outragous. So I found someplace that had a bunch of small scrap oak they were throwing out. It averaged about 3/8-5/8" thick by 3"x16". I planed it all to 3/8 and riped it all straight to 2-3/4". I then glued 3 planks wide by three planks high rotating 90 deg with each level. I ended up with a 1-1/8" thick oak board that is stronger than a solid oad board. Each one of my presses are mounted to its own 6x6 oak insert. So when I need to use a different press the old one slides out and the new one slides in. A shelf will soon be made with the bevels for press storage. I was a little concerned at first whether the MDF would stand up to the pressures involved in full length resizing rifle cases. I went real slowly at first but I have reloaded several hundred .223 and several hundred pistol rounds so far and have not noticed any wear on the MDF at all. After reading everybody elsed ideas I think I will add a shelf for my scale as well.

Good luck on your project.

Sincerely,
Reverend Richard
Honey Ridge

Well heres a picture of my loading bench. Mine is in the house where I have air condition to work in thanks to my wife looking out for me. Lungs are about shot so that Florida heat in the summer would have stopped me from doing much.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...dy/BestBen.jpg

All good valid points from the Guys here.
I would stress the Cadence thing (Rythym and Routine)
Also the PUT IT AWAY when you are done with it. I won't even answer the phone while I am reloading and in 34 years have never hurt a rifle and have a minimum number of misfires.
Good and Safe Loading you will do alright Ken.

This might look unorthadox but it works for me. Gives me enough space to still use the bench for minor gun smith'n.
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g4...ngBench002.jpghttp://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g4...ngBench003.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g4...p082406006.jpg

Since I like RCBS equipment, I use their accessory plate on my bench. That way I can move everything around http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...y/Bench004.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...y/Bench001.jpg

I've got a room 15X25 room in my barn built and set up just for my reloading activity... Here is a picture of my main bench. I have another bench so I will get some more pictures of the room. I even have a bunk bed and full rest room. The only thing I need to come out for is food!