Small space reloading

T

ThePontificator

New member
No room for a permanent bench so we make do.
EFTQp30m.jpg
 
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I use a Lee Hand Press and reload sitting at the computer desk , kitchen table , coffee table or sitting in my easy chair .

Make do with what you got ...and Keep On Keepin On !

ATTABOY !
Gary
 
I do use my free hand to hold the bench depending on the operation. If I do it's generally just laying my wrist on the top near the base of the press.

Resizing/decapping: Yes (when freeing the case from the die)

Case priming: Depends. I normally use a Lee Ram Prime that does the priming on the down stroke of the handle. If I were to use the priming arm on the press then yes, I'd have to use my free hand to steady it.

Case Flaring: Yes, I'd have to use a light touch with my free hand to free the flared case from the die.

Bullet seating, crimping: No

One could easily weigh it down or clamp it depending on what type of furniture or bench you place it.

Emphasizing portability and accuracy/quality over volume but you knew that. ;)
 
One thing to note is the top piece which is double-thickness plywood. I believe I used 1.5" wood screws. The bottom thickness has wood screws interspaced between the ones you can see that are holding the top thickness to the bottom one. And of course wood glue was also used to join the two pieces together.

The back piece was cut slightly oversize from needed dimensions then sanded down to the point where it was tapped in then held with the wood screws.

used a very small drill bit to do the screw holes then used a counter-sink bit on each one. There are a lot of wood screws holding the sides and back piece to the base...every 1.5" I think.

Used a single quarter sheet? of 3/4" "sande" plywood from Home Depot.
 
I used scrap pallet wood for my first reloading bench. It got too small way too fast. I used some scrap 2x6 pallet wood to build a larger one in the garage. It was too humid in the garage, so now I have a old piece of counter top mounted on top of 2x4 legs in my dry basement. Works good pushing down on the press handle but if I get a case that gets stuck I have to push down on the table to pull the handle up. The bench just doesn't weigh enough. Thinking about putting a thick shelf on the bottom to store bullets & brass cases.
 
I'm in the process of moving and have a similar setup. I screwed my single-stage press to a section of 4x4 and clamp that to my nightstand for my workbench. It works, for now. Just a few more months for my new house to be done and I'll build the reloading bench from the storage racks I have. I'm kind of used to the compactness now and like the efficiency. I may run out of primers before I'm even able to build that bench though.
 
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