KPEngineer
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Posts posted by KPEngineer
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On 9/28/2018 at 5:39 AM, stick said:
Everglades 124gr Recess base RN is all I use now since switching from their 147gr bullets. They remind me of the Berry's hollow base round nose bullets. Accuracy is really good and their special price is attractive. They always offer free shipping. My load is 3.4gr of Titegroup with a 1.130 OAL
Give them a try, you wont be disappointed.
Any idea if these would be dirtier than their plated option, due to the exposed lead at the base? They're real close in price, but I'm tempted with FMJ being cheaper.
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Thanks guys. I would have made the bench about 3x the length, but I had to compromise. It's a small garage in a townhome and it won't be my home for many years. I also need some room along the side for an air compressor.
Finished length of the top came out to somewhere around 76", and it's plenty deep with that ~2" overhang I left on the front various projects requiring clamps.
As this was my first real wood project, I did learn a lot. I mostly learned as I went, made mistakes and corrected them when I wasn't 100% happy, and made sure I considered everyone's input in this thread. I also considered various scenarios I'd run into while using the bench, and tried to avoid as many future regrets as I could.
As many have stressed, always plan to anchor your bench into the structure where you can. It makes the world of difference as far as rigidity. It really breaks my heart to see a flimsy foundation for presses and vises where the tools work against you. On that subject, a solid wood core commercial interior door makes for an awesome benchtop if anyone's on a budget. It's smooth, straight, rigid, easily replaceable, and far cheaper than two sheets of plywood glued and screwed together.
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I guess this thread is useless without pictures.
The bench has been finished for awhile, but I recently acquired an old 550 to overhaul--hence the temporary clamps. Tearing it down and putting it back together was a great way to learn about the machine before I start putting it to work.
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On 10/4/2017 at 11:43 PM, Trini said:
If you leave the lower shelf as is put a couple of pieces of doubled up 2 X 4's to support the shelf. Heavy weight on it will make it sag.
I have leftover 4x4 from when I cut the legs. These will be perfect to cut and slide under the lower shelf for extra support once it starts getting loaded down
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While I was building the lower shelf I decided to bring the front 2x4 inside of the front legs, similar to what rishii had suggested. Obviously added shelf space, but it more importantly added rigidity. I originally wanted to keep my shins clear of the shelf while standing against the bench, but even having moved the shelf to the inside of the legs seems to provide that clearance. I kept the shelf off the floor just high enough to slide plastic boxes underneath for storage if needed, rather than having excessive overhead on the shelf itself.
I'll post pics soon, but I'm just about ready to sand the bottom of the legs to get them fitted to the garage floor, then I'll sand/level the top frame before fitting an appropriate benchtop. I think I'll be adding a rubber material to the bottom of the legs for a better fit to the cement floor, as it'll be an insulating layer and take up any slop. It's probably overkill but I'm being meticulous about the whole project. I appreciate all of your suggestions thus far
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41 minutes ago, Part_time_redneck said:
The top of my bench is 41". I use a 650 with a strong mount. Puts bottom of roller handle 55 1/2" above ground level. I'm between 5-10 & 5-11 depending on which liquor store I'm fleeing. I made mine a bit on the tall side as I like to stand while I load. I tend to move around a lot. When I do sit I bring in a tall chair from the deck and although it's comfortable for me both ways, I prefer to stand.
I should add that at work we had very tall work benches in our lab. This is just what I'm accustomed to and I'm sure it would be tall for most people.
Like Rusty said, would be easier to go a bit lower after the fact.
I like to stand as well. I work on ships and I never find myself sitting down while at the bench. When I'm home, even working on small detailed parts I think I get too engrossed in the project to sit down. The option of sitting is nice, so I may have to make a compromise by bringing the height down and finding a good tall stool to sit on when I feel it's necessary.
I've never loaded on a progressive so I can't say whether I'd eventually prefer to stand or sit, but if I'm constantly paying attention to the powder charge and general operation I can see myself standing for that.
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20 minutes ago, TDA said:
My bench is exactly 39" and I can load comfortably either standing or sitting on a 30" stool.
The grip on a 650/strong mount roller handle is 15" above the bench when the handle is up.
I'm 6'5".
Thank you, sir. A bit taller than I am, so I'll take this into consideration. Thanks for the measurement!
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53 minutes ago, MemphisMechanic said:
Which press are you going to run?
I built my bench as tall as possible for a 6’0” operator to load while standing, and it’s pretty much perfect with a 650 in a strong mount on top of it.
I'll be looking to get a 650 with strong mount once I have the bench finished. Other than that, I'll have a vise and a Redding Big Boss for the bolt guns
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Thanks Rusty. Do you have a Dillon & strong mount by any chance? I intend to mount one with a roller handle, and I'm wondering what height that handle will be off the bench top
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Thank you for the feedback. My main concern was making it a comfortable height for standing. I always find myself standing when I'm working on guns--even working with small parts--and it brings the work closer to my eyes without having to bend my neck. Herniated a disc several years ago and I get a stiff neck after awhile.
Do you stand or sit while you're throwing the arm on the press? If you have a Dillon or similar unit, how high off the bench is the handle? I figure I can get a sturdy, adjustable stool if I decide I'd rather sit down, but I can't really help myself on the other hand if my bench is too low.
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I appreciate everyone's feedback on here, as you guys have way more time spent at the reloading bench than I'll ever have.
I'm building my first bench over the next several days, once I get some surgery out of the way tomorrow, and I'm looking for any suggestions before I set out to pick up lumber and fasteners. Looking to use 4x4's for legs, 2x6's for the transverse & longitudinal outboard pieces in the benchtop frame, and 2x4's for the top joists and entire lower storage frame. The upper and lower frames will each be screwed into a respective 2x4 spanning the studs in garage.
The finished dimensions are to be as follows:
Length: 72"
Height: 39" +/- (I'm just shy of 6'0" if that helps)
Depth: 30.5"
As for the top, I may have found a local source for a solid wood core door that I can cut to fit my frame. That seems like a much better option than gluing and screwing a couple of 3/4" sheets of plywood--and also less expensive. The door is only $50, and I can probably offer less. Please share any suggestions you have.
Finally, what is the best way to build the top frame of the bench such that I have support and room to fasten a vise and a couple of presses? Anyone gluing in mounting blocks underneath, between the joists, or just anchoring equipment straight into the top? Here are some crappy screenshots of my model in Sketchup. I left out the 2x4 joists in the top to keep from cluttering the drawing.
Thanks guys!
9MM Brass: Current Status & Wait List Temporarily Closed - UPDATED 9/17/2020
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Please add me to the list for 9mm standard sort