h4444 Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Thinking about building project number 3 from the link below for my new loading bench. Thoughts??? I may add some cubbies/additional shelves on the half opposite my press. (Dillon 550 on a strong mount) I've priced out the materials list for it and including taxes I'm looking at about $175.00 to build this one. I like the fact that it appears very simple/straight forward to build,,,,not the best carpenter ever,,,,,however, a few straight cuts on the miter/chop saw and a lot of screws - I can handle that. :-) http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/fliers/DIY-PROJECT08.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RightYouAreKen Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Looks like it could work. I just finished building the NRMA bench (google search for plans). It's BEEFY and cost about $200 I think for materials. It was only my second ever carpentry project so I took my time. Probably took me 20 hours to build, but it looks like it will be ideal. I especially like the front edge and how well its supported. I chose not to build the doors for quick access to everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Too_Slow Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 You will want at least the bench-top to be double the thickness 1 1/2 inch not just 3/4 inch otherwise the top will be too flimsy and give too much while operating the press. You might as well make both the top and the lower shelf double thickness for the added strength and rigidity. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 You will want at least the bench-top to be double the thickness 1 1/2 inch not just 3/4 inch otherwise the top will be too flimsy and give too much while operating the press. You might as well make both the top and the lower shelf double thickness for the added strength and rigidity. Brian Good point, if I go with this one, I'll definitely double up those two surfaces. The more I look at it, the more I'm thinking I would replace the pegboard with plywood and close in the bottom as well. Where it would be located,,,,, it will be in the middle of a room (no available wall space), so I may close in the back with plywood, then add some furring strips on the back and put some pegboard on the back of it for some extra storage back there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bshooter Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I found a table at Sam's Club with a 2 " wood top, 2'x6' mounted on steel legs for $200. I bought two of them and have my 550B mounted on one and my Case Pro on the other. They are very sturdy and plenty of room under for storage as well as on top for shelves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 I looked at a number of plans before I came to the conclusion that I could build something simple and sturdy and cheap. Have a look It proves that you don't need to spend a lot of time and money to have a sturdy work bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zatchmo Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Looks like it could work. I just finished building the NRMA bench (google search for plans). It's BEEFY and cost about $200 I think for materials. It was only my second ever carpentry project so I took my time. Probably took me 20 hours to build, but it looks like it will be ideal. I especially like the front edge and how well its supported. I chose not to build the doors for quick access to everything. This is a good looking bench. Very similar to what I am planning to build. Unfortunately time isn't on my side right now, so I think it will be a cold weather project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wayne Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 As others mentioned double the ply. Also Grahm's addition of the masonite on top provides a nice work surface over the normaly rough CD plywood. Add two braces from the fron to the back under that ply and glue the joints with liquid nails and then throughbolt the simpson strong ties with appropriate flat washers and nylon locknuts. You'll be amazed at the weight you will eventually have on there :^) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I did the strongtie bench. If I were doing it again, I'd leave the back off (see plan 5). Good stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 I did the strongtie bench. If I were doing it again, I'd leave the back off (see plan 5). Good stuff. The only reason I am leaning toward keeping the back is the bench will have to be in the middle of my garage, so I will probably turn te back toward the street away from prying eyes. Unfortunately, the new house did not come with a basement/man cave. I miss my basement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 I did the strongtie bench. If I were doing it again, I'd leave the back off (see plan 5). Good stuff. The only reason I am leaning toward keeping the back is the bench will have to be in the middle of my garage, so I will probably turn te back toward the street away from prying eyes. Unfortunately, the new house did not come with a basement/man cave. I miss my basement. Got part one of the Strongtie built. I'm basically building one normal strongtie that is pretty much based off the plan, then I'm going to build another base unit/table and arrange them in an "L" that way I get about 6 Ft in length and another couple feet on the side. I just finished the first one, I'll build the second one later this afternoon/evening when it cools off a bit and post some pics later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Here's part 1 of my loading bench. It is a plan from Simpson Strongtie. I am going to build a second base/bench and arrange them as an "L". The second one, will not have the back on it. Build time on the first one was about 4 hours. That was taking my time as I generally suck at anything carpentry related. I doubled up the top and it is 1.5 inches thick. This thing is very solid,,,,just not quite big enough for what I want, hence the second bench. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3781691095189&set=a.3781690975186.2143051.1064300997&type=3&theater Now,,,,to wait till my press gets back from Dillon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 Any body have any idea why when I post links/pictures/video's I can't get them to show up in the posts, it only shows the text or part of the text and not the actual picture or thumbnail from the video? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trini Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Looks like it could work. I just finished building the NRMA bench (google search for plans). It's BEEFY and cost about $200 I think for materials. It was only my second ever carpentry project so I took my time. Probably took me 20 hours to build, but it looks like it will be ideal. I especially like the front edge and how well its supported. I chose not to build the doors for quick access to everything. Did you anchor down the 4X4 legs?? When I build my first bench years back it moved a bit when loading or running the brass cleaner (now brass is cleaned in garage). Used some L brackets at the back of the legs and solved problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Looks like it could work. I just finished building the NRMA bench (google search for plans). It's BEEFY and cost about $200 I think for materials. It was only my second ever carpentry project so I took my time. Probably took me 20 hours to build, but it looks like it will be ideal. I especially like the front edge and how well its supported. I chose not to build the doors for quick access to everything. Did you anchor down the 4X4 legs?? When I build my first bench years back it moved a bit when loading or running the brass cleaner (now brass is cleaned in garage). Used some L brackets at the back of the legs and solved problem. I haven't anchored it. It actually isn't in its final place yet as I'm going to build another one without the back. It is heavy enough that I don't think it is going to move around much on me. I don't have any wall space available for it. so it'll actually go in front of the garage door with the back to the street so prying eyes can't see the press and such. It had a little wiggle to it being a smidgen uneven and a shim fixed that. If it wants to scoot at all, I'll just secure it to the other table I'm making and that'll probably put the combined weight over 200 lbs and once I load the bases down with bullets and such, it'll probably end up with well over 300 lbs to help hold it still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 When I first built mine, I'd move it 3ft around the basement floor during a loading session. Mine is anchored to a wall now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester121 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I'd consider this butcher block style table top from Sears for anyone who wants a better mounting surface than plywood, or doesn't want to deal with doubling up: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00914961000P?lid=IExTrans_ItemNumber_link&rioptype=SRS&sid=IEx20120621TransSearsOrderConf&eml= It's 1.5" thick (maple I think) with a nice semi-smooth finish on both sides. No holes or cutouts so you can mount it however you want, and there's an 8' available as well. They shipped for free to my local store in 1 day and I picked it up. Super sturdy bench, for what I think is a very fair price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 When I first built mine, I'd move it 3ft around the basement floor during a loading session. Mine is anchored to a wall now. I wish I had the wallspace. Sometime in the next year or two, we'll build a shed and move some stuff out to get some wall space, but till thin, I guess I'll be in a foot race with my loading bench. Hey, that may be the one thing around here I can out run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h4444 Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 DONE!! Basically They are both the Simpson strong tie plan, I just didn't put a back on the one to the left, nor, did I double up the top of it. I'll have my press on the right side of the bench with the back on it. When they are in their final locations, they'll be oriented somewhat like they are situated now. Time to build about 5.5 hours. But, I suck as a carpentry and took it really slow. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3790526196061&set=a.3781690975186.2143051.1064300997&type=3&theater Anybody now how to post pics and get them to actually show in the post instead of just posting the link like this??? Also, what about vids? I'm getting the same issue with videos, I can't get them to show within the posts, they are just showing as links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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