MilkMyDuds Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Due to space limitation, I am building a very small reload bench to be used inside a small walk-in closet. I will be buying the 650 with strong mount, case feeder and bullet feeder to mount on this bench. The dimension of the bench is 21 inches wide and 35 inches deep. I have plenty of vertical space inside the closet so I am not worried about the case/bullet feeder touching the ceiling. The question is, however, with the strong mount, finished cartridge tray, the machine will take up 18 inches width. I worry that the due to the small size of the bench, it won't be sturdy enough to have a stable reload platform. Here are a few things I can think of to make the bench sturdier: 1. Use heavy lumber material. Maybe the top should be 3'' thick board 2. Add a bottom shelve to the bench and use heavy lumber there too to increase the weight of the bench itself 3. Bolt the bench to a piece of solid wood inside the drywall. Maybe bolt it on 2 sides, back edge and right edge. I think I can certainly push the bench to the drywall and bolt it on the back edge, but probably not the left or right edge due to the space inside the closet. Any other ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icestud Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I am by no means the SME here, but I would say to some how bolt it to the back wall, maybe screw a 2X6 or 2X8 to the wall then attach the bench to the 2X6 or 2X8 with an "L" bracket Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkMyDuds Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 The thing I worry about is the drywalls may not have the studs behind where I needed to bolt the bench. Do you guys think toggle bolts would work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icestud Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 No I do not think toggle bolts will work, how old is your house/apt? you just need to find the studs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Cut a piece of 2X6 to fit the back and both sides of the closet. Use a stud finder and bolt the 2X6 to the interior of the closet at whatever height you want, allowing for the bench top. Make the bench top to the dimensions of the closet and bolt to the top of the 2X6s. You can use two pieces of 3/4" plywood for a bench top and as you are putting them in, glue between the two pieces and then bolt them down. Paint to match closet and mount all the equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilkMyDuds Posted June 12, 2015 Author Share Posted June 12, 2015 Cut a piece of 2X6 to fit the back and both sides of the closet. Use a stud finder and bolt the 2X6 to the interior of the closet at whatever height you want, allowing for the bench top. Make the bench top to the dimensions of the closet and bolt to the top of the 2X6s. You can use two pieces of 3/4" plywood for a bench top and as you are putting them in, glue between the two pieces and then bolt them down. Paint to match closet and mount all the equipment. Great ideas! Are there 2'' thick plywood (or other good bench top wood materials) that I can get from the orange/blue stores? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I'm not sure, I know you can get 3/4" and possibly 1" but anything thicker would probably be rare and expensive. Think you'd find that the two pieces of 3/4", glued and bolted down would be very sturdy, especially as you aren't building a 4' by 8' bench but 21" by 35". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggieddad02 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 I have read posts where butcher block tops have been used on reloading benches. These are generally thicker than going the multiple sheets of plywood route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 (edited) If the bench is 21 inches wide then there should be at least two studs it can hit. Go to the home center store and see if they have any 2' long scrap cut pieces of 2x3 or 2x4 or 2xSomething. You can sometimes get this for free or nearly so. Find the studs on the back wall and screw this piece of lumber into the studs using deck screws. Attach the bench to this. For the top, 1/2 to 3/4 in plywood is good. Glue strips of 2x3 or 2x4 onto the underside and run lag bolts or lag screws into these for the mount. Edited June 12, 2015 by Graham Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9x45 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Since I have only a small corner in the laundry, I had to make do. All from scrap 2x6, 2x4, and 1/2" particle board. Screw into the studs with 3" deck screws, solid as can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bockerSV Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Mine is in a basement with concrete walls so I couldn't really drill in to the wall and ballast it that way very easily, I replaced the top layer of wood with a thicker piece and also used a thick piece for a bottom shelf to help provide more ballast. Works alright for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdinga Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Simple fix. Screw a piece of 3/4 inch plywood into the studs. Use several screws...... then bolt your bench to the plywood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullMetalJacket Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Find the studs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 All this is fine, but you also absolutely need to tie it to the floor for best rigidity. A metal bar, tapped, under one of the strong mount bolts, then screwed to the joists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) If you can't bolt it to the floor, add heavy duty shelves under the bench. Use the shelves to store heavy items like loaded ammo and bullets. With enough weight, its not going anywhere. Bill Edited June 16, 2015 by Flatland Shooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee G Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToddKS Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Do not build a bench to fit in the closet, build the closet into a bench. Find the studs all around. Secure 2x4 all the way around the closet with 3" screws. Build the frame for the top off those boards and secure a sturdy plywood top with more screws. This will result in a bench that is as sturdy as the framing of the dwelling. This is how I built mine but I went around a room not a closet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GJGary Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Is the area 3 wall, back and 2 sides? Steel studs or construction lumber? If it is a 3 wall you will have no problem since there should be studs in the corners. 2x4 frame with 2 layers of 3/4 plywood will be more than sufficient. Find the studs not every dwelling is built 16 inch center for stud layout , it could be 24 inch. If it is 2 wall, back and 1 side that is a more complicated bench. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b1gcountry Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 If you tie it into the studs on all three sides, you don't need to worry about legs. The studs become your legs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jw4570 Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 I did this in bifold closet in an apt. I screwed a 2x4 to back wall with three inch deck screws. Then to two sides extending to front of closer to hit studs in corners. For the bench, I used a solid core door (cheap luan one with particle core) slab I got for $30 (it was damaged. Obviously I didn't care as I cut it). That gives u a 1 3/4" bench. Mine was about 48" wide. When I moved, I filled the holes with spackle and touched up the paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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