rmantoo Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 Some of you guys have some AMAZING reloading rooms... so... help, please: My reloading room is kinda tiny... 76 1/2" x 97 3/4". I built workbenches, with shelving below, along the Southern and Western walls. I REALLY need more storage. My benches are in a constant state of "Organize, work, entropy: Repeat," and it's frustrating, to say the least... So, I'm either going to buy and hang Home Depot's Hampton bay cabinets, like these: https://www.homedepot.com/collection/kitchen-cabinets-cabinet-hardware/unfinished-wall-cabinets-in-beech ...or I'm going to build my own shelving to match those I built below the work benches. Several of these pics were taken using the panorama function on my phone, so some of them look...weird... the apparent curves in the ceiling are due to my not using the panorama function until today...and sucking at it... the walls are plumb and straight- promise Ok. SO, now you see the physical limitations. What you're not seeing is my reloaders: I just sold my 1050s, which are being replaced by a Mk7 Apex. It will go on the long bench on the Southern wall, right in front of the "Secede" sticker. Just in front of all of the reloading die boxes is an Inline Fabrication mounting plate recessed into the bench top. That bench is the reloading machine bench, and the bench along the Eastern wall is where I work on guns, and where I set up my RCBS Chargemaster and loading blocks/powders, measuring/case prep stuff... My 1050s were both mounted on Mk7 base plates, which were, in turn, bolted to pieces of 3/4" plywood with felt on the bottom to protect the bench top, and grab handles on both sides so I could easily pick up the entire thing and move into another room- I will most probably do the same thing to the Apex when it arrives. The Glove box holder will come down. I will be getting rid of the room air conditioner and replacing it with a mini-split system w/the vent mounted in the center of the ceiling. Goal: I want to get EVERYTHING off of the tops of the benches except whatever I'm working on at the moment. I'm TERRIBLE at aesthetics, and generally have to rely on others for guidance in this area. I am a decent carpenter, so I can easily build shelving, but there's no way I could ever keep it looking organized and neat...to say nothing of dusted... So I'm leaning towards cabinetry, with LED lighting on the bottom...But as small as the room is, will that overpower it? I'd paint them all white, so that will help. If I use 30" tall cabinets, That will leave 12" above the top of the cabinets if I mount them to where the bottoms are about level with the bottom of the glove box... Or, I could do 36" tall cabinets, mount them a bit higher, right up to the ceiling, and I'd have a bit more room below... I'm thinking of EITHER doing just the entire Southern wall in cabinets (Hampton style, above), which would give me room for a computer monitor and some handgun displays on the Eastern wall... If I do that, I'd likely build a shelf on the Northern and Western walls, just above the door frames... ...OR starting with a corner cabinet at the intersection of the Eastern and Southern walls, then filling both of those walls with cabinets... The stainless rack on the North/Western walls will stay- it's pretty dang effective and handy... Any suggestion, help, etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiller Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 My space is long and skinny (19’ x 7’). Its a strip I cut out of an oversized garage. I have a combination of cabinet (with door), cabinets without door and shelves on slat wall. I was on a serious budget so the slat wall was used from a golf pro shop($100), the shelves and shelf brackets from a store that was closing ($120) and all the cabinets came from a surplus building supply store ($90). I think cabs with no door are better at holding stuff, and look cleaner but are harder to find stuff at the back. Shelves are great, but look messy unless you keep up the house keeping. The slat wall is handy as you can hang hooks and other slat wall accessories. However, slat wall is very heavy. My safe surround is just plywood with a over fridge cabinets on top that I stained. Looks good and it was a cheap build. The lower cabinets on the walls are actually upper cabinets raised off the floor to allow storage under. I used old scrap pieces of MDF on top and trimmed it out so I could inset the same vinyl plant flooring we had left over from redoing the floors in the house. I had one of the red tool boxes and bought another to match. Next to the safe it’s the highest priced fit out item in my room at $400. The bench is old bowling alley ($120) that I had the flooring guy sand when he was here and I finished it. I did all the work bar laying the floor as the contractor did that when he was here. Not sure on the total cost but it’s worth every penny! Hope this gave you some ideas and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmantoo Posted May 30, 2021 Author Share Posted May 30, 2021 WOW Quiller, your room is awesome!! The cabinet over/around your safe is one of the best ideas I've seen, EXACTLY the kind of thing I'd never have thought of but is nonetheless an excellent concept and execution, and I def will be copying it in the gun room. Likewise, great minds kinda think alike: A buddy does bath/kitchen/general remodeling, and gave me enough of his left over vinyl plank flooring to do both the reloading and gun rooms, so that is coming. I really like the idea of repurposing stuff- your bowling lane benchtop is amazing. Thank you SO much for replying. You've definitely given me some great ideas. I'll keep updating this thread as I make progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiller Posted May 30, 2021 Share Posted May 30, 2021 rmantoo, thanks. It took me about 1.5 years to fit out. I was busy doing work on the house restoration, knocking walls and painting. One thing I noticed in your photos was tour AC sitting on the bench. I have the same unit and vented through a window. The condensate line leaked and I moved it to the floor and vented through the wall. You can see it under the bench in one of smaller photos. When money allows I may install a mini split unit. I have the wiring in place just done want to drop the 4K now. All I can say is think ahead and build in all the options or at least set up for them; wiring, air lines, etc. If you think you’ll need 4 outlets put in 8. I even put some in the ceiling! Good luck on the build/fit out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 I prefer shelving to cabinets because I can never find anything without opening every door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venatic Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) My room is 12x30 and I do have some (2) closed Dor cabinets most of my stuff is on shelves of some sort. The advice about electrical outlets is a good one. I spent hours drawing different setups of my benches and put outlets low and bench height to accommodate most any arrangement. This is one end but it’s already old as there is another bench with the Apex10 on it on the right side. Edited May 31, 2021 by venatic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venatic Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Other end of room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 My old shop teacher always said that a work bench should only be 18” max depth. Otherwise you just pile it full of crap And he’s right! I like the idea of cabinets for storage as it keeps things cleaner but I also like to have often used tools or items within reach. Shelves, tool hooks or cubbyholes by the bench or press and cabinets off to the side for occasional items. Right now I’m moving a bunch of stuff around and trying to figure out what I want too. My room looks like an earth quake and tornado went through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmantoo Posted June 3, 2021 Author Share Posted June 3, 2021 Had a few hours today...this is as far as I got, but it's some progress, at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiller Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 8 hours ago, rmantoo said: Had a few hours today...this is as far as I got, but it's some progress, at least. Looking good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unibrain Posted June 23, 2021 Share Posted June 23, 2021 What does your desk look like? Is it neat and tidy or does it have everything out on the desk? I'm a "put it away" person. I have cabinets wherever I can to keep the visual noise down. If things are (what I call) messy then it bugs me and I find it distracting. My wife is a "visual organizer" and likes to have everything out on her desk. If she can't see it then she can't find it. We tried cabinets in her craft room and she couldn't/didn't use them. When went to open shelves with some clear boxes, she uses them and can find things. Looking at your photos, do you like how shelves under the desk work and look? If so then I'd lean towards shelves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36873687 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 I’m stuck in hot garage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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