SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  Reloading    New bench height
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
New bench height Login/Join 
Saluki
posted
Wondering if there is an optimal height for a reloading bench? What do you like?
I’m 6’4” and find most things are not made for me.


----------The weather is here I wish you were beautiful----------
 
Posts: 5130 | Location: southern Mn | Registered: February 26, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
and this little pig said:
posted Hide Post
Sit at a bench and aim at the target. It's OK to have the elbows off the bench. Once comfortable, have someone measure from your elbows to the bench surface you're using. Add those two dimensions and get to work building your new bench.

Alternatively, you could build up a rest using 2x8s or 2x10s to put on a regular bench and get the height you desire!
 
Posts: 3395 | Registered: February 07, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Deal In Lead
Picture of Flash-LB
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by odin:
Sit at a bench and aim at the target. It's OK to have the elbows off the bench. Once comfortable, have someone measure from your elbows to the bench surface you're using. Add those two dimensions and get to work building your new bench.

Alternatively, you could build up a rest using 2x8s or 2x10s to put on a regular bench and get the height you desire!


Uh, I believe he's talking about a reloading bench, not a shooting bench.

And addressing the OP's question, it's a personal thing based on my observations. Some like to reload standing up, some sitting down, some who sit use a bar stool, some use other things, so they vary. I've been in a lot of other peoples' reloading rooms and I've never seen any 2 that were the same.

It's going to depend on your personal size and preferences.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Flash-LB,
 
Posts: 10626 | Location: Gilbert Arizona | Registered: March 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
I figured out the optimum height to put my reloading presses at a height that felt best for me when cranking their handles (including the heights of any additional individual bench stands for the individual presses) and made the reloading bench height accommodate that. You can always use an adjustable stool when sitting, but if you intend to stand for maximum leverage when using a press with large rifle calibers, some height experimentation before settling on how high the bench surface should be might be helpful.
 
Posts: 1169 | Location: NE Indiana  | Registered: January 20, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Staring back
from the abyss
Picture of Gustofer
posted Hide Post
39" is perfect for me. I can stand if I want or use the stool if I want. Kind of messy, but this is mine:



________________________________________________________
"Great danger lies in the notion that we can reason with evil." Doug Patton.
 
Posts: 19974 | Location: Montana | Registered: November 01, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of Kept Bum
posted Hide Post
My bench height is 40", works well for me. I'm 6'3" it works sitting on stool or standing.



_____________________________

"It does not require many words to speak the truth.".....Chief Joseph


https://pbase.com/shellyva/image/171613535
 
Posts: 88 | Location: Out there, somewhere | Registered: May 05, 2021Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Saluki
posted Hide Post
For some reason the stool had not entered my head. I could only think sit or stand, looks like both are possible using a stool.

Thanks for the pictures.


----------The weather is here I wish you were beautiful----------
 
Posts: 5130 | Location: southern Mn | Registered: February 26, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
https://shotgunsportsmagazine...._pdf/bench_plans.pdf

I did this one recently, it's for someone 6'2" and at 6'0" I thought it a bit tall but I'm really liking it as when I'm working on gear like mounting scopes or whatever it's right in my face, no stooping over.

But the key for reloading is you want the height to match your press stroke, as in you wouldn't want it so high that the press handle at the bottom of the stroke was below your reach.

Mine is slightly different, no doors on the cabinet and the top is double due to installing two heavy duty t-track in it so I can swap presses and other tools as needed or use the bench top clear of anything. The 6ft tracks have three 2ft wood fillers in each so stuff isn't falling in them and I only open the track needed at the time.

new bench with mods
 
Posts: 51 | Location: Oregon | Registered: August 13, 2022Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Inject yourself!
posted Hide Post
I have a 36” tall bench and I’m 5’8” and load standing.

With case feeders, the Dillon press measures from base of press to highest point:
RL1100: 39.5”
XL650: 35”

Plus whatever mount height you have. I’ve the RL1100 on a 4” Inline press mount and the XL650 on a 9.5” Inline Fabrication press mount. I have a 36” bench so the tallest setup from the floor is 81” and puts the shell plates at about 51”. This is great for me for standing to reload while being able to see powder in the case and have a full down stroke with out bending over.




Do not send me to a heaven where there are no dogs.
Step Up or Stand Aside: Support the Troops !
Expectations are premeditated disappointments.
 
Posts: 8336 | Location: West | Registered: November 26, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
My benches, four of them, are set to the height that accommodates my stools...ah, that'd be the long-legged chairs we sit on, before you of you smartxxxxs wises off. I sit to load for all operations except annealing, so it's pretty standard. I'm 6-0, and the bench height works out to be the same for standing or sitting on one of those long-legged chairs. Rod


5th Spl Forces, Air Force Bird Dog FAC, lll Corps RVN 69-70.... We enjoy the Bill of Rights by the sacrifices of our veterans;
Politicians, Preachers, Educators, Journalists and Community Organizers are beneficiaries, not defenders of our freedoms.
 
Posts: 725 | Registered: April 04, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
posted Hide Post
Don't know about reloading benches, but, the the common recommendation for woodworking benches, IIRC, is a height such that standing, with arms down and palms out flat, they should just brush the bench top.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 25987 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
semi-reformed sailor
Picture of MikeinNC
posted Hide Post
I reload in the garage. So I set my bench so that I could have a roll around tool chest slide under it.

I use the tool chest to store my dies, scale, special tools etc. it’s only for reloading stuff.

I’m 6’1”. Mrs Mike uses the same bench but I made a riser on her section….



"Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.” Robert A. Heinlein

“You may beat me, but you will never win.” sigmonkey-2020

“A single round of buckshot to the torso almost always results in an immediate change of behavior.” Chris Baker
 
Posts: 11233 | Location: Temple, Texas! | Registered: October 07, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
This Space for Rent
Picture of ugeesta
posted Hide Post
I picked up one of the adjustable Husky tables from Home Depot a couple years back.

I admit, the table is shaky when loading, but I like the option of sitting or standing when loading.

One thing I do to stop the shaking is to hold onto the bullet tray when operating the piston.

Also note how the press is on the edge of the table and not the center. That helps with the table movement.






We will never know world peace, until three people can simultaneously look each other straight in the eye

Liberals are like pussycats and Twitter is Trump's laser pointer to keep them busy while he takes care of business - Rey HRH.
 
Posts: 5745 | Location: Colorado | Registered: April 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Deal In Lead
Picture of Flash-LB
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ugeesta:
I picked up one of the adjustable Husky tables from Home Depot a couple years back.

I admit, the table is shaky when loading, but I like the option of sitting or standing when loading.

One thing I do to stop the shaking is to hold onto the bullet tray when operating the piston.

Also note how the press is on the edge of the table and not the center. That helps with the table movement.




That is one of the more unique loading setups I've ever seen. Are those mattresses behind and to the right of the bench?
 
Posts: 10626 | Location: Gilbert Arizona | Registered: March 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
This Space for Rent
Picture of ugeesta
posted Hide Post
Foundation insulation. I reload in the basement. The press is sitting back too. I move it forward to the front of the table when using it.




We will never know world peace, until three people can simultaneously look each other straight in the eye

Liberals are like pussycats and Twitter is Trump's laser pointer to keep them busy while he takes care of business - Rey HRH.
 
Posts: 5745 | Location: Colorado | Registered: April 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Deal In Lead
Picture of Flash-LB
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by ugeesta:
Foundation insulation. I reload in the basement. The press is sitting back too. I move it forward to the front of the table when using it.


So do you C clamp it to the bench or what?
 
Posts: 10626 | Location: Gilbert Arizona | Registered: March 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
This Space for Rent
Picture of ugeesta
posted Hide Post
No.
The stand is secured in place by using machine bolts with tee nuts under the top. Its easy to move the press so I can use the table for other hobbies.




We will never know world peace, until three people can simultaneously look each other straight in the eye

Liberals are like pussycats and Twitter is Trump's laser pointer to keep them busy while he takes care of business - Rey HRH.
 
Posts: 5745 | Location: Colorado | Registered: April 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Deal In Lead
Picture of Flash-LB
posted Hide Post
Thanks.

FYI, that's way too clean for a reloading bench. Smile
 
Posts: 10626 | Location: Gilbert Arizona | Registered: March 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
This Space for Rent
Picture of ugeesta
posted Hide Post
Yeah, it's pretty clean. I kinda like it that way. The drawers under the top are nice to store the primer tubes, electronic scale and stuff. Plus, most of the components are scattered around the basement.

Picture of the Tee nut




We will never know world peace, until three people can simultaneously look each other straight in the eye

Liberals are like pussycats and Twitter is Trump's laser pointer to keep them busy while he takes care of business - Rey HRH.
 
Posts: 5745 | Location: Colorado | Registered: April 20, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
I Deal In Lead
Picture of Flash-LB
posted Hide Post
Nice. I used to do something similar but since I have 10 reloading presses and only room to mount 6 presses, I went to quick change universal mounts for them years ago. My desk is a mess but I know where everything is and that's what counts for me.

 
Posts: 10626 | Location: Gilbert Arizona | Registered: March 21, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  Reloading    New bench height

© SIGforum 2024