I'm thinking of this one: 62 in. Adjustable Height Work Table

Played with one they have on display at a local HD. Seems quite sturdy. The height adjustment was quite tight, precise and smooth, much to my surprise. It comes with both casters and levellers, of which the levellers is what I'd use, for increased stability.

For the space I have available, I'm thinking probably the 5' wide version, though I could fit the six-footer in there if it's felt the extra foot would be a big advantage.

It's 2 ft. deep.

Initially I'll be using an RCBS Rock Chucker. If I find I like reloading I expect I'll acquire either a Hornady LNL AP or Dillon XL750.

The neat thing about the adjustable height is it'd obviate the need for a stool dedicated to the bench. I could use a regular desk chair for sit-down work, then crank it up when I wanted to stand.

What I'm wondering is: Do you have to bear-down on reloading press levers so hard you'd rock, or even tip over such a bench?

My bench is made from 4x4s framed together with 2x4s and covered by 2x10s covered with Masonite that hold my RCBS JR
I also have a side section (L shaped) part with same frame covered by a solid core 1 1/2 door covered by Masonite, that holds my 550 Dillon

I have such a bench as you are considering, i.e., one having a very stout, welded and bolted, steel frame holding a very sturdy hardwood 2' x 6' x2" work surface, which I purchased from Sam's Club for about $150 well over a decade ago. It holds my two presses slightly above waist height (the presses are not bolted to the table but bolted to separate oak boards that are C-clamped to the table), one at each end facing outward from the opposite long side that is against a concrete wall in my basement. It rests upon a concrete floor on wrench adjustable screw levelers.

It used to move but no longer does so, even though the total weight was/is around 150- 200 lbs. It still may move/flex a tiny amount, but not enough to be troublesome.

I arrested the movement by purchasing two(one for each end) of the largest steel L brackets available at HD( 5" x 5" square on either part of the L) at around $5 each. I then used some out of date, aerospace grade, 3M premium epoxy adhesive and fastened the L's to the underside of the hardwood work surface(one close to each far end) and also to the adjacent concrete wall of the basement. The cure took 24 hours and so I had to clamp the brackets to the hardwood and then press/hold the whole assembly firmly against the wall to await the curing. That was an interesting endeavor.

Every year or two it seems I still wind up using an open end wrench to move a leveler (or maybe two- there are 6 in total) a half turn or so to inhibit round things from rolling off of the work surface. Thus it clearly is not perfectly rigid but its damn close to being so and press operations do not cause any motion except where intended in their mechanisms.

You might by if you lag bolt it to wall.
brass sizing makes things move.

quote:

brass sizing makes things move.

Yup.

I have a 4x4 under my LNL press. Things was not stable without it.

 
I used two angle irons (6"), lag screwed to studs above the bench, and bolted through the bench top. They never present any interference with my work flow as they're at the rear of a 2ft wide bench top. I also keep all of my spare bullets not yet loaded on the bottom shelf, as well as a couple of bags of shot.

Thanks for the responses.

There won't be any lag-bolting, or otherwise fastening, of anything to any walls, joists, or rafters. The man cave this'll be going into will be a finished room with a dropped ceiling.

Years ago I did some reloading on a friend's progressive press. I was shooting 7mm TCU, which was a wildcat round at the time. So I had to resize .223 brass to 7mm. I don't recall it involving all that much force. Perhaps I simply do not recall it? Or perhaps it didn't require as much force as the kind of resizing some of you are talking about?

Next time I stop by the HD, I'll make sure the casters are locked, raise the thing up a bit, put my palms on the edge of the table, and "bounce" on it. Try to get something of a feel for just how sturdy and stable it really is.

I did note the top was thinner than I'd have liked. The specs say 1.2". That, alone, would be easily remedied if insufficient.

4 X 4's for legs 2 X 6's and 2 X 4 for table fab. Then 3/4" plywood on top. If you are lucky you can find some discontinued kitchen counter tops in Lowes or Home Depot. Makes a real sturdy bench with a nice slick top. Hint: don't buy a dark count top, it's hard to see if you spilled any powder.

I appreciate the massive 4x4, 2x4, and 2x6 suggestions, but I'm actually going to a fair bit of trouble to remodel the aforementioned room to look good. So, while I'm not interested in form without function, neither am I interested in an ungainly-looking beast of a bench suitable for hammering-out car fenders

Some time ago, in another reloading bench thread, a member posted that he used an Xtreme Garage® 92" W x 22" D Adjustable Metal Workbench Frame from Menard's



with two pieces of 3/4" plywood laminated atop one another. He apparently found that sufficiently sturdy. I might be inclined to go that way, except a height of 32 inches is insufficient.

The way to optimize bench height for standing is to stand straight up, put your hands just in front of you with your arms more-or-less straight down, palms flat, and measure the distance to the floor. For me that comes out to just shy of 36 inches.

The adjustable-height bench I'm looking at has a 300 lb. weight limit, btw.

FWIW here ( https://www.samsclub.com/p/ult...?xid=plp_product_1_2 ) and it is the Seville Classics UltraHD Workbench bench I purchased from Sam's Club long ago. It is still available but now costs $210. It will support 2000 lbs!

However, Sam's has a very nice selection (21 flavors) at their web site and many of them are castered, see below, as well as many being compatible with their roll beneath tool chests.

https://www.samsclub.com/s/wor...-typeahead_workbench

The look/see link provide lots of ideas/suggestions, sizes, and options which nicely encompass a wide range of accommodations and possibilities. And no, I have no connections to WallyWorld whatsoever other than as an occasional customer.

Thanks for the pointer, Orthogonal. Unfortunately, when the closest Sam's closed we dropped that membership. Plus 6 ft. is a bit too long for the space available.

However, everybody's comments into account, I've decided the bench I cited will likely be inadequate.

I'm now considering this: Edsal Basic 60" x 30" x 34" Flared Leg Butcher Block Top Workbench

Heavier-gauge steel than many of the benches and a 1-3/4 in. thick butcher block top. Has a 6,000 lb. load rating. That should be enough And if it's not, I can bolt that bad boy to the floor. If it's still too wiggly after that, a couple screws through the back into the studs behind the bench should cure that--without making too much a mess of the drywall.

Harbor freight wood working bench. 150.oo
I have 3 2x6's to raise and add weight.
Works great. Has drawers. Mounted rcbs to side do drawer clears.

I have 4 benches used in my workshop. Two are made of 2X4 to specific heights for reloading. I found Home Depot to have a Gladiator bench that met my needs as a general workbench. It was on sale for about $160 at the time. Good quality and I wouldn't hesitate putting my Dillon 650 onto it.

My bench is 2 Kreg Stands

With a pair of laminated 3/4" plywood remnants covered by a 1.5" butcher block 2.5' by 6' from Lumber liquidators (had a bad corner that was able to be rounded/routed over to break the edge - got it for a steal)

Absolute pig, but can be disassembled into the two stands, the laminated plywood and the butcher block for easy moving.

Have a stool height hon task chair so I can stand or sit

I use a really heavy metal work bench with a thick wood top for my reloading with an RCBS Rockchucker and a Dillon 560b.

The bench came from Sam's Club.

https://www.samsclub.com/p/hei...?xid=plp_product_1_4

I note it now has a height adjustment which would be handy to fit the bench to your height.

This has worked flawlessly for me for over 10 years now.

The second bench I have in my gun room is from Harbor Freight... I got it for $99 on sale about six years ago... Normal price is I think about $129. It assembles easily and no fitting was required. I added a back board with shelving but that was just a matter of taste. This bench also has four drawers. It also has a wood vice included.

https://www.harborfreight.com/...workbench-63395.html

FWIW

Chuck

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
I appreciate the massive 4x4, 2x4, and 2x6 suggestions, but I'm actually going to a fair bit of trouble to remodel the aforementioned room to look good. So, while I'm not interested in form without function, neither am I interested in an ungainly-looking beast of a bench suitable for hammering-out car fenders

How about a seriously overbuilt cabinet?

^^^that is a thing of beauty

Ensigmatic...I know you don't want the 2x4 approach, but I have to say I built a frame out of 2x4's and Simpson Strong-Ties with the table-top being two (2) pieces of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together to make a 1 1/2" thick work surface. Once this was all put together (top secured to frame-work with Pocket-Hole Joint and screws from underneath), I brushed on about 3 coats of Sanding Sealer on the 2x4 supports and underneath the work surface and then applied about 5 coats of Poly Varnish to the top and sides of the work surface. My bench measures 3'x6'.

I looks good (doesn't have that "raw" lumber look) and it's probably the most sturdy thing in my house. Oh...and there's a bottom shelf of 3/4" plywood that is coated in Sanding Sealer as a well. After seeing YouTube vids of guys with a bench that "flexed" BADLY when they pulled the handle on their press, I vowed mine would be solid as a rock; and it is!

Just mentioning it as a low-cost alternative...

It does need to be sturdy and it's a plus if it has a backstop (for lack of a better term) to had stuff on and even a shelf.

When Sears was around I got a set from them that was very sturdy and works great for my loading bench.

Now that they are almost non-existent I'd get a Kreg stand and build it out.
I love their stuff and have a router table from Kreg now and would build out a workbench if I didn't already have that area covered.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
I appreciate the massive 4x4, 2x4, and 2x6 suggestions, but I'm actually going to a fair bit of trouble to remodel the aforementioned room to look good. So, while I'm not interested in form without function, neither am I interested in an ungainly-looking beast of a bench suitable for hammering-out car fenders

Some time ago, in another reloading bench thread, a member posted that he used an Xtreme Garage® 92" W x 22" D Adjustable Metal Workbench Frame from Menard's



with two pieces of 3/4" plywood laminated atop one another. He apparently found that sufficiently sturdy. I might be inclined to go that way, except a height of 32 inches is insufficient.

The way to optimize bench height for standing is to stand straight up, put your hands just in front of you with your arms more-or-less straight down, palms flat, and measure the distance to the floor. For me that comes out to just shy of 36 inches.

The adjustable-height bench I'm looking at has a 300 lb. weight limit, btw.

IM estimation 22" width by 92" length is too narrow. On a free standing bench, nope.