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Help me decide how to finish my reloading room

rmantoo

Private
Supporter
Minuteman
Aug 31, 2014
68
61
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/collectio...et-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
:)


750B5DC0-5AEF-40BC-8936-1D5B01EBD8D4_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.d4c766d19a09b1b50390867a44317ae4.jpeg


BE794441-681E-42C2-BA37-44D7CC133384_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.8aa97bff805d70e93f5300e6c0ee4c26.jpeg

075C823F-597D-4A6C-B197-060499D06656_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.d772d1e0479e97542f98a6841d018900.jpeg

AA0561A9-5214-45A4-A429-4A9E104F8E4B_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.097737cdf51c6e891547b08ee9ce7cac.jpeg

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...
2148BFB0-0C3F-4D9D-8CA5-47F755272688_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.b360a4a58396fbadad463e0ba9173f59.jpeg

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?

Thanks in advance,

Robert
 
Well, I wish you luck. The 10x12 shed I built for reloading 15 years ago is packed. I recently bought one of those roll around cabinets to use like a kitchen island and stuff more crap in. It works but ya, good luck
 
https://www.secureittactical.com/product/gun-room-gun-wall-panel-large/
or this would look nice .
just idea's , shelving is always nice wood floors easier to pick up doped items a nice shop vac a pic of god or frank as Moses reminding you of the fundamentals of shooting
1622349953190.png
just to watch over you lol . :ROFLMAO: :oops: :ROFLMAO:
 
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Well, I wish you luck. The 10x12 shed I built for reloading 15 years ago is packed. I recently bought one of those roll around cabinets to use like a kitchen island and stuff more crap in. It works but ya, good luck
I like that idea of a roll around cabinet.
 
Why not just remove the wire shelves and put up about 7 shelves where the rack was at?
 
The biggest problem I’ve had is all the cool new shiat that comes along. I will say it helps to have the brass prep area and reloading area separated if possible. Have your powder area easy to clean the inevitable
 
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The biggest problem I’ve had is all the cool new shiat that comes along. I will say it helps to have the brass prep area and reloading area separated if possible. Have your powder area easy to clean the inevitable
I have my press on the same bench as my powder measure. I keep things pretty well put up, so im constanly pulling something out of a drawer. I would suggest an under bench drawer for your calipers and scale, i also keep my reloading manuals in there for easy access
 
Move bed ECT. into "reloading room "............. move reloading stuff into e bedroom........Walla...............priorities man, priorities
 
This looks to me like primarily an organization problem.

Throw up some cabinets/shelves so things like boxes of bullets and die sets aren’t taking up bench top space. I hate dark, deep, under-bench cabinets like those in the pic that have aerosol spray stuff on them. It seems like black holes like that collect disorganization…and it’s made worse by having doors on there. I tend to favor relatively shallow shelving up above and cabinets with drawers down low so there is good visibility into the whole space.

Maybe a small tool chest with drawers could fit under the bench top to keep the endless pile of small tools (hex keys, punches, small screw drivers, action wrenches, etc )organized.

Definately put lights under any cabinets you put up. More light is rarely a problem.

Good luck. My bench goes in cycles of organized vs chaos.
 
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WOW!! Thanks for all the replies and suggestions!



Why not just remove the wire shelves and put up about 7 shelves where the rack was at?
That wouldn't give me much more storage- although long term, I will probably remove it and build a full floor-to-ceiling cabinet w/doors to make it a bit tidier, though.

I have my press on the same bench as my powder measure. I keep things pretty well put up, so im constanly pulling something out of a drawer. I would suggest an under bench drawer for your calipers and scale, i also keep my reloading manuals in there for easy access
Projectiles and a small amount of brass for test runs and/or load development is under the bench on the North wall. These are 18" deep 3/4" plywood, reinforced with 2x4 stringers screwed to the bottoms at the rear and just behind the 4x4 uprights... they'll easily support anything I can fit under there- without sagging. Ever.

Likewise, you can't see it in the pic very well, but my reloading manuals are just to the right of the sonic cleaner... 99% of the time, us use PDFs on my laptop now for reference-

99659432-4DEB-4E16-937B-64B4E40E17DA.jpeg




The 6 bays on the left side will become 26" deep drawers. I have heavy duty slides and all the wood, just need the time to make the drawers and faces. The 3 bays on the right side will simply get 1 large door to match the drawer faces.

48AB7011-DD4F-4E24-9138-FD3A788B90C7.jpeg




All powders except whatever I'm loading AT THAT MOMENT stay inside the HVAC'd house:
82401381-73F9-4F26-96C5-CE04D7AB3488.jpeg

4B550775-E9E2-4946-9538-6F015A2367B6.jpeg
 
Also, buy and shoot multiple guns. This really helps with organizing

I load for 19?20? calibers, iirc. High volume: 9mm, .40s&w, 45acp, .223, and 308 nato. Lower volume, but still done on a 1050 (formerly, soon to be a Mk 7 Apex): 38special, 357mag, 44mag, 45LC, 10mm, 41mag.

Low volume (less than 3k rounds a year, normally) all done on either a turret or single stage: 6.5G, 6.5C, 6.5x47Lap, 300winmag, 7mm mag, 22-250, 30-06 (I'm a garand guy), 25-06, 6.5x55swiss.


I'm ALWAYS on the lookout a sucker for new calibers... In addition to all of the above calibers, I also load at least 5 more for neighbors/friends in batches at least once a year... Brother, a neighbor, and a buddy all shoot Cowboy action (SASS) and, of course, all 3 of them shoot weird different calibers...Should be simple, right? Just knock the dirt off the cases, and fill with black powder or pyrodex, right? OOOOOHHHHH no, 45LC and 38 are wayyyyyy too mundane for guys who play dress up and grow handlebar mustaches... so I load 44-40, 32-20, and 38-40... and several times a year, someone will bring over a set of dies and some semi-mangled brass and ask if I can help... As long as they didn't cuss me real hard the last time we saw each other, I always say, "ABSOLUTELY!! I LOVE new calibers!"
 
Looks quite a bit different now but I'm a big fan of this french cleat system. I can make something to hold anything I want and it's modular. The room is about the same size as yours.
20160111_200003_002.jpg
 
Looks quite a bit different now but I'm a big fan of this french cleat system. I can make something to hold anything I want and it's modular. The room is about the same size as yours.View attachment 7636953

I am generally NOT a fan of pegboards, or the modular steel walls, but I hadn't honestly considered french cleats. That looks dang cool, and would let me add in modularity that still has a nice aesthetic.
 
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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/collectio...et-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
:)


750B5DC0-5AEF-40BC-8936-1D5B01EBD8D4_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.d4c766d19a09b1b50390867a44317ae4.jpeg


BE794441-681E-42C2-BA37-44D7CC133384_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.8aa97bff805d70e93f5300e6c0ee4c26.jpeg

075C823F-597D-4A6C-B197-060499D06656_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.d772d1e0479e97542f98a6841d018900.jpeg

AA0561A9-5214-45A4-A429-4A9E104F8E4B_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.097737cdf51c6e891547b08ee9ce7cac.jpeg

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...
2148BFB0-0C3F-4D9D-8CA5-47F755272688_1_105_c.thumb.jpeg.b360a4a58396fbadad463e0ba9173f59.jpeg

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?

Thanks in advance,

Robert
I am a huge fan of slatwall. I have it the entire length of my bench and over cleaning bench. Stores everything within easy reach.
 

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