• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Reloading bench island

golden_311

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
I have searched a number of threads and really haven't seen something that fits my room very well. I am looking for some ideas for a reloading islands, or reloading benches that have casters. looking for something that is decorative. It needs to accommodate two presses. Ideally, it would have quick detach attachments and could be used for a display table as well. I am currently thinking that I will build a bench from white oak and stain, possibly putting glass top on a section of it for display (think jewelry case for guns stuff). But I am hoping that someone who has something cool will share and give me some alternative ideas. Probably crazy for trying to be to 'cute' with it...
 
There’s a 10 page long sticky in this section dedicated to this topic. Go through there and get some inspiration or post in there might have better luck.
 
C00BE9F0-D923-40FC-9F63-3E93A66A0E63.jpeg
 
I have an island in my reloading room. It is one purchased from Lowes, just like a kitchen island. Had a buddy build me a butcher block top for it, heavy and stable. Put blind nuts in it to attach different items, presses etc. Coat in liquid glass.
 
  • Like
Reactions: golden_311
Skip the glass....metal on glass isnt the best idea.... clear resin on your white oak top is where it's at for looks and durability.

I just grabbed a few gallons of clear resin and some color dies. I'm making a bench top out of 2" thick black walnut kiln dried live edge slabs that have been plained. Will flip the live edges to the center and leave a gap to do a blue river through the middle with all the barrel coins/cut offs from all the blanks I've been saving over the years. Gonna be cool. Heres some examples..





 
Last edited:
Skip the glass....metal on glass isnt the best idea.... clear resin on your white oak top is where it's at for looks and durability.

I just grabbed a few gallons of clear resin and some color dies. I'm making a bench top out of 2" thick black walnut kiln dried live edge slabs that have been plained. Will flip the live edges to the center and leave a gap to do a blue river through the middle with all the barrel coins/cut offs from all the blanks I've been saving over the years. Gonna be cool. Heres some examples..






The resin is what I meant, not actual glass. Thank you for the correction.
 
Ok. Just had a chance to look at all of this. I have been through the reloading room thread. Not too many ideas that got me excited. I do like the idea of the resin top with some incra rails embedded for quick detach. Currently I am thinking of an island that is 3' x 7'. I have always had a super robust counter to mount to, so never had to worry about it moving. How much weight to keep it steady on locked casters? The room has plenty of storage (15' of tall lockers and a gallowtech system for guns). I like the pic below, but don't want it bolted to floor.

 
Currently I am thinking of an island that is 3' x 7'. I have always had a super robust counter to mount to, so never had to worry about it moving. How much weight to keep it steady on locked casters?

I have my press mounted to a small craftsman rolling chest (using an inline fab riser mount). It's the five drawer unit, and I made a wood top for it to mount the inline fab mount, and my spare toolhead holders to.

Does it work? Yes
Does it jiggle when you pull the handle? you bet.
Does that matter? I have no idea. I presume everything on the press jiggles together, and thus remains straight, relative to everything else on the press.

It's stable enough to not spill powder and get good drops with the dillon powder throw, but if you want super stability, anything on casters is not for you. At 3'x7', i think a lot of the stability equation comes from leg number, bracing, and how level you can get it on your floor. Someone who is less of a hack at woodwork can likely correct me there and send you in a better vector.
 
I have my press mounted to a small craftsman rolling chest (using an inline fab riser mount). It's the five drawer unit, and I made a wood top for it to mount the inline fab mount, and my spare toolhead holders to.

Does it work? Yes
Does it jiggle when you pull the handle? you bet.
Does that matter? I have no idea. I presume everything on the press jiggles together, and thus remains straight, relative to everything else on the press.

It's stable enough to not spill powder and get good drops with the dillon powder throw, but if you want super stability, anything on casters is not for you. At 3'x7', i think a lot of the stability equation comes from leg number, bracing, and how level you can get it on your floor. Someone who is less of a hack at woodwork can likely correct me there and send you in a better vector.

I am not worried about the quality of the ammo, I have the same thoughts as you in regards to that. But I think I would be annoyed at having it shift. I was considering a rolling tool chest type of setup for convenience components and tools, but now I am leaning towards solid legs and a cool top. The only thing I have in this house that I was able to decide on, I better make it comfortable and useable.
 
How come every time I see pics of other peoples reloading setups...they have plenty of powder and bullets and I can't find Retumbo/Reloader26/H1000 in stock anywhere to save my life.

Are these bottles full?....or are they all empty and just for show?

Also...those I-Beams mounted to the floor....dang you put some serious weight on that...probably put both of those safes and my ex-GF on there and still be able to throw a car or truck on there to work on.
 
I can always use more bullets , powder, primers. Lol.I have plenty of h1000 but am down to some 1lb bottles of retumbo. Full or empty, come on, really? A friend brought a rem of a soldier Pyle/steel I-beam over on a car trailer. Made up two post out of it , I welded some base plates and anchor bolted it to the slab. I fabbed the island/benches with mostly 2x2 and 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 angle. Slapped some pan in it , pored concrete , applied the garage floor epoxy on top to seal it. So far it hasn’t pealed ect from gun oil solvents ect. It took me a long time to build this reloading room , still a few small things to do. I out grew my really small old reloading room . It would get messy easy, just to much stuff in a small spot. The old room had barely room for two single stage presses.