Homemade reloading benchtop material?

[lou400a]

I've build three work benches from 3/16 and 1/4" steel many moons ago that I use. Way overkill, but solid.
If I was going to build one today I would do the same or use the butcher block

 

[Philward]

If you have material & space go 18"-20" on the counter top. The extra rooms well worth it.

For the part with the press mounted will be 24" or more deep (the current bench)but the archery part was thinking narrower but long for the arrow saw, plus the room isn't very big. Drawer units for better storage instead of shelves like now. Have a wall mount cabinet for powder and loaded ammo so might change that out for something not so deep. Could go 18 I suppose.

 

[1000yards]

The time has come and the wife has green lit my reloading bench project for the new house. Was walking through Lowes today looking at material and got to wondering what you all are using as a bench top?

My only friend who reloads swears I need a thick butchers block top to handle the torque of my progressive presses while reloading and states that plywood will bend, warp, and compress while running the presses.

I've seen a lot of reloading benches posted here and I can't recall seeing a single one with butchers-block bench top. What reinforcement (if any) are you using for your presses on your reloading benches to prevent the top from flexing while running your presses?

I built mine out of 2x6 and covered it with a section of hard maple bowling alley. Makes a fantastic hard surface. There really are a lot of guys who recover/re-sell this from defunct bowling alleys!

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

For the part with the press mounted will be 24" or more deep (the current bench)but the archery part was thinking narrower but long for the arrow saw, plus the room isn't very big. Drawer units for better storage instead of shelves like now. Have a wall mount cabinet for powder and loaded ammo so might change that out for something not so deep. Could go 18 I suppose.

Heck, if you have room for 24" do that. I guess I figured most people don't have the option of that much space.
My Bad.
Cheers

 

[corsair4360]

I found a metal fab shop and they cut me a piece of 1/4" thick steel plate for scrap cost. I can't remember exactly but it was around $50 for my bench top. It is 54" x by 28". I painted it Hemi Orange so things would stand out when laying on the bench and its an awesome color.

My kind of guy... Hemi Orange is great stuff... the color of the 340 engine in my '68 Barracuda

 

[tony d willIiams]

Made mine with red cedar 2x4 glued and doweled, then planed.Finished in shellac, easy to polish and looks rich. Legs are doweled in place, set the height according to my body and mobility. Anchored to my garage concrete floor. I placed a shelf 1/3 from floor to keep supplies and my sonic cleaner. Green felt pads on top to keep items from rolling.
I reload 9 mm through 338LM.

 

[Philward]

I'm wondering about adding a sacrificial and replaceable cutting surface to the bench. I always seem to need to cut something and it scores the top. Mine is gray formica and it has dents and slices. Or maybe a flat plate for level stuff and just cut on the top. Portable cutting boards would maybe slide around too much.

 

[Philward]

Heck, if you have room for 24" do that. I guess I figured most people don't have the option of that much space.
My Bad.
Cheers

I remeasured and current one is only 20" deep.

 

[aushunter1]

Someone might have already said it but a hardwood door without the hinges & door knob removed & sat on a sturdy base is all you need.

I have a fold away table with a block on it, does me for loading in my 1 bedroom apartment.

Edit: just read the 1st page, yep been done

If you have a proper garage the world is your oyster on your set up.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

One of mine is a hard maple butcher block style top the other is very heavy welded together workbench with a Formica top but the presses are bolted to the heavy angle iron the Formica drops into. What works pretty darn good is an old heavy built office desk available on Craigslist for cheap usually. On one of them I'd prabably add a 3/4" plywood or melamine top over the existing top and just roll with it.

 

[Elkhunter007]

I found this over the weekend.
https://www.woodcraft.com/products/birch-workbench-top-1-1-2-x-27-x-60

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

Here are my benches rolling chair in between them I can spin from bench to bench it's pretty handy for me.

 

[hunter0528]

I got and old Butcher block table 8' long. I did not want to drill a bunch or holes in it so I got a 1/4" steel plate 8' x 12 " and mounted it to the butcher block. I then drilled and tapped holes in the Steel to mount the different reloading equipment. Made sure the table was level first.

 

[mustang58]

Reject laminated beams work great.