Homemade reloading benchtop material?

[LRH361]

Countertop works great. Built a frame for it and then bolted channel iron on both ends of the countertop to mount the presses.

 

[Russ661]

The workbenches from Sam's Club have worked for me for 14+ years. I have 2, arranged in an 'L' configuration. 1 holds both a 6" jaw heavy vise on one end while the other end, side actually, is drilled and tapped to accept both my progressive press and my regular press. It is a very stable setup.

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I use a workbench one of the wood processors sell up here, solid 3x3 legs with a 3x3 stretcher down low and a 4'x 5' 2" thick butcher block top. All solid rock maple, when you run into it ,you move it doesn't No flex or give so a secure mounting place for everything, wooden tiered shelf built on back to reach all small items without getting up. Love it and it will outlast me.

 

[COmtnman1]

i used 3/4" MDF(type of particle board) with 2x4 frame. Used long bolts on the front edge of presses that go all the way thru the 2x4 frame with a piece of 1/8" metal under the 2x4.

 

[Mike D Texas]

your buddy is correct. Butcher block to is the way to go. I reload off of a 2" thick butcher block bench and it's solid.!

I was lucky enough to get some maple butcher block top from my granite guy when we were building our house. He installed it in a home and the lady didn't like it so she had home remove it and replace with granite. I picked up almost 20 linear feet of it for under $500. My loading bench is a shade over 13' long. I used the left over piece to build a seating bench in our master bath.

No doubt that stuff is SOLID! A piece about 6' long is all I want to handle by myself. Don't have finished pics because I'm still working on it but will post when done.

 

[Jluck]

T&G pine 2x4 or 6's. Glued, clamped and urethaned Nice cabin feel. I'll get photos of mine this evening.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

I was lucky enough to get some maple butcher block top from my granite guy when we were building our house. He installed it in a home and the lady didn't like it so she had home remove it and replace with granite. I picked up almost 20 linear feet of it for under $500. My loading bench is a shade over 13' long. I used the left over piece to build a seating bench in our master bath.

No doubt that stuff is SOLID! A piece about 6' long is all I want to handle by myself. Don't have finished pics because I'm still working on it but will post when done.

Butcher block is solid as a rock. You'll no doubt be happy with it.

 

[Philward]

Thinking about rebuilding mine, might use kitchen base drawer cabinets and would like an L shape with one side for archery stuff, cutting and fletching arrows, etc. 48x15 or so. Only have a single stage press, rockchucker, and that's plenty since I do mostly rifle. Got lots of crap sitting around in the current one so need better storage.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

Thinking about rebuilding mine, might use kitchen base drawer cabinets and would like an L shape with one side for archery stuff, cutting and fletching arrows, etc. 48x15 or so. Only have a single stage press, rockchucker, and that's plenty since I do mostly rifle. Got lots of crap sitting around in the current one so need better storage.

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

 

[Hawkeye Pierce]

My first one was 2" thick pressed board counter top without laminate. 2ft x 3ft peices on a 2x4 framewith a 10 overhang for my stools. Got checkered floor laminate and glued it down. I could hang my whole weight on it and no problem.

All components came from the Re Store

 

[keithcandler]

Commercial solid core doors are tremendous in great construction. Check your local habitat for humanity.

 

[KyCarl]

I was still working when I built mine and I made press templates out of cardboard
took them in and shape cut 1/2 steel plates that matched each press and hole pattern
Then I sandwiched the table top between the press and the plate with bolts with
nylanuts they are there to stay!

 

[Braunschweiger]

2 1/4" lamalated plywood bench top with a 12"x 12"x 1/4" steel plate under the press. Works great. No flex what so ever

+1 on that. Even a 2" thick butcher block will flex.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

My first one was 2" thick pressed board counter top without laminate. 2ft x 3ft peices on a 2x4 framewith a 10 overhang for my stools. Got checkered floor laminate and glued it down. I could hang my whole weight on it and no problem. View attachment 165792
All components came from the Re Store

Nice clean looking setup!