What makes a good reloading bench ? I am thinking about a ss wood top bench at lowes. Has a light .. back board / peg board .. three large drawers ... its 60 inches long 24 inches deep . think its on sale for 250.what else would you look for ?

How heavy is the top? You will need to bolt a press or few to it. This is a nice kit if you have some skilz:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200226224_200226224

My bench is made from a bunch of 2x4's, heavy and ugly, but effective.

The weight of the bench vs my tugging at the press. Structural integrity and support to mount the press on.

Very similar to what you are looking at, I mounted organizers for nuts on the wall to store my bullets in. I actually made my bench out of 2in steel stock and mounted a 1in hardwood on top. My presses actually bolt threw the steel supports. I even went so far as to wield steel plates on the post uprights to mount the bench to the ground.

Just talking out load, I just don't like my bench moving... LOL

Duane

Something else, Pat Marlins has a neat way to mount presses.

http://www.patmarlins.com/

Duane

I normally build mine when I have a shop to load in but right now I've taken over the spare bedroom so I got hold of an older solid wood desk, it has a small bookshelf that sits on top so I can set stuff up like tools and such and then I bought some cheap book shelves to store components and loaded ammo on. I reinforced the bottom of the desk with a 2x4 under the press bolts.

Used a 2x4 upper frame with 3/4" birch ply as a top and a couple kickers from the top to the floor/wall corner. Very strong

Built more than a few, and right now in my small place I went more like a computer/forray piece of finished furniture. I made it match my computer desk, that I purchased. A couple of things I have sorted out.

First, the closer the press is to one of the legs, the less stout the top and legs need to be. My legs use 3/4" pine boards, screwed and glued to form an "angle iron" type look. They are 3" wide at the top, and taper to 1.5" on the bottom. But my press is very close to the top of the right leg.

For the top, I always like it to be thick, but I like to get it with two layers. I like a base to be 3/4 plywood, and I am using 3/4" pine boards as my top, because they finished nicely. Particle board is ok if you use the type with the micarta like surface for the top, but it seems to always need a base surface under it to eliminate flex.

If you can bolt into your back wall, and catch a few studs, you should have no problem with it moving. This will allow you to get away with having less mass and structure on the bench, v. a free standing unit. And figure that no matter what you build or buy, your gonna end up customizing, adding too or evening redoing. It is likley one of the cornerstones of your mancave, so changing and adapting are good ;^)

And this will probably get me a time out or ban, but peg boards suck........

Craig

I bolted some 2x6's to the corner of a closet and cut an old solid core door to fit on top. Still need shelves on top.

I would recommend you checkout companies that are selling used equipment. I bought a tech bench from the company I work for 50. Works perfect for reloading. Sorry I cant upload image but will email it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ru5w8idvvz0bnn9/reload%20bench.jpg

2x4 material for the legs, 3, 2x10"s for the top, you want it strong and solid.

ditto on the 3/4 plywood top reinforced with 2x 4's,tried 1/2 plywood one time -father-in-laws suggestion,not stout enough 3/4 is the way to go or thicker ,plus I used bolts for the frame with the 2x4's