Having followed AR for years, there is no doubt that this is the place to ask a question and get great feedback so here goes . . .

I'm refurbishing a workshop to be set up specifically as a reloading room. It's about 14' x 22'and I'm setting up both shotgun and centerfire progressive loaders. I'll be doing lots of brass sorting, cleaning, and packaging and want an efficient work flow.

My original thought was to have lower and upper cabinets just like kitchen cabinets (I'll build them myself) and I know that most kitchen cabinets are built with the top 36" from the floor, but is that an optimal height for reloading? Do taller benches seem to work better for the loading process?

I've stripped out the old sheetrock, wiring, insulation, etc., and am starting from scratch. The rough in wiring is in and there are LOTS of plugs, both at lower levels and mid-levels.

Are there any other tidbits of info that would hehlp make this room be "the perfect reloading room"?

All help is appreciated!

JDS

I have a big bench in basement extra bedroom and it stays cool & dry, never over 70 degrees, 40% humidity. Trouble is the family is all upstairs and after ya watched all the shooting dvds, even the dog ain't good company. So I keep all my supplies & tools & equipment there and I built a thick bench top thats portable for upstairs. Made it from 2x10s sandwiched between two 3/4 inch ply board. It's 30 inches wide, around 5 foot long and weighs maybe 100 lbs. I set it on some cabinets and then bolted my press down. Now I reload and watch tv with the wife and kids; hence I spend more time reloading. Just a thought after spending all that time building that big bench downstairs. My kids are home for summer from school, they grow up too quick so I like spending as much time as possible with the family.

I used upper wall cabinets, 12 inches deep and 42 inches high, to make the base for my bench. This accomplishes two things: First, the work table height is about 44" from the floor, which is just right for either standing or using a tall bar stool. Second, the bench top is 24" deep, so there is twelve inches of knee room underneath so that you can set your stool at an appropriate working distance. Having the cabinets underneath the bench affords some great storage space. I also have 12" wall cabinets above the bench top, with thinline work lights mounted underneath them to illuminate the bench top work area.

The wall cabinets only partially support the bench top -- it is anchored on one end on the 90 degree wall in the corner, and on the other end by an end plate of 3/4" oak plywood. The top of the bench is made of two layers of 3/4 in MDF with one layer of 3/4" oak plywood on top, for a total thickness of 2.25".

The reloading table is 72"long x 29"deep,x 35" high. The top is 2x6s with the 18"x 36" main work area decoupaged. legs and supports are 2" lumber. The 35" height seems to be just right for me
Although I do have some cabinets and closets, I chose to use shelving for the most part so everything is visible and well labeled. It's not my bag to have to search through crowded cabinets, standing on a ladder or such, if I don't have to.
My man cave is a converted 2 car garage that is carpeted and air conditioned.
roger

A/C and ventilation are good. Ergonomics (so you don't bend too much or scrape your arms on the top of dies), stability of the table for scale dampening and having the tabletop height so's you can work at eye level come to mind. Also, the bigger cabinets are the better, with lots of room on the shelves vs. lots of compartments. Locks for the cabinet doors and a small fireproof office safe for primers would be great. Fireproof cabinet for powders would be sweet! Keep it all secured from kids and interlopers, too. Also, a wash-up area nearby...

FWIW, I have none of these in my uninsulated garage and don't let the small stuff deter me...

I've built three loading rooms and 5 'benches'; Stoncreek's suggestions are excellant.
* Light, LOTS of light.
* Storage, LOTS of storage, but not deep or wide spaces, small stuff gets lost to quickly. Combo of open shelves & cabinets.
* Bench height just below your elbows when standing, use a stool when seated.
* Cheap but easy to clean flooring; vinyl and laminate stuff is good.
* 7/16" OSB walls, installed with screws and painted with an exterior grade of satin white, not dry wall; you can alter your shelving & hanging stuff easy that way, it's easy and looks good too.

In a room that large, consider a work island in the middle for increased bench top, make it a gun cleaning station, for tumbling, casting, etc. I would also want to put a mini-kitchen along part of one short wall; small sink, under-counter refrigerator, coffee pot, small microwave. And an "office" next to it, with a writing top, computer/printer space and shelving for loading books and a small filing cabinet for fired targets and other records.

I have owned four houses, and lived in a few more. I got tired of leaving good, well built reloading benches behind when I moved so I came up with a design for a single station reloading bench that can be moved and is as stable as one that is bolted to the wall or in one case ceiling to wall. It is designed to sit at while working, has room for your press, scale, trimmer and dies with a bit of space for the important items. I use two such benches, one for my rifle loading and the other for my pistol loading but you can set one up for every press you have or just your favorite press.
The bench is a one piece table and seat (that is what makes it rock solid even when forming brass) made from 2x4s and 3/4" plywood. 5 8 foot 2x4s and a single sheet of plywood will make a bench and some shelves to put above it. I made one set of shelves and two cabinets that sit side by side and fill the space under with two 30" wide benches with room between them for my tumblers.

If you would like dimensioned drawings I can send PDFs. Just email me and ask.

Suggest putting your scale on a shelf by itself. Keeps it very stable.

Also, pay attention to the relationship between vent outlets and your scale. You don't want air blowing on the scale.

Good luck.

My loading desk is 25.5 inches high.

I load sitting down. Much more comfrotable durring long loading sessions than standing up.

My powder measures and scales are mounted on an elevated shelf 36 inches high.

Works great for me...

Just what I was hoping for . . . excellent tips!

I appreciate the info on the portable benches, but this room will be a permanent deal, with everything having it's place.

I like the idea of the 12" cabinets below to bench tops. It will allow some leg room as well as not losing things in the back of deep cabinets. ALong that line, I think anywhere I put deeper cabinets, the facings will have doors to keep the dust out, but the shelves will roll out like drawers to allow me to get to the stuff in the back.

"Scale on a separate shelf" . . . note made to self . . . great idea!

The center island idea was excellent and I expect will also be included.

Walls will be 1/2 B/C plywood . . . a little pricier than OSB but I think it will be nicer.

Great ideas, folks! Thanks a ton but don't stop now!

JDS

I would make sure you plan for any drawers and shelves to be VERY HEAVY! Reloading stuff tends to get that way fast, and the bottoms of most drawers are not up to the task. A large, roll-away multi-drawer tool bin has the right type of strength and weight capacity, and might be able to be designed to roll under a section of bench.....

Cheers,

Dan

I stand 10+ hours a day for a living and am used to it.

My Kennedy tool chest at work is 40" to the work surface and as I'm 6 ft 2 the hight fits me perfect. I am not a sit down worker

I built my bench 8ft long and 40" high and with the addition of powder throw stations and a progressive press to go along with my single I now wish it was 10ft long

I built my own cabinets and built them strong....I'll clean the area up and snap a pic later if anyone wants to see

accurate shooter.com has plans on their daily bulletin page right now

I made mine a little different than others. My reloading table is all steel.

1/4" plate top (mine 2'X4') welded down (professionally of course) to a 2"X2"-1/8" angle iron frame with the same size angle iron for legs at 42" tall as I recall. All braced with a place for a shelf under the table. I then welded 4 ea. 2"X2"-1/4" plates with holes drilled and tapped through the center on the bottom of the legs. I then threaded 3/8" dia. bolts through these plates and use this to level my table and keep it from rocking on the concrete floor. As I want to add a turret press or anything else, I just drill and tap holes through the 1/4" plate and bolt it down. When I'm done take it off if I feel like it.

The steel table has ample weight for far stoutest single stage press and can be easily moved or modified if needed.

Just above the table I have adjustable shelving for dies etc.
I keep all of my powder and primers, etc. in a metal cabinet adjacent to the reloading bench.