Checking In - Workstation Continues:
I finished building my new reloading-bench/work-station today; the first one that my friend and I had built has been good target practice throughout this last summer. The bench was a wee bit wobbly; I was in a lot of pain when it was built, and my friend meant well with his help in cutting all the lumber for the project, but he does not put much faith in the term square. Sometimes it is best to just let things go, wait a bit, and then slowly replace the offending item. I can, and have built a new bench, but I did not want to lose and try to rebuild a new best friend.
Anyways, the new bench is done, and it is pretty damn tough. I didn’t use any 2x4 on it, I used only 2x6, and some bracing with 2x8. I used two, 2x6 pieces glued and screwed together for the legs; now all that I left to do is to cut a one-piece top out of the ¾ in. sheet of black medite (super compressed wood & glue, covered on both sides by vinyl) that I have had in the garage/shop that I bought last year. I’m going to glue it down to the bench (3/4 in. Plywood) with a layer of Liquid Nails, and with wood screws that will only penetrate the new top from the bottom, and only half the way into the new sheet.
After securing the new top, I’ll put some trim on the left side, and front of the bench that will set a 1/8 above the benches top. With that done, I will bolt the bench to the right hand walls studs, and again to the back walls studs, this will give me one supper strong and secure bench. I hope to finish this new workstation by the end of the winter, and then start hand loading next spring. I have four banks of two-tube fluorescent lights above the workbench. I will have three shelves above the bench, and I placed double stacked machinists toolbox that I have loaded with supplies on the immediate left of the workbench, this will give me a good work station with most of my needs easily accessible. I’m really looking forward to finally getting started next spring, this all has taken a lot longer than I had planned, but school and a wobbly first bench set me back a bit.
Only thing left for me to make up my mind on the placement of my loader and vice; I’m thinking of making a cutout in my bench for inter-changeable plates that contain the loader, vice, and whatever else I wish to use on that bench. In this way, I can use the new station for many things, and slide the units with their plate onto a shelf and out of the way when not in use. I’m still working on this idea, but I grow more and more found of it as time goes by, it will most likely be a feature, LOL!
Target Hunter,
Gary
