Lee Loader

I've seen these benches at Harbor Freight over the years and have been tempted to buy one when they go on sale for the very use you're making of it. But, the store display model didn't seem to be that solid so I changed my mind.

Obviously they're solid enough or you wouldn't be using one for reloading.

Did you have to do anything extra to shore it up anywhere or were you able to start using it right out of the box (after assembly, of course)?

All 4 of my benches (only 2 are these HF types) have been anchored to the wall.

All of the tons of force you need to reload stay within the press. The bench itself doesn't need to be too solid, much less than you'd expect. What you do need is a bench that can take the torque you're applying, without tilting or moving.

I have a small, cheap soft-wood children's writing desk as a reloading bench. Even with the progressive press it doesn't bend or warp. But it does lift of move around a little... unfortunately the floor it stands on isn't solid either, so I cant really bolt it down. But I was surprised that the desk proved massive enough to withstand the forces. Only thing I did was putting a high-desnity fibre board under the press mount itself, to prevent it from diggng into the soft wood.

Both of my wooden benches are bolted to the wall with long lag bolts.

Fyodor wrote: What you do need is a bench that can take the torque you're applying, without tilting or moving

That is why I have brackets from the benches to the wall.

My bench is made from 2x4s and 3/8" plywood which worked fine until I started full length sizing 308 brass. Added a bunch of 2x4s under the plywood and no more problem. It's not bolted to the wall either.

I have studs underneath my table tops where my devices are mounted to avoid flexing too.

I recently bought and assembled one of these benches. Harbor Freight stocks two models and one is very well made while the other has some flaws. If you read the reviews on their website before purchase (I did), you can get the better made one.

The entire bench is made of butt joints and screws. If you add simple wood glue (I used this high dollar stuff called Elmer's. ), this bench assembles nice and tight and stays that way.

I mounted an Inline Fabrications "strong mount" with the quick change feature to one end and a power strip (also HF) to the back of the top surface. I'm very pleased to say the least and the drawers work perfectly. Probably the most bang for the buck in a reloading bench I've ever seen. Fits through a standard house door when fully assembled if you need to move and two healthy men can carry it.

Doesn't get much better.

Dave

Very nice set up.