Lee Bench Plate System

[olderndirt]

I have been reloading since the late 1960's. I started on RCBS equipment and now have almost every brand except Dillon. I reload pistol, rifle and three shotgun calibers. I am building me a reloading room inside my shop that will be 9 ft. X 20 ft., along one long wall will be a bench and shelves about 16 ft. long. This bench will be home to all reloading presses and accessories. One of the short walls will be home to a work bench complete with lights, vise and other tools.
My question to all the experts around here is how well does the removable press plates work? I am looking for reviews from real users. I would like to be able to take presses off and store on shelves when not using and be able to use bench for other projects.
Thanks in advance for all reviews.

[Ranch Dog]

Your room sounds outstanding! The latest version of the Bench Plate system works great. This is the plate made of steel rather than wood. I'm using the plate system with a Challenger, Turret, and three Load Masters. I had problems with the wood base splitting and dumping the press. Chipped my title floor!

[joec]

Your room sounds outstanding! The latest version of the Bench Plate system works great. This is the plate made of steel rather than wood. I'm using the plate system with a Challenger, Turret, and three Load Masters. I had problems with the wood base splitting and dumping the press. Chipped my title floor!

on the all steel model with out the wood inserts. I do have one wood insert made up to hold my Lee Perfect Powder Measure only. They come with one plate and 3 wood blocks I have bought a plates separately for everything else I use.

[olderndirt]

Thanks Ranch Dog and Joe C,
I think I will get some steel plates and mount on presses. I was thinking of powder measures and maybe cast trimmer etc. to be on wood plates also.

Johnny

[joec]

Thanks Ranch Dog and Joe C,
I think I will get some steel plates and mount on presses. I was thinking of powder measures and maybe cast trimmer etc. to be on wood plates also.

Johnny

If you use a wood plate I drill a hole matching it to a hole the in the base plate for it. I drop a bolt through it without a nut and it stops the wood from drifting back on you. The steel plates have a raised edge on the front that stop it from doing this. There is a drilling template for the wood blocks as well as a what holes to use on the Lee Presses. I've seen other presses such as RCBS, Hornady etc mounted on them also and may need another hole added to align them up right. Here are the instruction sheets and template below for it.

http://fsreloading.com/userfiles/file/i ... /90267.pdf
https://fsreloading.com/userfiles/file/ ... MASTER.pdf
https://fsreloading.com/userfiles/file/ ... hPlate.pdf

[Gnslgr]

Hello all - first post here !

I also had issues with splitting the wood plates. Made one out of a red oak scrap, better - not great.

3/4 plywood, now that's tough !!!!

I like the idea of the pin through the plate into work bench !

I'll have to look up the metal plates !

[Fyodor]

They come with one plate and 3 wood blocks

They now come with one steel and two wood plates.

[scotland]

I gotten the new system with one steel and two wood. I put the wood in my scrap pile and just used the steel plate. Works great so far, but I am just starting.

[Ranch Dog]

They come with one plate and 3 wood blocks

They now come with one steel and two wood plates.

I guess they are running out of the wood plates

[Fyodor]

Maybe ;-)

I ordered just the wooden plates, because I will be using a different clamp setup. I don't want to bolt the base plate to my kitchen table. But I plan to use two wood plates on top of each pther, and make a cutout on the upper one, so I'll be able to get the spent primers out from unter the press body.