Just the Basics - DIY Reloading Table

 

The DIY part is just a bit deceptive coming from me. Visualize “Tim the Tool Man”, multiply by 100 . . . . you have my construction skill set. Ask me to design and build a computer system, HF Radio system, navigate the wilderness with nothing but a stick and my two feet – I’m your guy. Build something out of wood . . . . call my son-in-law, Jeremy.

Jeremy is a true craftsman. An art professor specializing in wood as his primary medium (though he just finished four plaques for a parish walkway in bronze), he’s your man. Honestly, he’s become a son over our 20 years of loving the same gal.

Anyway, I wanted a reloading table but the designs I found on the net seemed overly complicated, bulky, complex . . . . just was not what I was looking for. So, we visited Jeremy and my daughter last weekend, chewed over my ideas and came up with this:

• The foundation would be a standard folding table
• The top would be built to sit on top of the table and made of Melamine for ease of cleaning.
• Shelves would be added made from excess material

I liked the idea of a folding table because it will be easy to move in need be, it seemed to be a cleaner approach and it kept costs down.

Folding Table: Menards - 6 ft. Long Rectangular Resin Fold-in-Half Banquet Table

Melamine: Menards - 3/4" x 49" x 97" Melamine

Jeremy also surrounded the edge of the top with a 2x4 frame which protects the edge of the table top as well as provides a way to secure the top to the folding table.

The components of the table are:

• 1ea      30” x 72” Top of Table
• 1ea      9” x 72” Top Shelf
• 1ea      9” x 70 ¾” Middle Shelf
• 2ea      9” x 18” Shelving Unit Ends
• 2ea      9” x 8 ½” Shelving Unit Center Supports

The table top was wrapped in 2x4s that he planed down to square them up and put a better edge on them.

A work in progress:

Finished Product:

Final Installation:

Note that I added a couple of lamps to it. The center also has a 3x magnifier built in (eyes simply are not what they used to be).

The next step will be to install the reloading gear. That will be a job for the next few days.

I’m pretty happy with this approach. It was simple to transport home because I simply had to fold down the legs and slide it into our van. It weights a substantial amount so I believe it will be more than solid enough for reloading straight walled casings. I suspect it will work on rifle cartridges as well, time will tell.

The costs were certainly well within what I had hoped for coming in under $80. Not bad. Of course, Jeremy made this possible – thanks bud.

So, if you want still one more reloading table option – there you are!

Enjoy!