Reloading Bench, Removable Press Mounting

[TattooedGun]

Okay, so I recently moved, and one of the stipulations of my new place was that I needed to have my man cave, den, office - whatever you want to call it for my computers and also for my other hobbies, guitars and guns.
So I've bought a nearly 3 metre workbench for one wall... solid oak, it's lovely... but I'm reluctant to drill holes into the top to be able to mount my press(es - eventually).

Do any of you guys clamp your presses to your bench, in order to have a temporary or removable, but solid press?

I'd ideally like to use the same workbench for lots of uses without having to work around the bench.

MY main thoughts are with a clamped bench, do the clamps get in the way of legs under the bench when in situ? Are clamps strong enough to hold it steady?

I have 40mm worktop offcuts left over to facilitate this.

Anyone got any examples of similar mounting systems?

[bradaz11]

i use my presses screwed into 4x4 about a foot long. this size was convienient at the time as I had a length kicking around, plus I could use heavy duty screws I had been given by a mate who is garage door fitter. these are clamped to the bench with wickes own brand clamps
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Powagrip ... n/p/500084 - looks like they have changed style since I bought

the clamps hold the presses more than securely enough to the benches I have, usually I mount them with the clamp hanging under the bench, and dont find them to get in the way, but I have also clamped over the bench when I wanted to get a little closer than normal, again, didn't really interfere too much as they have quite a generous throat.

i find the timber tries to roll when really pushing on the press, but never had it slip out. using a board to mount them might be better, but it is still only clamped on the front edge, unless you have a set of really deep jaws, or want to drill and fit a lip at the back to hold it, and remove that, but if you do that, you may as well drill some holes in the bench, and just bolt your board straight down...

[TattooedGun]

I wonder if a home made-purpose built clamp could be made/useful where it's like a C Clamp, but has 2 jaws at different lengths.. Or if it would be pointless or impossible due to the leverage...


Excuse the crude image...

[phaedra1106]

Have a look at this thread, I use the Lee Bench Mounting Plate system to switch between 4 presses (3 Lee, 1 RCBS)

http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.ph ... ch#p331653

[rox]

There are loads of nice examples using T Slot, and of course the Under Bench Receiver System.

T Slot

Under Bench Receiver System

Mine are all drilled though. They aren't going anywhere.

..

[bradaz11]

I wonder if a home made-purpose built clamp could be made/useful where it's like a C Clamp, but has 2 jaws at different lengths.. Or if it would be pointless or impossible due to the leverage...

Excuse the crude image...

I think spend a few pound, buy the clamps and see how you get on, chances are, you'll find the clamps come in handy for other jobs and projects anyway, so even if they don't suit it won't be money wasted.

mount them to your boards and see how you get on, sometimes cheap and easy isn't best, but it is good enough. and when you use them like that for awhile, you can see what you need to change.

T-slot has it's uses, but has limited helpfulness I've always found. I had some on a bench I used at work, and would constantly have to clean them out before use, and if you get any grease or oil in them, then get swarf etc, it can get very hard to clean out.

the undermounts look good, but they then limit you in being able to clamp to the bench to do other stuff and increase the thickness of the bench if you want to work on something that would ordinarily just fit over the bench... plus then make you have to stick to the same design for each press, you also have the fabrication side of things, looks like some welding would be in order
I have cross supports I screwed to the underside of my bench, but I made sure I attached them far enough back it shouldnt interfere with any of my clamps, but may do with slipping things on or under it.

[channel12]

a couple of big clamps will do the job, usually the bigger the clamp the deeper it is. my presses are bolted to blocks of wood and then clamped on to the bench when required. That should be strong enough unless you are trying to f/l resized a steel cased .50BMG.

[bradaz11]

this could be a nice idea if building... although I wouldn't bolt it in.



leaves benchtop clear even with press mounted (so can pop it up to do a quick decap session or something while bench top is busy with other work)
you can put a block on the underside of the press plank and use a clamp on that to the face of the bench (clamp under the bench) or a captive nut on the front of the bench, not like there is a lot of force on the front face when using it.

would be pretty tidy and should be pretty straightfoward to store when not in use

[TattooedGun]

Nice idea, but very industrial.
My room looks so nice.... It would be a shame to mess up what's already been done by having to bodge something together...


The worktop is solid oak 40mm and for the stretch there it was north of £400... hence me not wanting to drill random holes...

I think I'll try C-Clamps for a while... I would like to make my own clamps though as I designed earlier. not sure if they'd stand up to the press force though. :(

[Pesty]

Had the same issue. So I made this. A joiner I am not although you probably can't tell at such a professional job.

It works ok. Not ideal I'm sure but does, when finished goes away in a cupboard as is.