Casting Bench Design

[Paden]

If you were to design/build a brand new casting bench/station (inside a heated garage in a very cold climate); what height off the floor, dimensions, ergonomics, construction material, misc. design considerations, smoke/fumes exhaust, fire safety, etc. tips would you employ/recommend based on your personal experience to date?

 

[Brad]

I did that a few years back. Mine has a 2x4 frame and the top is 3/4 inch BC plywood. I added a shelf that is recessed back a little so I don't hit it with my knees. I though about adding a top of something fire resistant but never did. Concrete board would be nice but also would leave dust of an abrasive nature, not good. In the end I left it bare wood.
Height is a personal thing. I cast standing so I made it tall enough for comfort. I can bottom pour or ladle cast easily.
I made mine 30 inches deep. More than that lends to space you can't easily reach and it just collect junk. Mine is 4 feet long. Plenty of space for a pot, a sprue landing area, a bullet landing area, and a hot plate.
Took me a few hours with a chop saw and cordless drill to throw it together. Mine is held together entirely with Torx head screws. The legs are made from 2 boards screwed together at an angle to give better support, in an L shape.

I will see if I can get some photos of it today.

 

[RicinYakima]

I do almost all of my casting standing and ladle pouring. So 32" is a good height for me, except that the times I do bottom pour, I have to set the pot up on a 6" platform made to hold it. For ventilation, the 4' sliding door behind me is always open, and the small computer fan (about 4 inches) is in the window pulling air out. It is mostly for smoke and heat, since there are no lead fumes. What I am concerned about is the antimony dust from the doss in the air. All doss going into a metal coffee can and at the end of the day a cup of thin plaster of paris put on top. Having spent 28 years in the fire service, I only use CO2 and Halon fire extinguishers. Too many flammable liquids and powder stored in there to mess around with powder extinguishers, I want vapor ones.

The bench is 24" deep and 48" wide, covered in Formica over two pieces of 1/2" scrap plywood glued together. Since my shop is so small, I clean up the casting stuff after every day, and this becomes a regular work bench, so it was made heavy duty with 4x4 legs and braced into the wall studs and everything glued and screwed. This is the bench also used with the big press for case forming and brass shot shell reloading. It has a concrete floor that makes it easy to vacuum at the end of the day.

 

[Ian]

As was said it depends first on whether you plan to sit in a chair, use a butt-jack (stool), or simply stand. I HIGHLY recommend sitting in a rolly office chair, secretary-type with the vertical back that forces you not to slump your shoulders.

What I did for my indoor casting setup is build the bench as low as possible yet still get my knees under it. I did that with 2x12 dimensional lumber and no bracing where my knees go, the top is about 27" off the floor. For a topper I used 1/2" sheet rock. The paper will singe slightly if you pour hot lead directly on it, but it's a nice surface, easily replaced, cheap, and virtually fireproof. Sheet rock won't damage a mould if you drop it. I elevated my furnace on a stack of fire bricks so I can see the stream pour, but not so high that it fatigues my shoulders excessively. I throw a folded towel down next to the furnace, put a cull bin directly in front of me, and have my hot plate with mould oven next to the furnace opposite the towel. For ventilation I built a fume hood out of wood and used 6" steel ductwork to connect a remote, in-line 500 CFM exhaust fan in the attic.

When I water-quench, I simply put a bucket full of water next to me on the floor and turn my body at a slight angle to the pot. The rolly chair lets me kick myself quickly back out of harm's way should the need arise.

 

[quicksylver]

I guess I am the odd ball. I stand when casting but the top of my pot is about 5' off the floor.
this puts the sprue plate where it is easy to line up the holes and I can not drop stuff (sweat) into the pot.

I work on a wood floor, if I was working on concrete I sure would have the best spongy floor I could afford.

I can also tell you that a 16" deep bench is more than enough if it has length.

BTW I also use a fan so some place for that is necessary.

I think some one looking to cast "could" do it in 4'x4' space, not great but would work.

Don't want to make this sound too complicated for beginners.

 

[yodogsandman]

I have everything set up on old metal desks, one for casting, one for reloading and one for case prep, paperwork. misc. Good thing I don't do shotguns!

 

[Rally Hess]

Try to find someone who remodels kitchens and would be willing to save you a countertop with a backsplash. The contractor most often has to pay to get rid of the old counters and will often be able to schedule a pick up for the start to your new bench. You can then just use 1x4 or 2x4 laid flat around the edges of the countertop for reinforcement where any presses or legs will be.
I cast on half of a kitchen table for years. I had it mounted on a wall with two four inch hinges that allowed me to fold it up against the wall when not in use. It had a single 2x4 leg, also mounted to the bottom center of the table with a 4" hinge, which also folded up with the table when not in use. A screen door hook and eye held it up when not in use. I had a range hood mounted over it, with a vent fan and light built in, also a remodeling "deal".

 

[freebullet]

Bottom pour standing with the pot on a heavy duty metal rolling cart. Have a pot on each end for my casting dates with my wife.

I ladle pour sitting.

 

[oldatheart]

Mine is a stainless top over 2x4's spaced out to keep heat buildup down. The sides are make out of a solid core door. Shelves and lighting over head and a shelf under.

 

[oldatheart]

This is after I clutered it up.

 

[Winelover]

I cast outdoors......totally portable. B & D Workmate with a scrap piece of OSB (16" X 43") for a top. Don't need a lot of room for casting......just enough space for the pot, hot plate and a towel cushioned cookie sheet for the boolits. Sprues build up between pot and hot plate.

 

[Warren4570]

I was casting at one point from a plywood table supported by to aluminum saw horses. Kinda sucked .... had to set it up tear it down to move it and it was too low to be comfortable.
Then I set his up.
The relatively cheap cabinet has molds, tools gloves etc in the drawers
The crockpot is what I use to blend the lube in as it can cook it without burning the ingredients
Star sizer is on /off via C clamps ... needs more dies tho
PID runs the pot but will also run the heat treat oven ..... xmas present this year
Bin on right holds cast iron pot & ingot molds ... 150lb of lead, hotplate, melter, etc.
Bottom left drawer holds crock pot and lube making gear ... other drawers are casting tool support
Rolls around nicely in the garage
HD power bar on the back keeps all the cords tidy n organized.



Organizer for cast up bullets until I get em lubed sized n stored


Then to the reloading bench downstairs .... can bring the star downstairs too.

 

[williamwaco]

Here's mine.

 

[quicksylver]

WW .....Should I guess what might be in those USPS Priority boxes?

You guys are way too organized for me.

My casting area is "Hit and Run" and shows it.

Nice set ups, maybe some day, u-n--l-e-s-s you guys ......
Never mind in a month or so I would just have it back the way it is now

 

[Dale53]

Here's my dedicated casting bench:



This shows the manicurist's fan I now use to maintain mould temperature and speed up the sprue hardening time. This has made a big difference in casting speed and quality:



Dale53

 

[williamwaco]

WW .....Should I guess what might be in those USPS Priority boxes?

You guys are way too organized for me.

My casting area is "Hit and Run" and shows it.

Nice set ups, maybe some day, u-n--l-e-s-s you guys ......
Never mind in a month or so I would just have it back the way it is now

You CAN. But you don't need to.

 

[Cherokee]

Here is my bench:

Just my workshop bench that I also use for casting. The pot and catch boxes for the bullets are put on a shelf when not in use.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

I am left handed. So about 5" to the right of my pot I built a small shelf to hold any tools or what ever I need quickly. I usually have bladed & fillips screwdrivers, allan wrenches, pliers, Q tip with BP on it, Lighter (to unfreeze the pot nozzle).
Just the esentchalls for casting.

 

[WILCO]

I guess I am the odd ball. I stand when casting....

Same here.

 

[Brad]

I always stand when casting. I do find a large bench has a downside. It tends to attract clutter and can have space way in the back which isn't beneficial as it can't easily be reached.