mounting a press

[Monochrome]

I know i know, there is probably 7,000 hours of youtube video showing how to do it, but I really hate video.

Is there a minimum thickness needed in the surface that press goes on? Ask because i have seen a few pictures online of people who mounted their press to a 2x4 or 2x6, and use C clamps to attach that board to a table top.

 

[RicinYakima]

What kind of surface? Plywood work bench 5/8 is find with proper sized holes and bolts.

No idea for clamps on table top.

 

[L Ross]

I know i know, there is probably 7,000 hours of youtube video showing how to do it, but I really hate video.

Is there a minimum thickness needed in the surface that press goes on? Ask because i have seen a few pictures online of people who mounted their press to a 2x4 or 2x6, and use C clamps to attach that board to a table top.

I can mentally picture bolting the press to a 2x6 plank. I'm thinking the bolt heads would be counter sunk on the bottom with washers? Then the bolts with washers and nuts on top so there would be a flat surface against the table top. My next concern would be the rigidity of the table itself. Then if the press and plank were positioned at either the very from left of right corner of the table top you could get three C-clamps on it. If the C-clamps were large enough with a deep enough throat I suppose two from in front reaching to the middle of the plank might suffice. I know for me, unless I reloaded from that set up standing up, I would hit my knees of the C-clamps 10 times every loading session.

 

[Ben]

I like for the area on the bench that will hold the press to be reinforced under the bench top with 2x4's. I usually mount my presses with long lag bolts that go down into the 2X4's. As has already been mentioned, a 5/8" plywood bench top underneath the press works fine.

Ben

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm not a big fan of lag screws but use them when I’m forced to, like when there’s too much material to make a through fastener practical. (like when the mounting hole ends up over the frame of the bench top). In those cases, I use the largest lag bolt diameter that will fit the mounting hole and select a length that utilizes most of the available thickness.

I prefer to drill completely through the bench top and use a bolt with machine threads, nuts, and washers. Again, I pick the bolt diameter that closely fits the mounting hole. Use a close-fitting washer where the bolt passes through the press. Use two washers (one larger diameter than the other) under the bench top to spread the load over the greatest surface area possible. With large washers and bolts, you can get away with 5/8” plywood. I prefer at least ¾” if possible.

In lieu of washers under the bench top, you can use a piece of flat iron bar stock with two holes corresponding to the bolt spacing. This will spread the load over an even greater area.

Another option that I’ve used are T-nuts on the lower side with bolts on the top. That allows the tool to be easily removed from the top and re-installed.

Depending on the force you will be applying, you can get away a lot less, I had a co-worker that had a spare center leaf for an old kitchen table. He bolted the press to that table leaf and installed it when he needed the press.

 

[Jeff H]

Many viable ways and all so far seem perfectly appropriate to me, with preference for one means over another being more about what you have available.

If I'm mounting a press to a board to clamp onto another surface, I PREFER to use a piece of solid hardwood. a 12" long piece of 3/4" oak, maple, hickory, etc. is plenty, even with bolt-heads counter-sunk in the bottom, with a washer. 1/4" to 5/16" bolts/flat-washers/lock-washers, with the nuts on top.

The width would be the width of the press' foot-print, plus at leas half an inch on each side. The reason for the length is that the leverage afforded reduces the flex and stress effected on the surface to which the press is mounted. TWO c-clamps, one fore and one aft really makes it easier on the work-surface, especially if it's something in your home.

Currently, my single-stage LEE O-press is mounted to a piece of hickory and clamped to a bench when I need to size bullets or deprime a bunch of "new," used brass. The Lyman 45 is similarly mounted on a piece of maple, using nothing more than #10 cabinet screws and I've put more stress on that press - in BOTH directions - than is sensible, without the press moving or stressing something else.

Since I have always had some type of construction project, furniture/cabinet work in-process, I've always had access to a variety of building materials, which may not be the case for everyone. Stop at a constriction site and bum a piece of plywood, or better yet, stop at a cabinet shop and bum a piece of hardwood. Most often, if you offer compensation, they'll ave you off. Short of that, the home-centers or lumber companies will cut you a piece for a small fee. Sometimes, the "fee" is nothing more than a little patience. I add this because, while REAL, QUALITY plywood is amazing stuff, any plywood I've bought in my lifetime has gotten worse each year, and since 2020, it's pretty much a waste of resources - garbage.

My current favorite-of-all-time permanent mount is a 1" thick slab of PVC, to which the press is screwed from the top, and the slab is screwed to 7/8" thick hickory bench-top from below. 1/4" machine SCREWS (no nuts), with the holes in the PVC slab D/T'd to minimum clearance. A bit extravagant, elaborate and definitely overkill, but I had the material and was tired of the "temporary" pine slab I had been using for probably 30 years.

A board if sufficient. The one point I'd stress most is making the board a little longer than the front to back foot-print of the press. Takes a lot off stress of the surface you're attaching it to.

 

[JWinAZ]

^^^
I use that method for all of my presses and lubricator-sizers. Usually a 1x6 piece of hardwood and flat head screws. Two 4" c-clamps work for most operations. If more support is needed I'll clamp it to a corner and add a third clamp. The 3/8" socket head flat head screws shown here are overkill, 5/16" or 1/4" machine screws would suffice. I notched the board for the clamps to allow them to reach as far back as possible.

 

[Winelover]

The legs of my bench are constructed with 2 x 4's, held together with lag bolts (not screws). The 6' butcherblock countertop was purchased at one of the local home improvement stores, in the 70's. Wherever a press or sizer is permanently mounted, 2 x 4's were added underneath. Also appropriate-sized lag bolts were used to fasten the press or sizer. There is a Star sizer to the left of the RCBS LAM......not quite in the picture.



Strong enough to support this heavy monster!

 

[glassparman]

I mount all my devices on an aluminum plate system. Just unbolt the plate with the device. That way I don't have a bunch of holes in my workbench. Not super fast but what I like.

I do a lot of conversions so I prefer a strong bench to mount in.

 

[JonB]

I'm not sure what you are asking, but here is my set-up. I made a reloading Bench out of a wire spool. I put 1/4" plywood on the top for a smooth surface, this particular spool has two layers of 1" boards that run criss-cross. I've used lag bolts and machine bolts/nuts to mount presses. You can see I have added a 2x4 post support under a couple of the presses to eliminate bench flex. This was done after I broke the wood while swaging jacketed bullets with the Lee classic cast press.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

And there's the poor man's removable bench top section.

I don't typically use it for presses, but I do have trimmers, lubrisizers and other equipment mounted to sections.

 

[fiver]

i've used the same counter top as Wine has there.
it's currently got three shot shell presses and 5 swage presses setup on it.
4x4 legs, 2x6 frame, and solidly mounted to the studs in the wall behind it.... maybe a little overkill but it ain't moving.

the metallic is 2x4 and 2x6 construction with the same 4x4 legs, but the top is 2 sheets of 1/2",, and the extension benches [completes the U shape] are 3/4" plywood.

some of the stuff is mounted like Ben though, with Lag bolts.
the 'on top' presses are half bolt through and half lag bolt.
either through a chunk of 1/2" or into a 2-by.

my stuff ain't movin.

 

[Brad]

Mine is 2 layers of 3/4” plywood glued and screwed together. There are times it flexes more than I like.
Ain’t no such thing as too rigid for mounting a press.

 

[358156 hp]

Mine is similar to Brads. My bench is framed with 2X4s and topped with 3/4 inch plywood. I don't use lag screws for presses after having issues in the past with the lag screws loosening. When (not "if") I mount to a 2X4 I make my bolts from threaded rod cut to the appropriate length with flanged nuts on both ends. It works great and never loosens. I normally use 7/16 to 1/2 inch hardware and all fasteners are a minimum of grade 5 hardware.

 

[462]

When the kitchen was remodeled and expanded I moved the counter cabinets into the garage and they became my bench. It's 10'X36"X27", anchored to the wall, cross-braced, covered with two sheets of 3/4" plywood with a 4' length of 2"x12" on top of that where the presses are located. Depending on press brand and type (there have been many) and method of mounting, they are/were attached by either carriage bolts, regular hex bolts, all-thread, or lag bolts.

 

[Mitty38]

Mine is just mounted on 3/4 plywood with a piece of 16th inch steel plate under it that.

 

[Glaciers]

I’ve taken 2 - 12x3 inch glue lams tied together with 16 inch Timber Lock screws to suck them together making a 24 inch by 8 foot bench top mounted on top of 2 tool chests. The bench top has angle aluminum screwed to both bench top and tool chests making it one solid unit both top and chests. Like Fiver says “it not going anywhere”

Plus the chests with all the storage is first rate.


Early picture of the bench, couple changes since then.



My casting bench is made from 1&1/8 inch subfloor plywood. Solid stuff.
Bench in this picture is new, lots of rearranging since.

 

[hc18flyer]

I have multiple presses and a very small bench. I use a disc blade and a 1" pipe riser to the base of the press. I have a metal flange welded to the riser pipe. I use a vise grip to clamp the flange to my benchtop. The press I use for full length sizing is mounted lower than the Lee c-type press I use for rifle bullet seating. I can easily move the press I want to use up to the bench. Only a Dillon SDB is permanently mounted to the left corner of my bench. hc18flyer

 

[RicinYakima]

My reloading bench is a 1940's kids' school desk with an aluminum plate drilled for all of my tools. Since I don't use any "C" presses, up or down stroke, it doesn't have to be attached to anything, the forces are all down. No tipping or moving so is just fine in my little 8X10 man cave.

 

[Monochrome]

The reason I am asking is that well, I have a very small area inside the house to use for my hobbies. I have photography and shooting. I need to get a new/second work table as i have recently purchased a 3rd enlarger that needs beefy table to mount to. Its easier to get a bigger and better work table and mount it directly to the work table because the cost of a heavy duty microwave cart and second hand baseboard would almost equal the cost of a new work table...
Or i can try to sweet talk the only lumber yard in my COUNTY to cut me a new baseboard from 3x4 plywood.

My existing work table is only 1/5" thick wood. Im not even sure if its plywood or not, and well the packrat in chief declared it "the family heirloom that must be saved". Ive been burning paper in the wood stove for the last 2 months with dates from 2012 and 2013 on them. And i still have maybe 80lbs of that paper to burn that i am aware of.