Frazee Ridge, SASS #54171 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Howdy Everyone: I am new to reloading, in fact I haven't reloaded anything yet. When I finally get started I will be using a RCBS Rockchucker Supreme. I need to reconfigure my basement for this and the best spot for my bench is in the same area as the gas furnace. The edge of the bench will be approximately 12 feet from the furnace. The gas water heater is around a corner further away. Is this a safe location? I will be using smokeless powder. Thanks for the help. Frazee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cypress Sam, SASS #10915 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Gunpowder is not volatile so the gas appliances shouldn't cause any problem. At least you'll be warm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Howdy The name of the game is to keep sources of heat away from the powder and primers. This usually means open flames. My loading bench probably is not much further away from my gas heater than yours, as the crow flies. If you can sit there and you are not uncomfortable from the proximity to the heater then it is probably fine. By the way, since you have already decided on a press, what loading manual are you going to read? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazee Ridge, SASS #54171 Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 Howdy The name of the game is to keep sources of heat away from the powder and primers. This usually means open flames. My loading bench probably is not much further away from my gas heater than yours, as the crow flies. If you can sit there and you are not uncomfortable from the proximity to the heater then it is probably fine. By the way, since you have already decided on a press, what loading manual are you going to read? The Speer #14 came with the press so that is what I was planning on. Would I be better off with something else? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 You should be fine. Make sure you have a LARGE fire ext. close by. How damp does it get in your basement? Cheers, LG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 My WOOD burning furnace ain't 10 feet from the powder cabinet and press. Powder ain't like gasoline, it actually has to come in contact with fire to burn..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Would I be better off with something else? Yes, you'll be shooting lead bullets, no jackets. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th Edition only ... http://www.amazon.com/Bullet-Handbook-Popular-Rifles-Pistols/dp/B000IZZT44 Has 'how to' for how to reload and also cast, plus loading data The 3rd Edition is a really outdated And don't permanently afix your press to the workbench. You'll be sorry. Mount it on a piece of wood and clamp it to the bench with C Clamps. Easily moved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 The Speer #14 came with the press so that is what I was planning on. Would I be better off with something else?Thanks. Howdy Again Just a gentle nudge, some folks don't realize they should read up on what they are about to get into. The Speer manual is fine. Be sure to read the chapter showing the actual reloading process. I have the Speer #13 and it has excellent illustrations, I'm sure the 14th does too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nota John, SASS #51089L Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Yes, you'll be shooting lead bullets, no jackets. The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th Edition only ... http://www.amazon.com/Bullet-Handbook-Popular-Rifles-Pistols/dp/B000IZZT44 Has 'how to' for how to reload and also cast, plus loading data The 3rd Edition is a really outdated And don't permanently afix your press to the workbench. You'll be sorry. Mount it on a piece of wood and clamp it to the bench with C Clamps. Easily moved If you go with a 1 by piece of wood to mount the press, use hardwood ( Maple, Oak, etc. ). The press can generate a LOT of pressure when working the handle, found this out when I started, using a pine board for the press mount. Take your time, enjoy the loading. Yours. Nota John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Dave Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 If you're going the route to mount the press to a board, then the board to the bench, as others said use a wide hardwood board, and make it long as well. When I started the C clamps were too close to the press and I was forever smacking my hands on them. I've since mounted the press to the bench with a hole cut in the bench open to the front for the main "shaft" of the rockchucker to go thru, very stable. I have several benches so not a big deal to have the press mounted permanently on the one I use for loading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hard Mouth, SASS #60280 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Howdy Frazee Ridge, I, too, am just starting to reload. A couple of weeks ago I was making a service call at a gunshop customer of mine. Noticed a sign about a class on handloading they were offering 3 days hence. Very well worth the $50! Had read manuals, but now feel much more confident by having actually pushed the lever and knowing how it's supposed to feel, etc. If you can find a class, take it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Duncan Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 ...my bench is in the same area as the gas furnace..Is this a safe location? Same place that I reload. I believe piping a explosive gas into a dwelling and then lighting it with a open flame is more dangerous then reloading close to the furnace or heater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 And don't permanently afix your press to the workbench. You'll be sorry. Mount it on a piece of wood and clamp it to the bench with C Clamps. Easily moved Very good idea mentioned here. I'm not new to reloading but am new to my newer house in Atwater, CA and am setting up my reloading gear in my garage. This time (although I have a relatively large bench area) my bench has to serve a myriad of purposes such as general garage work, gunsmithing work, reloading, etc. For this reason alone I can't dedicate bench space to tools unless absolutely necessary. That is why I recently purchased a Lee product that may interest you for your press http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=113651 It's only 23 bucks from Midway and is strong as an ox. Extra plates are available, but the kit comes with three to mount presses or other tools. Tighten just four machine bolts and you're ready to load. Loosen those same bolts and you can remove the press clearing your bench to a press-free work area. All this without C-clamps to get into the way and all of the cutting and design is already done for you. Give it a look. I'm really impressed with mine. Smithy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Checotah Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 And don't permanently afix your press to the workbench. You'll be sorry. Mount it on a piece of wood and clamp it to the bench with C Clamps. Easily moved I don't understand this advice. I've been reloading on my Dillon 650 for 3+ years, and it is "permanently" attached to a bench/cabinet using bolts. "Permanent" seems to be a relative term; attaching with bolts, screws, clamps, etc. are all movable. Even cementing in place isn't truly permanent. Can you please explain, 'cuz I'm confused (which is a usual state fer me)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithy Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I don't understand this advice. I've been reloading on my Dillon 650 for 3+ years, and it is "permanently" attached to a bench/cabinet using bolts. "Permanent" seems to be a relative term; attaching with bolts, screws, clamps, etc. are all movable. Even cementing in place isn't truly permanent. Can you please explain, 'cuz I'm confused (which is a usual state fer me)? I think it was because he also mentioned that it was a "single stage RCBS" press. Not that that is not a good choice, but maybe because there is plenty room to expand from that as a starting point. In other words, don't put all your eggs in that one basket if you know what I mean. That's another good reason behind the Lee bench plate mount that I'll be using. If I am in total disgust with a particular choice of equipment, all I am out bench wise is a small piece of plywood. No holes in the bench, nothing to fill etc. Please correct me if I made the wrong assumption. Smithy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Howdy Regarding this business of clamping the press in place vs bolting it down. I have done both. It has been my experience that a press bolted down to the bench top is more rigid than a press bolted to a piece of wood which is in turn clamped to the bench. Think about it for a moment. How many elements are involved? The press itself ain't going to flex or bend at all. Hopefully it is made of either aluminum or cast iron and it ain't going to flex. It is the wood that is going to flex. Yes, the bench top is going to flex some. And so is an intermediary piece of wood, whether it is plywood or solid oak. What tends to happen with a clamped down press is not much happens on the down stroke of the press. But on the up stroke, a clamped down piece of wood is going to flex up. Take a close look at your clamped down presses and you will see what I mean. What many do not consider is how flexible the bench top is. Even with a press bolted down to the bench top, if the top is made of a single layer of 3/4" plywood, on the down stroke of the press, the entire press will tend to tilt down a bit as the plywood it is bolted to flexes under the pressure. Then on the upstroke, the bench top will flex up a little bit. Add an intermediate piece of wood, and you add to the pieces that can flex. Both of my progressive presses are bolted down. On the first one, when I realized that the bench top was flexing, I went back and retrofitted another piece of 3/4" plywood directly under the press, screwing and gluing it to the underside of the bench. This cut down considerably on the flexing. When I added a second bench, I reinforced the underside of that benchtop with a much larger piece of 3/4" plywood extending out in 3 directions from where the press would be mounted. As expected, that benchtop flexes far less than the original. My two progressive presses are the workhorses of my reloading area, and they are bolted down. Considerable thought went into their placement and the working areas around them. I placed these presses so that there is a good 12 inches of bench space on either side left free for loading blocks, trays of bullets, primer flip trays, and assorted tools that are needed during the loading process. Twelve inches on each side is a good minimum. Sixteen inches is better. My single stage press, shotgun presses, and luberasizer are all mounted to pieces of plywood, and are portable. They can be removed or positioned as needed at the time. I do not even bother to clamp down my MEC Jr when I am using it, allowing it to bounce around a little bit doesn't affect anything. I do clamp down my old Lyman Spartan single stage when I use it, and it does flex a bit on its piece of plywood. My point is, give a little bit of thought to what your anticipated needs are. By all means, clamp down your press if you are just learning. Figure out what placement works best for you. Figure out how much space you need around the press. If you are single staging it, where is the best place for your powder measure? This stuff will all become clear after a while. Then, if it makes the most sense to continue with the press clamped in place, by all means do so. But if it becomes obvious that a specific place is the best for the press, and you have no need to move it, then get rid of the extra piece of plywood and bolt it down. It will be more rigid. After all, what's the worst case scenario? You buy a new press, and there are a couple of unused 3/8" holes in the bench? Is that the end of the world? By the way, I have no idea of how much space you have available, but 6 feet is a good minimum length for a reloading bench. If you have more space, make the bench longer. You will fill it up. Trust me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazee Ridge, SASS #54171 Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Howdy Frazee Ridge, I, too, am just starting to reload. A couple of weeks ago I was making a service call at a gunshop customer of mine. Noticed a sign about a class on handloading they were offering 3 days hence. Very well worth the $50! Had read manuals, but now feel much more confident by having actually pushed the lever and knowing how it's supposed to feel, etc. If you can find a class, take it!! Hey Hard Mouth: I agree and if I can find a class I'll take it. I have a dvd from RCBS which is pretty good but I would like someone looking over my shoulder to start with. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazee Ridge, SASS #54171 Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Thanks to all of you who have replied. Great advice so far and I appreciate it. Probably have more questions along the way. Have a good weekend. Frazee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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