Very nicely written up!

 

very nice write up
I think we should set up a sticky of all the different designs and also pictures

 

heres my bench
it started off life as $13 thift store find

 

Cheap and Easy

I've made some like those above ,but fall back on this cheap and easy portable option more times than not. :t i Everyone knows what i mean when I say "Workmate" If not ,you know the folding little portable saw horse work table B&D and other s make. You can get the small ones for around $25.00 Thats all you need to start . then take a peice of plywood the size you need and cut to the shape for the top. screw a 1X1 1/2" strip to the underside of the plywood top lenght wise. All you need to do is set this on top of the work mate and crank the clamping top to the strip on the under side . the whole thing even when clamped together folds flat when you colapse the workmate.I made one .. Makes a quick lite wieght portable bench:t

Mine is smaller for portability in the field ,you can make the top what ever size you like .but too lage will compromise stability . A lite kick on the inside of the legs settle it in to a solid bench with little trouble or time. I want to add some carpet to part of the top so the little HM2 rds don't keep trying to roll away on me. all you need is a 5 gal bucket for a seat . -- -- I was aked to post this again on this thread, this is fro the guys who want shooting time vs time making a bench."Quick and easy" I've made a better one ,but this one get more use as to it's portability lite weight etc.:t --JMJ--

 

I've made some like those above ,but fall back on this cheap and easy portable option more times than not. :t i Everyone knows what i mean when I say "Workmate" If not ,you know the folding little portable saw horse work table B&D and other s make. You can get the small ones for around $25.00 Thats all you need to start . then take a peice of plywood the size you need and cut to the shape for the top. screw a 1X1 1/2" strip to the underside of the plywood top lenght wise. All you need to do is set this on top of the work mate and crank the clamping top to the strip on the under side . the whole thing even when clamped together folds flat when you colapse the workmate.I made one .. Makes a quick lite wieght portable bench:t

Mine is smaller for portability in the field ,you can make the top what ever size you like .but too lage will compromise stability . A lite kick on the inside of the legs settle it in to a solid bench with little trouble or time. I want to add some carpet to part of the top so the little HM2 rds don't keep trying to roll away on me. all you need is a 5 gal bucket for a seat . -- -- I was aked to post this again on this thread, this is fro the guys who want shooting time vs time making a bench."Quick and easy" I've made a better one ,but this one get more use as to it's portability lite weight etc.:t --JMJ--

For the time being, since I already have the Workmate, this will be my first one.

 

Homemade portable bench

My version.

Folds flat to ride in the truck bed. Two layers of plywood, 1/2" and 3/8" glued and screwed together. Cut outs used as struts for strength and to build up the legs to fold over each other flat. Put the rib around the outside to keep small stuff, shells and such, from rolling off. Ran a router bit to keep the left side from being sharp.

 

Good idea for a thread. The details on my bench are posted here:
http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226919
...

Here is bjkearns shooting his CZ Varmint on the bench at Orosco Ridge in the Cleveland National Forest:

...

 

HI, Can I shoot in the Cleveland National Forest? Is that the one between OC and S.Diego counties? From your address, I am guessing it isnt. Why do they name everything the same: HOw about 'Santiago' or 'Temecula' - there are way too many of those around here. Someone says to me 'you know, by Temecula..' and he doesnt mean the one down the 15 but rather up Simi Valley way. I digress. What about legal shooting in the National Forest and where is it? We are going up to Reagan's ranch tomorrow, should I bring some shooting irons?

much obliged,

Max It

 

I found plans for the booger bench and showed them to my father-in-law. He made these for us to shoot off of.

The table legs came from Home Depot. He used a quarter sheet of 3/4" plywood that he had lying around for each bench

We're both right-handed shooters, so he only made the cutouts on one side.

They work really well. They're not as stable as a concrete bench, but they were plenty stable for us. We shot AR's, AK's, an SKS, an M1 Garand, and of course our 10/22's off them without issue.

Images below link to larger images.

 

Old barbecue grill conversion

This I made out of an old Sunbeam barbecue grill, piece of 5/8" ply and a few carriage bolts. Works for me.......

pipestone

 

Moveable but heavy bench plan:

Here is the plan of the benches we have at our club at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. We wanted benches that could be moved back to make room for our prone shooters, but we wanted them stable too. Two men can move this bench, but it gives a solid base to shoot from. Legs made from 6 inch well casings. We started out with 10 of these benches, build 25 years ago. Still look good and are still solid. We now have 24 of them.

Picture of one of the benches with a high tech seat made from a section of telephone pole:

 

Mission Texas bench Plan

Here is the plan for benches we build down in Mission, Texas. Real solid, but they can not be moved. Cost less for material than the benches we built at Sault Ste. Marie.

Picture of the 11 benches on the Mission Range:

 

Here's mine I threw together for about $17.....It's my first attempt, so don't bash it too much...

 

looks good bucks
what thickness of plywood did you use
some I add on of these to my table on the legs
http://www.lindcraft.com/product_details/S15.html

 

I used a 1/2" ply with a piece of ~1/2" treated on top of that......just some scraps I found in the garage. Made a frame of 1x4s to screw the legs to. Shot some layers of liquid nails and put a few screws thru it and this is what I ended up with.
I haven't shot from it yet, but I'll keep the sandbags in mind, however I don't think I'll have any trouble with it (it weighs on the upwards of about 30 lbs, still portable though) as I'll be shooting mainly rimfires from it.

 

Built this Shooting Bench for the "Rembrandt Hunting Lodge". Thought I might share some pics of the project. Needed something that could be easily moved, right or left handed, fully adjustable for adults or kids, and weather proof.

Materials list is a follows:
- (1) 3/4"X4'X8' sheet pressure treated plywood
- (2) 2"X10' lengths of black pipe
- (1) 3/4"X12" All Thread
- (3) 3/4 nuts & washers
- (12) 3/8"X4" Galvanized carriage bolts & nuts
- (1) 18" diameter Disc blade
- (3) 1/4"X4"X4" plate

Recently removed a radiator heat system from the Hunting Lodge and had lots of heavy black pipe that was going to the scrap yard. Saved it to be used for our new gun and archery range.

After cutting to proper length a tube bender was used to make the frame and legs of the shooting bench.

Bench design uses a 3 legged format with two identical pieces of formed pipe.

After bending the pipe they are welded at one end with the framework in a "V" pattern.

Next step was to cut the 3/4" treated plywood sheet in half (4'X4'), then glue and screw both halves together....making an 1 1/2" thick top for the bench.

After the plywood is glued and screwed together, cutouts are made for the right and left handed shooters. Saved these scrap cutouts for a bench seat top. Edges are sanded and smoothed.

Holes are drilled through the wood and pipe, insert carriage bolts.

 

Next step was to build an adjustable "Piano" style stool that has height adjustment.

Piano style stool uses an 18" disc blade for stability. Piece of black pipe is welded to the base and a notch is cut partially through the pipe about 6" down....this will be used to locate and secure nuts inside the pedestal.

One nut is welded to the base of the All Thread to act as a stop, then a second nut is welded to a washer, but allowed to spin freely on the threaded shaft.

This is then inserted into the pedestal where the washer then lines up with the previously cut slot...then welded.

Top of pedestal is then capped and a mounting plate is installed for the wooden seat. Threaded shaft allows 6-8" of height adjustment.

Finished seat assembly.

Here's pics of some built for our club's outdoor range 12 years ago...heavy duty, weather well, and can be moved out of the way for other shooting disciplines. Smallest kid or biggest adult can use them.

 

Nice build Rembrandt.....I like the design of the stool...might have to try my hand at one sometime....Right now I'm using a folding hunter's chair I picked up from K-Mart for $10....it works, but you have to dig a hole for adjustments

 

pipestone,

Nice build! "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!" :bthumb:

how many of us can say we shoot off the grill? LOL

 

Excellent design and implementation Rembrandt!:bthumb:

 

Last year I aquired a large quantity of redwood in 2X6X12 from a demolition project and took it out to the range hoping to build a shooting bench out of it. Finally found the time last weekend and here it is..it's "The Cadillac of shooting benches", strong, stable, and big. Now I can look forward to shooting in style and comfort....now, where should I mount the radio?

 

Portable shooting bench

I made it mostly for when I go out to BLM and want to shoot from a bench. It's not as ridged as a permanent bench but will be nice to use four occasional shooting trips when I don't want to go to the range. I'll probably use it mostly for rimfire but I figure it can be used for most centerfire.

It's 36" wide and 40" long, made from KD Douglas Fir 2X4's edge glued. All the edges on everything are rounded over. The legs are 2X4's as well. I used 3/8" carriage bolts with 3/8" malleable iron washers to attach the legs to the table. This setup allows the legs to be adjusted for height and allows the legs to be folded flat to the table for storage. The rear leg can be put on left or right side rear bracket to give more room for left/right hand shooters. The top is routered so that the carpet is just proud of the top of the table and eliminate raw carpet edges.

I picked up the carpet for $8 and had a gallon of almost white paint from another project that I got tined at not cost. I figure I've got less than $30 in the whole project.

Here's some pic's...

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench1.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench2.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench3.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench5.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench6.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench7.jpg

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb198/photos25/Shooting_Bench/Bench8.jpg

 

I made it mostly for when I go out to BLM and want to shoot from a bench. It's not as ridged as a permanent bench but will be nice to use four occasional shooting trips when I don't want to go to the range. I'll probably use it mostly for rimfire but I figure it can be used for most centerfire.

It's 36" wide and 40" long, made from KD Douglas Fir 2X4's edge glued. All the edges on everything are rounded over. The legs are 2X4's as well. I used 3/8" carriage bolts with 3/8" malleable iron washers to attach the legs to the table. This setup allows the legs to be adjusted for height and allows the legs to be folded flat to the table for storage. The rear leg can be put on left or right side rear bracket to give more room for left/right hand shooters. The top is routered so that the carpet is just proud of the top of the table and eliminate raw carpet edges.

I picked up the carpet for $8 and had a gallon of almost white paint from another project that I got tined at not cost. I figure I've got less than $30 in the whole project.

VERY nice, well done!

 

Haven't seen this thread in a while. Some nice work posted recently!

4D5, Do you "set" the legs in position by cranking down on the carriage bolts? Or are there stops built into the legs to set them in a given position when extended? TIA.

 

No preset stops



There are no preset stops. Just angle the legs as desired and tighten down the nut. With the paint between the two pieces of wood there is no movement and sometimes I have to actually have to break the connection between the two pieces after losening the nut before folding the legs. There's a lot of clamping power with the large iron washer.

 

Here's a semi portable bench I recently made. The top is 3/8" plate and the legs are 2 1/2" square tubing and weighs a little over 300 lbs and is pretty ridgid. The seat is hinged and swingsin and out and adjustable for height to fit different size shooters.

 

heres some more pictures of my bench

http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd301/bjkearns/?action=view&current=P1000354.jpg

 

Shoting bench

I use an ironing board for a bench rest to teach my students sight alignment and trigger contol to deliver the shot.

 

Here is mine. Pardon my silly contraption of a rest. I now have a shiny new Cowan rest.