Bench top design
- Thread starter Pete Wass
- Start date
DeltaBravo
Member
Pete,
Good looking benches! I'm curious why you think the triangle shape is better than a T shape? I haven't shot on anything but a T so have nothing to compare it to. I'm also curious about the effect of portability on stability; or, does that concrete top control all that?
Thanks.
Dennis
Good looking benches! I'm curious why you think the triangle shape is better than a T shape? I haven't shot on anything but a T so have nothing to compare it to. I'm also curious about the effect of portability on stability; or, does that concrete top control all that?
Thanks.
Dennis
Lee Martin
Active member
Perfect timing Pete. My dad and I are redoing ours and will be forming the concrete top. Still undecided on the shape by I'm leaning towards the traditional T. I am curious to know how you like the triangular version however.
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
David Halblom
Flying Fish Fundamentals
The triangles and
I would make one change to the design depicted. Make them so a "trailer dolly" picks up the back end rather than a trailer jack. Those damn jacks are getting expensive. And a dolly is about the same price, one time.
their curved brethren give more room on the left( rh shooters) and right ( opposite ) side of the gun. Tees can be a bit short on space.
I would make one change to the design depicted. Make them so a "trailer dolly" picks up the back end rather than a trailer jack. Those damn jacks are getting expensive. And a dolly is about the same price, one time.
B
b albee
Guest
Boyd Allen
Active member
There are a couple of considerations besides the shape of the top that are worth mentioning. First of all, a lot of shooters like to put a leg behind the benches rear leg or back of the base. Moving that leg forward allows them to not have to move back on the tail of the bench to do this. B albee's bench has this feature, which may actually be more important to overall comfort than the shape of the top. Another thing to look at is how much space there is on the side that the shooter is on, with rest and rifle in place. I have never made it to the Super Shoot, but as I understand the situation the bench shape and target alignment as such that in th e past, some shooters have needed to drill one rest leg for an inboard leveling point. I have seen more than one shooter at bench picture that demonstrated this issue, which has become more important with the advent of loading ports opposite bolts. Saving it for last, the most important part of a bench designed for competition is that it not show movement on the target, as viewed through a high magnification scope, when a shooter leans on the bench. It can look as pretty as you like, and be as comfortable as can be, but if it moves when you lean on it, it has a flaw that is significant.
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Pete Wass
Well-known member
A couple of things - -
I find with T benches I have to hang over the rifle to sight it and this tends to make me drag the rear bag toward me. I am a rotund person so being able to sit at the angle of the rear portion of the benches I put up allows me avoid a 45* corner poking in to my belly. I also like to sit behind my rifle with my right leg under the rear of the bench, which many benches do not permit. Benches that have their rear leg at the extreme rear of the bench top prevent this.
Some time ago, someone on here put up a picture of a design he had made which had an area behind the tail of the bench for an elbow pad. That might be a good feature.
Pete
I find with T benches I have to hang over the rifle to sight it and this tends to make me drag the rear bag toward me. I am a rotund person so being able to sit at the angle of the rear portion of the benches I put up allows me avoid a 45* corner poking in to my belly. I also like to sit behind my rifle with my right leg under the rear of the bench, which many benches do not permit. Benches that have their rear leg at the extreme rear of the bench top prevent this.
Some time ago, someone on here put up a picture of a design he had made which had an area behind the tail of the bench for an elbow pad. That might be a good feature.
Pete
Pete Wass
Well-known member
This one is interesting
I would like to try it although the rear corner could be bothersome. perhaps cutting it to a 45 would fix it.
Pete
I would like to try it although the rear corner could be bothersome. perhaps cutting it to a 45 would fix it.
Pete
Lee Martin
Active member
I should've been more clear. We aren't leaning towards a pure T shape. Instead, we'll have a 45 degree cut connecting the front to the rear portion. The top Tony Boyer has at his personal range is what I'm considering (pictured on page 219 of his book).
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
The wedge shaped benches like pete's and the benches in st Louis, simple don't allow enough room on the shooter side of the rifle. In st Louis my shell box has hit the concrete at least twice. way to crowding. Kelblys are even worse.
we are fixing to start building the new machine shop and shoot room, so I have to rebuild the benches inside my room that I built a couple years back. I made a rounded T shape type bench and I really like it. I will change the dimensions a little but nothing major. I may also form the top with 2x6 instead of 2x4 this time. reason being, I may bend or weld some steel in an L shape to reinforce the top, and completely do away with the rear leg?? I used a 6" sonatube for the rear leg the first go around, and I truly have no complaints. Plenty or room for your legs no matter how you sit. Ill post a pic. Lee
I made my benches for a right handed shooter, and ill do the same when I have to rebuild them here in a couple months. I had a little more freedom because of the bench being right handed only, and I was able to off set the rear leg a bit.
If I build the next benches without a rear leg, I will have to move the front block back towards the shooter a few inches. I really don't think that will be an issue though. with a thick enough top and the proper steel rebar frame work, I really don't see a need for the rear leg.
This time around I am also going to build a bench outside the shoot room. That bench will be right/left handed capable, and I will support the table with a rear leg. I will use the sonatube again for sure. Lee
we are fixing to start building the new machine shop and shoot room, so I have to rebuild the benches inside my room that I built a couple years back. I made a rounded T shape type bench and I really like it. I will change the dimensions a little but nothing major. I may also form the top with 2x6 instead of 2x4 this time. reason being, I may bend or weld some steel in an L shape to reinforce the top, and completely do away with the rear leg?? I used a 6" sonatube for the rear leg the first go around, and I truly have no complaints. Plenty or room for your legs no matter how you sit. Ill post a pic. Lee
I made my benches for a right handed shooter, and ill do the same when I have to rebuild them here in a couple months. I had a little more freedom because of the bench being right handed only, and I was able to off set the rear leg a bit.
If I build the next benches without a rear leg, I will have to move the front block back towards the shooter a few inches. I really don't think that will be an issue though. with a thick enough top and the proper steel rebar frame work, I really don't see a need for the rear leg.
This time around I am also going to build a bench outside the shoot room. That bench will be right/left handed capable, and I will support the table with a rear leg. I will use the sonatube again for sure. Lee
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Dusty Stevens
Hollow Point Dispenser
Most dont like stuff being under them especially with a wide base stool
Gene Beggs
Active member
Eliminating rear leg?
Lee, I hope you will reconsider about eliminating the rear leg on your next bench. I do not think you would be happy without the added stability of that rear leg.
Gene Beggs
Lee, I hope you will reconsider about eliminating the rear leg on your next bench. I do not think you would be happy without the added stability of that rear leg.
Gene Beggs
O
oldpup223
Guest
Here is the ones I like
Here is the ones I like
Here is the ones I like
Lee Martin
Active member
A fine article on the subject....and it happens to come from this very site:
http://benchrest.com/articles/benches.pdf
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
http://benchrest.com/articles/benches.pdf
-Lee
www.singleactions.com
Pete Wass
Well-known member
I'd have the same issue
With your design Lee as I do with the others, that 90* corner at the left rear where my big gut goes. I find that to be distracting as I shoot, the way I set my rifles up. I like to sit slightly behind the bench so that I don't have to tilt my head much to shoot. Thank you for posting your pictures. This is the kind of discussion I had hoped might ensue. Thanks Again.
Pete
The wedge shaped benches like pete's and the benches in st Louis, simple don't allow enough room on the shooter side of the rifle. In st Louis my shell box has hit the concrete at least twice. way to crowding. Kelblys are even worse.
we are fixing to start building the new machine shop and shoot room, so I have to rebuild the benches inside my room that I built a couple years back. I made a rounded T shape type bench and I really like it. I will change the dimensions a little but nothing major. I may also form the top with 2x6 instead of 2x4 this time. reason being, I may bend or weld some steel in an L shape to reinforce the top, and completely do away with the rear leg?? I used a 6" sonatube for the rear leg the first go around, and I truly have no complaints. Plenty or room for your legs no matter how you sit. Ill post a pic. Lee
I made my benches for a right handed shooter, and ill do the same when I have to rebuild them here in a couple months. I had a little more freedom because of the bench being right handed only, and I was able to off set the rear leg a bit.
If I build the next benches without a rear leg, I will have to move the front block back towards the shooter a few inches. I really don't think that will be an issue though. with a thick enough top and the proper steel rebar frame work, I really don't see a need for the rear leg.
This time around I am also going to build a bench outside the shoot room. That bench will be right/left handed capable, and I will support the table with a rear leg. I will use the sonatube again for sure. Lee
With your design Lee as I do with the others, that 90* corner at the left rear where my big gut goes. I find that to be distracting as I shoot, the way I set my rifles up. I like to sit slightly behind the bench so that I don't have to tilt my head much to shoot. Thank you for posting your pictures. This is the kind of discussion I had hoped might ensue. Thanks Again.
Pete
F
Fla mac
Guest
I like the way Charleston S.C. has their benches, you sit in the middle, good for right or left shooters. They can move them with a pallet jack. If you have 10 shooters you have 10 benches, if you have 20 then you have 20 benches, very good setup.
john
Mims, Fl
john
Mims, Fl
Attachments
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Mike Bryant
Active member
All personal preference
It all comes down to personal preference. I prefer the T shaped benches as I'm right handed and shoot right eject benchrest rifles except for one that is a left eject. On the triangle benches such as what Ben Avery has in Phoenix, the left hand eject doesn't work well as there's not enough room to catch the brass when they eject and you wind up having too many cases wind up on the floor. As they say, if the brass isn't flying you're dying. The U shaped benches don't work well with right eject rifles with a right handed shooter as there is no room on the right side of the bench to catch the brass. Of course, a benchrest rifle doesn't eject anything like the AR in the post above. They solved that with a web brass catcher. An AR would have to have something no matter what shape the bench was. Below is a photo of the bench I have on my range at home. Joe Archer built a mold for it out of plate steel with welded edges at a slight angle to pull the top out of the mold after we poured it. The original idea was to build a range with 20 benches to hold matches. He moved and it wasn't feasible to build the range. Plus the fact that my berm would have to be about 20' tall to not be able to see trucks passing by on the back side of the berm.
The bench is 47 1/2" x 47 1/2" square with the T cutout on both sides. The front edge of the T starts 24" back from the front edge of the bench and tapers in 11" on the perpendicular. The rear edge of the cutout is 18" in from the rear of the bench. The T part of the bench is 27 1/2" in width. It made a good comfortable bench with plenty of room on the off side from the shooter for cleaning rods, brass ejection, etc. I used 4 cinder blocks high. I've shot on the benches that are 3 1/2 cinder blocks high and I have trouble getting my stool low enough to be comfortable.
It all comes down to personal preference. I prefer the T shaped benches as I'm right handed and shoot right eject benchrest rifles except for one that is a left eject. On the triangle benches such as what Ben Avery has in Phoenix, the left hand eject doesn't work well as there's not enough room to catch the brass when they eject and you wind up having too many cases wind up on the floor. As they say, if the brass isn't flying you're dying. The U shaped benches don't work well with right eject rifles with a right handed shooter as there is no room on the right side of the bench to catch the brass. Of course, a benchrest rifle doesn't eject anything like the AR in the post above. They solved that with a web brass catcher. An AR would have to have something no matter what shape the bench was. Below is a photo of the bench I have on my range at home. Joe Archer built a mold for it out of plate steel with welded edges at a slight angle to pull the top out of the mold after we poured it. The original idea was to build a range with 20 benches to hold matches. He moved and it wasn't feasible to build the range. Plus the fact that my berm would have to be about 20' tall to not be able to see trucks passing by on the back side of the berm.
The bench is 47 1/2" x 47 1/2" square with the T cutout on both sides. The front edge of the T starts 24" back from the front edge of the bench and tapers in 11" on the perpendicular. The rear edge of the cutout is 18" in from the rear of the bench. The T part of the bench is 27 1/2" in width. It made a good comfortable bench with plenty of room on the off side from the shooter for cleaning rods, brass ejection, etc. I used 4 cinder blocks high. I've shot on the benches that are 3 1/2 cinder blocks high and I have trouble getting my stool low enough to be comfortable.
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The bench pictured on page 8 looks ideal to me, maybe just move the back leg forward a bit..........Ian
mwezell
Mike Ezell
Pete, while opinions vary on top shapes, I made my bench from what appears to be the same plans used for the ones in your pics. I prefer that shape and design over any other I've tried. It's plenty stable and still movable. Shooting from it vs one on concrete blocks or pillars, I can tell no difference in stability.