Anyone handloading long enough finds some unique items to compliment the loading/cleaning process in addition to the standard items that can be bought at the local gunshop or online. I'm refering to stuff that you have adapted for the bench. For example:

-Doll needles. These resemble normal needles except they are larger in diameter and considerably longer. I use mine to pick crude out of primer pockets, shellholders, etc.

- Q Tips. My cleaning proceedures on handguns would be incomplete without these nifty cotton headed thingies. Put a drop of oil on one and swab the frame rails, put some solvent on and get into those tight spaces and recesses. Anymore I buy them by the 1,000 count.

- Those new style plastic powder canisters are useful for storage of many things. I cut the top off and use them mainly to store limited quantities of brass in transition from fired to tumbled to trimmed to loading. I prefer those nice tall Aliant ones.

Except for items that you can find at the normal gunstore supplies, what unique items are on your loading bench?

Coffee cans, coffee cans, & more coffee cans. I have a large coffee can for each caliber I reload. I put the cleaned brass in them along with the dies I use plus loading data. That makes it easy to get going when I get the urge to reload. Everything is marked & neatly stacked.

I also found at Joanne Fabrics plastic storage cases that resemble ammo boxes, & that's where I put my reloads, one box for each caliber. Works for me. Also found a neat card board box with handles. I use it to store all my gun powder.

My loading bench is a roll-around metal cabinet I had fabricated years ago. It has hinged metal doors that lock. On the inside is 2 wooden shelves and storage bins on the doors. Has a wooden top where my presses are anchored. When the wife says it looks too ugly to be seen, I roll it into our walk-in closet. Nuff said!
Keep it coming...

I use the "T" handles of Throttle/choke cables for cleaning primer pockets and removing stuck media. I get the broken ones and cut the wire about an inch from the thicker part of the pull cable (the guide part). You can make probes, picks and hooks out these discarded pull cables.

I use my old nylon brushes which aren't good for cleaning my rifles anymore to clean the necks of my brass. Works well and I get extra use out of the brushes.

Live Long And Shot Well

I bought several excellent overbed tables from the hospital where I worked. They are adjustable for height and I place three powder scales on they to check powder charge weights. They roll right up to the reloading bench and are rolled away when finished.

Old toothbrushes are neat for cleaning brass chips out of chamfering and deburring tools and the cutters on case trimmers.

Tweezers work well for dropping a few grains of powder into a powder scale pan to get the right weight. They also work nicely for retrieving old primers from the reloading press ram and shellholder.

Empty plastic cases from .22 ammo are good for storing case trimmer pilots.

Suture racks hold reloading dies and can be added to accommodate more dies on the reloading bench. I use them to store boxes of bullets by caliber and weight.

All the best...
Gil

You will find all sorts of "wonderful" things on my reloading bench.

Cotton Buds (Q Tips) get a showing....great for cleaning, oiling and touching up scratches etc with "cold blue".
Containers of all sorts and sizes...little round plastic sweets bottles for storing case neck chamfers and Primer pockets cleaner, printer ink refill concertina bottles with a "needle" attached to the neck...great for oil, puts it EXACTLY where you want it in little drops.
Coffee and Milo tins, some with the top removed...for catching spent primers, others for storing bits and pieces..always throw in a dessicant bag as well.
A stock of plastic McDonald's teaspoons. Held so you put a slight bend/tension in the handle, then tapped lightly with the index finger causes only a couple of granules of powder at a time to "jump" into the powder pan on the scales. (One of my favourites).
Military 9mm Ball over here comes in boxes with a plastic insert holding 35 rounds.....thes are PERFECT for holding cast projectiles after sizing and lubing..have about 50 of them and they stack nicely, saves the projectiles sticking together on the lube and keeps them nice and clean.
Old babies cloth nappies (diapers). Great as hand wipes or wiping anything for that matter, also put them over my presses and powder throw to keep the crap and corruption off them that invariably floats around the garage. Made a calico cover for my scales for the same reason.
Old plastic military ammo boxes (about 12"-14" wide x approx 24" long and 6" deep) great for storage of anything, also 30 Cal and 50Cal metal ammo tins, also great for storing stuff...and lockable.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention. If it looks like it is useful, I will find a use for it. Plus, I'm a bit of a BowerBird...hate throwing anything away...I might have a need for it one day.

Cheers, Vince

I forgot the vacuum cleaner. I can't believe the number of times I've had to use it
Keep it coming...

George, you just reminded me of another accessory I have.....an old hair dryer that my missus "consigned" to the rubbish.

Just needed a little tweak and it works perfectly for my needs....use it blow drying cases after washing in Brakleen and also for heaps of other things in the garage.

Thanks mate.

Cheers, Vince

Handloader, good topic!

Some items I have found uses for when reloading:

A penlight flashlight, handy for inspecting the insides of cases and dies.
Paper clips make great tools for removing trash from spent cases and good for feeling the inside of bottleneck cases for possible head separations.
A lighted magnifying glass, for inspecting case neck for small cracks.
A small soft bristled camel hair brush, for cleaning spilled powder from hard to get areas.
Rubbing alcohol, removes dirt and grime from brass and dies.
Compressed air (in a can), again handy for blowing out unwanted debris.
An old (1gal.) plastic milk jug (with cap) makes good containers for trash brass and spent primers.
Powdered white graphite, dry lube for die threads and presses where oil could possibly cause problems.
Heavy duty paper shop towels for wiping brass, clean up, ect.
A pair of pliers…. for mashing rejected brass (before going into the recycle jug).

Well darn Coyotehunter_1...I may have to list all my special tools. I thought that the one that I listed above was the only special tool I had. Your list, I thought, was standard needs at any loading bench. I bet most of us have all or most of what you listed. Very good list. It reminds us that we are not as different as we thought.

Hi Boys....I'm having fun using a MISTO olive oil spray can with my favorite lube-blend. One can for reloading....another for firearms. It beats paying for spray cans.

SHOOTIST

Dental picks. Dentists throw them out after a while.

POP!! wrote:

Dental picks. Dentists throw them out after a while.

Hi POP. You just reminded me of another "tool" I have and use but never really thought much about it.....a Dental mirror...very handy. As Bushy says, a lot of these items most of us have on our bench and don't think much about them.....they just make life a little easier.

Thanks mate.

Cheers, Vince

Dental picks I have, got them at the local swap meet. Good place to find many of the items listed here.
Keep it coming...

I have heavy duty gallon size Shwans Ice cream tubs full of brass of different calibers.