Gentlemen - Let me first thank all of you for all your contributions to this thread. Some hit the mark as far as what I was envisioning and others may not have, but were interesting to read and very worthwhile in their own right.
Secondly, let me apologize for the tardiness of this reply. Life has a funny way of getting your attention in ways you didn't plan for.
Now then. To start with my benches, I need to start with the house. A brick Cape with slate roof built by my father and his brother in the 30's. My uncle was a machinist on his way to owning his own small company, my father a carpenter on his way to civil engineering.
My uncle welded some steel together and used it with a horse to dig the foundation of the cellar. The two benches in the cellar were his. I'll attempt to describe them.
#1. heavy steel frame bolted to the floor, topside measures 6' x 40". it is made of wood "slats", 1 1/4" x 2", all squeezed together and bolted tight.
#2. same deal with the frame. 10' 10" x 30". There are 3 beams, each 8" x 30" running the entire length, even spaced and bolted. Topside: Some kind of wooden bed with wood "slats" 2 1/4" x 30"
Unfortunately, they need to be cleaned off of accumulated junk and organized. Right now I just have little "areas" cleaned away. The smaller benches have 2 presses bolted in, a Rockchucker and a Lee turret. Never used the RCBS, am planning to handload rifle with it. The Lee was used exclusively for handgun cartridges for many years but hasn't been used since oh, I'd say '97 or so.
Anyway I just wanted to answer all the questions about the stability of the bench where the vise will go.
