Q&A: Should I wax my machinery or use kerosene?

Mike Pekovich, Anissa Kapsales and Ben Strano debate whether to use wax, kerosene or an aerosol woodworking lubricant on jointer beds

By Michael Pekovich, Anissa Kapsales, Ben Strano Mar 18, 2019

Question from J: Hey folks, I recently volunteered to be the shop manager for my local guild of woodworkers. We have a 16” Oliver that apparently, according to some, must never have its bed waxed. They prefer it is cleaned only with kerosene, the reason being that it’s believed waxing a jointer bed will cause glue joints to fail. Any merit to this train of thought? Or can I just wax it and make everyone’s lives easier?

Anissa Kapsales: Wax. Wax the bed. It’s not going to interfere with a glue joint.

Mike Pekovich: Yeah, I’m not buying that the wax is gonna interfere with a glue joint, either. Just make sure you buff it off really well, and it won’t leave a residue. People also ask me, “If I wax the bottom of my hand plane, is it going to inhibit the finish or the glue joint?” No, it doesn’t.

Anissa: I like the ritual of getting the wax out, cleaning off the bed, putting the wax on, and buffing it off. I do it two or three times a year. And then everything just moves so smoothly through the jointer.

Mike: I think wax is too messy, and it doesn’t inhibit moisture that well, so it doesn’t inhibit rust either. I like having some protection, so I use that GlideCote spray stuff. It’s in an aerosol can, and it’s fast to use: “spray, wipe, done: let’s go.” It makes everything really slippery.

Although, Bob Van Dyke, who used to use the spray stuff, has started using crumpled up wax paper. He’s sold on that.

Ben Strano: I use SlipIt, which is a lubricant that comes as a wax or a spray.

This conversation is an excerpt from Shop Talk Live episode 183.