I recently bought a new Grizzly 10″ table saw and in falling in love with it wanted to make sure the table was sealed sufficiently. i had hear that a good automobile wax would help seal the surface. so being the moron that i am, i applied what i thought was a good wax. After applying the wax i noticed an effect i didn’t like the looks of, so i removed it as quickly as i could. there now appears to be an etching on the surface of the cast iron table. it is nothing you can feel, but leaves a look i don’t care for. is there anything you are aware of that might remove this? i am now using a commercial sealant recommended for my table saw.
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Most ordinary waxes can be removed with a petroleum based solvent, such as paint thinner, or my personal favorite, naphtha.
Auto waxes, because they have to resist weather and sunshine, can be much harder to remove because they contain chemicals that harden permanently and won't ever dissolve in any solvent. Automotive products also often contain silicone which if it gets on the wood will cause problems later because the silicone will prevent stains and finishes from adhering to the contaminated wood.
Is it possible that you used an auto polish not a wax? Polishes have a powdered abrasive in them that would mildly abrade the surface of the cast iron possibly creating the etched look you are describing.
In any case, cast iron is soft and porous compared to most other metals, so cast iron tables are easily stained and scratched. It is the nature of the material, there is little that you can do about it once it has happened. You can try to even out the appearance of the surface with abrasives but you won't ever get back to the factory new look.
Machines as they get older just develop a patina on the iron as the various stains and scratches melt together.
John White
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