Replies

1. 
   RickL | Feb 16, 2005 06:48pm | #1

   Wire brush the paint of and ROS starting with 100 grit and work your way up to 220 or so. Keep it waxed and HTC makes a cover that breathes and is supposed to keep the rust away. HTC has no website so call for a catalog.

1. 
   gfornelli | Feb 16, 2005 07:10pm | #3

   ROS "random orbital sander" I assume? Regular sand paper too? HTC?

   Thanks

   Sorry for the ignorance!

2. 
   BrentS | Feb 16, 2005 06:55pm | #2

   Just like to add to Rick's post,use mineral spirits as a lubricant while sanding and wipe it off often to get the loosened debri off the surface. You have a job and a half cut out for you.

                                                                      Brent

1. 
   gfornelli | Feb 16, 2005 07:50pm | #4

    

    

   Thanks for the advice! It is going great. I have maybe 20 minutes into it and one third of it is done. I just wanted to try a small section to see how it worked and well take a look...

   Edited 2/16/2005 11:51 am ET by gfornelli

   
1. 
   BrentS | Feb 16, 2005 11:34pm | #5

   Looking good! Just be careful in the miter slots....take your time there.After you finish cleaning it all up ,you have to protect it. The way I do it is:

   1) clean the surface VERY well with mineral spirits,then let it dry for a half hour.

   2) spray the surface with Top-Coat.Use about 3 times what they suggest on the can.Let it dry for 20-30 minutes then buff it out with shop paper towels(the blue ones work great).Do this about every 3 months,and your saw should always look like new.

   3)Never leave ANYTHING on the cast iron table.

   You can get Top-Coat at any of the big box stores(it,s a brown aerosol can).If you finish cleaning your table today and don't put the Top-Coat on right away,I suggest you give it another shot of the fine grit paper just before you do put it on,then clean it up well.By the way,in case you haven't gotten an answer to your question HTC is an after market company that makes some great products.I've never used their covers,but here they work well.You should be using wet-dry paper when cleaning up the top,it leaves less scratchs.

                                                                           Brent

   Edited 2/16/2005 3:37 pm ET by brent

1. 
   treem | Feb 23, 2005 08:22am | #6

   I do the same thing with Top Coat, it's expensive, but seems to work. On the fence I use car wax. Parking a car in the garage, especially in winter, will hurt the saw. Over extended time (like when you finish using the saw and are waiting for your grandson to take it from you), use a thicker coating of paraffin or oil.

   The other thing I do, since the saw is also a workbench, is have a sheet of 1/4 plywood over the saw any time I'm not using it. It also reminds me to keep the blade down and out of the way (both for my safety and to keep the blade from getting dinged). I have found that the buildup of shellac and finish on this plywood also works as a moisture barrier. It's lightweight enough to easily remove, but keeps my sweaty palms from messiing up the top of the saw.

1. 
   MHBurton | Mar 13, 2005 01:52am | #8

     Be careful using car wax. Some brands contain silicon and will really give you the fits when it comes to finishing time if the silicone gets on the wood. I use plain ole' Johnson's Paste Wax in the yellow can on every tool in my shop. It is cheap.

     Cast iron tops, router bases and tables, planer beds, you name it. It makes a huge difference. I couldn't believe the change in the feel of my router cutting action after waxing the router base and the top of my Leigh Jig while cutting drawer joinery one evening. It really made a believer out of me.Michael BurtonThunderbird HardwoodsKiln Dried Mesquite Lumber  &Custom Mesquite FurnitureLlano, TX

2. 
   cicero | Mar 02, 2005 07:36am | #7

   Top Coat to expensive for me.

   I use a good furniture wax and recoat when looking a bit dry.

3. 
   Novy | Mar 18, 2005 12:43pm | #9

   minigrinder with a wire cup wheel followed by topcoat

    

   On a hill by the harbour