Help for serious rust on a table saw top
Y1RET
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
I had a plumbing problem in my kitchen which is directly over my shop. Water ran through the floor and sat on the table saw. Hadn’t been in the shop for a few days and didn’t notice the problem. The cast iron top has a very thick layer or rust and crud all over most of it. Haven’t looked inside yet but it but there is probably some in there also.
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What would be the best way to clean it up and restore the polished surface? Maybe a good reason to get the Granite topped <!—-><!—-> <!—->Steel<!—-> <!—->City<!—-> <!—-> saw.
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Thanks for your help,
Bob T.
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Replies
100 grit sandpaper lubricated with WD-40. Sand and wipe with paper towels until she's clean.
Sand the entire surface, not just the rusted area. Use a hard rubber sanding block.
"What would be the best way to clean it up and restore the polished surface? " 100 grit sandpaper isn't likely to give you that, LOL. Based on responses to similar questions in the past, I'm not sure anything will.
Bob,
If "only a few days" then I doubt if it will be anything but surface rust, so I suggest you use a handheld wire brush first to get rid of it then an abrasive pad such as Scotchbrite the red or green grades , with Kerosene or WD40-rather than scratching it up with coarse sand paper.
If you are still wanting the virginal look then you could use a fine abrasive sponge pad or 220 wet/dry silicon carbide paper with a cork block and kerosene. The bung on that paste wax that you guys love (;).
I just had a similar issue with a door seal and my Band Saw. Only think that worked for me was a LOT of Sandpaper/abrasive pads/steel wool and WD40. It was not all that bad (and it was only the area of a band saw table) and it still took me about 2 or 3 hours to get it all cleaned up, and the table while smooth does not look like new buy any means.
Doug M
Thanks for the tips, sounds like it is going to take some work to clean this mess up.
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I did some looking around online then went to Woodcraft over lunch and stocked up on anti-rust supplies. I picked up various grades of sand paper, up to 2000 grit, some clay sanding blocks, T-9 Rust Free and some Top Saver. I am going after this problem tonight after work. I also checked with an auto polishing shop we use for some custom work and they said I could bring the table saw top to them and they could polish to a “mirror like finish” without changing the flatness of the top. I would hate to take the saw apart but if I can’t get it back to where it should be the polishing shop may be a good option.
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Thanks again for you help.
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Bob T.
Sounds like you missed the perfect opportunity to justify the purchase of that Steel City granite-topped saw, Bob. "But, honey, I *had* to . . ." ;-)
Actually, I told my wife she ruined the saw and I was going to have to replace it. She didn’t object, but let her off the hook.
I hope she gave you a gold star, or a get out of the doghouse free card. ;-)
No, but perhaps she will help me scrape the Drano off my saw.
Well probably not...
Jim said, "T9 Rustfree is acid-based and has been known to leave black marks on cast-iron if left on too long . . . "Perhaps T9 combined with a little bluing from the local gunsmith could give you that antique Winchester look. ;-)
Worked on the top last night, tried small areas with both the T-9 Rust free and the Top Saver. The T-9 smelled really bad, so bad my wife ask if we had a backed up sewer pipe this morning. The whole house stunk (still does but I am at the office). However the T-9 worked. I used it with a Scotch Bright pad and a sander. Cleaned the rust off but left a dull grey finish and a lot of water stains. It did not scratch the top up like sandpaper would have.
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The Top Saver didn’t clean as well but it did leave a better surface. I reapplied it after the T-9 to see if it would clean up the water marks. I didn’t remove the stains but it did leave a useable surface and didn’t smell at all.
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Tried the Sandflex sanding blocks on the water stains but they just scratched the surface but didn’t remove the stains.
I tried some machine glaze and it helped with the stains but didn’t get them out. The water stains seem to be down in the pores of the cast iron. I can’t feel them but they still look bad. I am going to pick up some rubbing compound and a polishing wheel to see if I can get the water stains out. If not I will remove the top off and take it to the polishing shop. The shops estimate is $180, it may have been the best solution to pull the top and let them clean it.
Make sure they know it's supposed to be flat.
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SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES...THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT...THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS
I neglected to wax my jointer one fall and I happened to need heat repeatedly that winter, so the moisture from the propane heater condensed on the top and it was badly rusted when I uncovered it. I put a dust mask on, connected my shop vac to my P-C orbital sander and stuck a 150 grit disc on it, Several discs later and one treatment with Naval Jelly (don't leave that on for long) the rust was gone, the top is still flat and then I used sandpaper and a sanding block. Next step was orbital with Scotch Brite, wipe it with solvent and several coats of paste wax. Cast iron is somewhat porous and might not polish to a mirror surface. I'm not sure I would want that on a table saw.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
The problem with wood sliding across steel is not scratches, but the tops of the scratches that stick up. (little microscopic burrs that grab the wood)
A "polished" surface is actually not optimum for a surface like this, you just have to round off the tops of the scratches.
Use a random orbit sander, coarse 80, fine, finer 220 or 320, quick and dirty, and red scotchbrite (Just cut a piece and stick it right on the bottome of the sander).
To knock the burrs off, go over the surface by hand with superfine sandpaper wet (1000+)
Finish it up with Pam (The frying pan stuff) or furniture paste wax and it will be better than new.
Oils as preservatives on surfaces like this are just messy and not needed. Save the exotic oils for inside tools, nothing beats good old 3-in-1 oil for general purpose use.
or at the very least polish the knob..................... you know......the one on the wheel.Wicked Decent Woodworks
(oldest woodworking shop in NH)
Rochester NH
" If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"
T9 Rustfree is acid-based and has been known to leave black marks on cast-iron if left on too long -- though I suppose that might be preferable to rust marks. When I saw it demoed the guy put it on and rubbed it off pretty quickly. Good luck,
Jim
Looked and smelled like thinned out Naval Jelly to me, I did'nt care for the results. I love the Boeshield but they can keep the rust remover.
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SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES...THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING, BUT...THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS
Maybe a good reason to get the Granite topped Steel City saw.
I agree. That old saw is beyond repair!
randon orbit sander 150 grit paper and sand lightly----top coat when done
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