Have a new table saw and want to keep it clean and rust-free? Or do you want to bring that old top back to life? Well, my fellow woodworkers: read on and I will explain how to do both. Let's face it, it's a lot easier to maintain a new saw top than it is to bring back one that old one.
If you're anything like me, whenever you get a new toy, be it that first shiny new pickup or your first new table saw, you want to keep it looking as new as possible. This is partly for aesthetic reasons, but it's also true a clean saw table just plain works better, so the wood you're cutting looks a whole lot nicer. There's nothing worse than having to force a piece of wood through the blade because of surface rust on the saw table top.
Okay, now let's address that new saw table. After you get it all assembled and before you make that first cut, you need to wax the top. The process is simple. You will need a good carnauba based automotive paste wax, an application pad or sponge, a couple of shop towels (terry cloth or cotton work best), and an electric buffer. The buffer can simply be your orbital sander with a buffing pad attached. Random orbit sanders work best.
Now that you have all the tools ready, working in a circular motion apply a liberal amount of wax. Cover half of the top on larger saw tops, or the entire top if it is a smaller one. Allow the wax to dry until it turns a milky color, and is dry to the touch. Next, remove any excess wax with a shop towel so it doesn't plug up the buffing pad and hit it with the buffer, going in a circular motion.
Continue this process until the entire top is done; you'll know you're finished when you throw a shop towel across the top it continues off the saw top and onto the floor. Well, okay, you don't have to let it hit the floor -you can have your wife wait on the other side to catch it!
To bring back a rusted top, use 100-grit sandpaper and that same orbital sander. Sand away until you've removed as much rust as you can and have a nice shiny surface again. Then simply repeat the above process. You may find that you have to do this a couple of times on the older tops, especially if you're doing them for the first time.
Weather conditions, time of year, humidity, and the amount of use you give the saw, will determine how often you will need to wax the saw top.
Click here to visit HowToDoThings.com