How to Clean Rust Off a Table Saw
George VondriskaDescription
Learn some helpful tips on how to clean rust off a table saw. If your table saw has a cast iron top even the slightest amount of moisture contacting it can leave water marks and eventually rust spots. George Vondriska shows you how to remove and avoid rust spots by using rust remover, fine grit sand paper and tool sealer.
Miguel, what are you doing? What? I'd think you'd know better by now. You can't put a cold lemonade can on these cast iron surfaces in the shop. Get out of here, go away. Go away, don't ever come back. All right, obviously, hopefully that was obvious, we staged this for your benefit. Here's the deal. When these cans come out of the refrigerator, and the environment is warm, of course, what happens is they start dripping moisture on the outside of the can. The same thing can happen with a hot coffee mug. When you set it on the cast iron, it can cause water rings on the cast iron very quickly, so for your benefit, we're gonna let that sit there. We're gonna watch the clock, and we're gonna have this water ring develop, so you can see what can happen here, and then we'll talk a little bit about taking care of that, so you can get rid of the water ring, if somebody ever does put their can on your saw. So, let's see that happens here. Are we lollygagging during coffee for about 10 minutes? Now, I can see there's a ring here. In fact, there's a dot there, where there's a little rust formed already. So, there's my ring. There's that rust spot. So, the problem is obvious. You set down anything that's gonna sweat, and you can get these rings. Now, 10 minutes is a pretty long time, I've seen this happen in just seconds, mostly in the summertime, when it's really, really hot, and that can just drips right now. So now, problem is we've got the ring, what do you do? What I'm gonna do is give it a shot of Liquid Wrench product, so that's something I use when I'm working on the car as a rust buster. And then, a little real fine sandpaper, this is 500 grit sandpaper wrapped on a block, so it stays nice and flat as oppose to just handheld. And then, to prevent this in the future, yell at your shop buddies. Miguel. And, tell 'em not to put cans on your cast iron, and seal the cast iron with tool specific sealers, like this one. So, you can get this stuff at wood working retail stores, you can find it online. What this'll do is leave behind a lubricant, once it's had a chance to dry, wipe that off and buff it out. In addition to the lubricant, it seals the cast iron, so in fact, parts of this saw that we tried setting the can on earlier, it wouldn't leave a water ring, 'cause I always have a layer of this stuff on top of my saw. So, we cleaned a spot of here just for you. So, we could do this little experiment. So, hey, keep your can off my saw! Make sure you don't get those rust rings. Once you've cleaned 'em up, seal the saw. You're gonna be good to go. Make sure that your tools don't have water rings, or any other kind of water marks on 'em.
Why not show using Johnson’s wax ? It’s cheaper and just as effective as the Glide Cote.
I used my dado blade for the first time today and didn't notice that there's a tiny bit of rust near the tip of one of the chippers and one of the blades where the nut goes to hold it in its case until I put it away what can I do? Alec
I am also vary particular about drinks around my saws and other equipment, so when I viewed your video on cleaning the table top with 500 grit sand paper my lower half puckered up the second you started sanding in a circle. Please go with the grain of the metal so you don't end up with swirls in your table top.
I found this video an absolute waste of time. Really? Cleaning off an almost invisible rust mark with sandpaper? For such a minor blemish, any metal polish, or even a quick wipe with some Scotchbrite would've removed it in seconds. As for protection, the Bostik product works, but is very expensive when compared to a simple coat of wax - which also protects better than the spray stuff. BTW, the top of my 18 year old cabinet saw still looks like new. I use Johnson's wax on it. Tried the spray (once) and didn't see where it did any good at all. I still have nearly a full, unused, can of it sitting on a shelf. A $15.00 waste.
Please be sure to make full text transcripts available as a option for all your videos. Many of us have computers that will not run them successfully. Others (like myself) read VERY fast, and do NOT have time for unnecessary videos. This video is the very definition of "unnecessary." Naming the two products would have been plenty.
Does this technique also work for corroded aluminium. I have a bandsaw with an aluminium table that was left outside by someone that I lent it to.... I won't be doing that again!
I was always told to put a coat of wax on the cast iron.I have been using Johnsons paste wax,should I clean that off and use a product like Boeshield?
What if you live in Hawaii like I do; rust is inevitable from the moisture in the air. A can of soda is a petty issue.
For more info on getting rust off of your tools check out these videos, too. http://local.wordpress/video/000311_removing-rust-with-electrolysis/ http://local.wordpress/removing-rust-with-electrolysis/ http://local.wordpress/video/000232_cleaning-a-rusty-table/ G
Thanks for the tip on getting rid of cast iron rust stains. Now let's back up a bit. WHY??? When my shop was in a garage all the cast iron developed a nice tan patina that never seemed to change or leave any kind of marks on the wood. Now that I have an indoor shop, the cast iron stays more of a metallic hue but any moisture does leave a stain. Again I say, so what? Eventually the whole table will be the same familiar tan patina that never seems to get worse or present any kind of a problem. One in a great while I do take some paint thinner that I've used to clean brushes and let it set a month or so. All the pigments drop to the bottom and I use the clear liquid on top to apply with a rag to my cast iron tables. I don't think it stops the rust but it makes me feel better. I am still using 40 and 50 year old tools and have never had any problems.