Carpentry and Woodworking - Tip on re-newing the top of a table saw
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Furniture Bldr
01-01-04, 07:53 PM
For those of you who have a cast iron top on your table saw, here is a tip. You might notice it's not very smooth or it may even have dirt/rust on it. Here's how you get rid of it and make your table saw nice and slick
Take Lacquer thinner and wipe it down with a T-shirt rag
Next, take 100 grit sand paper on your pad sander or random orbital sander. sand the top of your table saw. "You can use the sand paper you normally use to sand wood with. You will be changing the sand paper often, as the metal gums up the paper and wears it out.
Keep sanding until it gets nice and shiny. Keep moving the sander. If you find a spot that is hard to get out, you can tip your sander a little, for a few seconds and rub that area.
After you're done with 100 grit, take lacquer thinner and wipe the entire surface down. This will clean the metal dust and clean out the pours.
Next, go up to 150 grit, and repeat the same process
Then go up to 220 as your final sanding and repeat the same process.
Wipe the top down with lacquer thinner after each sanding.
Now, take Minwax finishing paste wax and apply it like you would to a car. Go in circular motions. Only sand one section at a time or it could be hard to get off. Especially in the summer time.
Wipe the wax off just like you would a car.
Once 1 coat is applied, repeat the same process for a second coat.
I'm doing my table saw tonight in my shop, so if any of you are interested in seeing a step process, before/after let me know your email address so i can send you pics.
"If you take care of your tools, they will take care of you"
Note- Becareful pushing wood through the saw after you do this, as it will become very slick, but a lot easier to cut pieces.
You can wax your fence and the bar it rides on too.
Minwax finishing paste wax WILL NOT affect your finish.
I don't like the product called Top Coat, which is a spray on. I don't feel it lasts as long and it doesn't make it nearly as smooth.
If you have a table around your table saw made out of laminate or melamine, you can wax that too.
Questions, chime back. :D
Take Lacquer thinner and wipe it down with a T-shirt rag
Next, take 100 grit sand paper on your pad sander or random orbital sander. sand the top of your table saw. "You can use the sand paper you normally use to sand wood with. You will be changing the sand paper often, as the metal gums up the paper and wears it out.
Keep sanding until it gets nice and shiny. Keep moving the sander. If you find a spot that is hard to get out, you can tip your sander a little, for a few seconds and rub that area.
After you're done with 100 grit, take lacquer thinner and wipe the entire surface down. This will clean the metal dust and clean out the pours.
Next, go up to 150 grit, and repeat the same process
Then go up to 220 as your final sanding and repeat the same process.
Wipe the top down with lacquer thinner after each sanding.
Now, take Minwax finishing paste wax and apply it like you would to a car. Go in circular motions. Only sand one section at a time or it could be hard to get off. Especially in the summer time.
Wipe the wax off just like you would a car.
Once 1 coat is applied, repeat the same process for a second coat.
I'm doing my table saw tonight in my shop, so if any of you are interested in seeing a step process, before/after let me know your email address so i can send you pics.
"If you take care of your tools, they will take care of you"
Note- Becareful pushing wood through the saw after you do this, as it will become very slick, but a lot easier to cut pieces.
You can wax your fence and the bar it rides on too.
Minwax finishing paste wax WILL NOT affect your finish.
I don't like the product called Top Coat, which is a spray on. I don't feel it lasts as long and it doesn't make it nearly as smooth.
If you have a table around your table saw made out of laminate or melamine, you can wax that too.
Questions, chime back. :D