Dealing with rust on the table saw

Sand sand sand and then get some of the tool coating stuff…
I use this stuff:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2380

I am in a basement shop and run a dehumidifier which sucks about 1/2 gallon of water a day out of the air, but no rusting to speak of using the T-9.

-- Rich, WNY, www.nyrockingchairs.com

This is what I’ve used with very good results:

http://www.empiremfg.com/products/otc/ts/index.html

I’ve used steel wool and WD40 with OK results – it’s gets most light surface rust off. But I recently switched to the same stuff Greg linked to when I had some more stubborn problems. It works quite a bit better than WD40. Follow that up with a coat of paste wax and you can reduce how often you have to clean it.

-- Use the fence Luke

The wax also provides good lubrication. Part of the kit I gets includes a spray on wax like coating, but paste wax is cheaper and easier to apply.

-- Rich, WNY, www.nyrockingchairs.com

As a newbie I started freaking out a bit when I saw rust on my table saw. I know its a low level table saw that I have but I don’t plan on ever upgrading and just because it was relatively inexpensive to other saws doesn’t mean that I love it any less. Thanks for the advice and the links! It seems that its an issue that a lot of us deal with.

-- Total Freakin Newbie

I stuck a piece of scotch-brite on my random orbital sander. Worked great. But I now wax the table regularly.

-- Made lots of sawdust and pounded some nails. Haven't finished anything, though.

I use Boeshields Rust Free rust remover then clean that up with glass cleaner and make sure that it dries quickly. I then use Staples Crystal Clear Wax on the top and let it dry and then reapply. One of the things to consider is how hot your shop gets, I was told that the Staples brand wax has a bit higher melting point than the Briwax brand. I live in Texas and so far we have had of 46 days of 100+ weather this summer and my saw top is still slick and wood glides across it like a hockey puck with only one re-application needed.

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

Get the rust off. You probably will still have vestiges of it but that’s the way it goes. I coat all my milled castings with Turtle Wax from wherever you want to buy it. Works great. There was another forum about this awhile back and nearly everyone uses some type of auto wax. bbqKing

-- bbqKing, Lawrenceville

Spaids, if you search ‘rust’ at the top of the LJ’s page you will find heaps.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

I live in the Midwest which is humid in the summer and in the winter and in the fall and…

My shop is in a 3 stall garage that is not attached to the house. My heater is an unvented Natrual gas unit that hangs on the wall. So moisture in the shop can be an issue.

All that said all I use is a can of wax I bought at one oft he big box hardware stores by the steel wool.

I put it on thick and buff it off. I do this every monthish or whenever I have a minute in the shop I tend to wax my Bandsaw, Table Saw and Drill press. They’re slick, smooth and rust free.

bbqking don’t most auto waxes contain silicone?? BIG NO – NO! (can you say fish-eye??)

-- Fred, Springfield, Ma

I use the empire kit.. works great and more importantly.. its easy to use

-- making sawdust....