Table Saw Issue

Johnson’s paste wax has never let me down.

Ditto on the Johnson’s paste wax. It looks like something has been dripping on it..? Any water that I get on my cast iron tops does typically turn into small rust spots, even when waxed. I expect that the hard core space shuttle lube stuff will stop even puddles of water from causing rust, but I haven’t needed anything like that yet. The paste wax does keep the condensation and humidity at bay though. For the record, I am in North Texas with what I would call average humidity.

-- The Wood Is Your Oyster

I use Boeshield T-9 and then Trewax clear paste wax

-- Nick, “I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.” – Vincent Van Gogh

When I put my tools in storage I used Johnsons paste wax and then coated them with the liquid wrench white lithium spray grease. Worked well and nothing rusted. The spray is about $5 a can at lowes and is not difficult to remove when ready.

-- Bill R

Yikes, sorry to see that. It really looks like something splashed on it and was allowed to sit. If that’s the case I don’t think any of the tips people have provided will guard against that.

My process is Boeshield T-9. I let that sit overnight and then wipe off the sticky residue. Then follow it up with Johnson’s paste wax. Since I started that regiment, I haven’t had a problem with CI tools that sit in the garage in Atlanta.

I’ll put on a fresh coat of wax every month or two depending on how often I use them. Once a year, I’ll strip everything down with denatured alcohol and do the whole process again.

Thanks for the replies guys. I really don’t think anything splashed on it, but maybe it did. It is in an uninsulated metal garage, and it has been raining. Maybe high humidity? I would have thought Minwax Finish Wax would have worked, but maybe not. I had some on hand. I just ordered Boeshield T-9 and Johnsons Paste Wax. That seems to be a recurring combination. I think I am going to wet the table with diesel and then put a scotch-brite pad under my random orbit palm sander. I think that should take off all of this surface rust. Then I will try to rust proof again. Wish me luck.

The high humidity and lack of insulation could be the culprit. What does the ceiling look like? The temperature swings could be causing the moisture to accumulate and then drip down. Not sure what the weathers been like in Alabama lately, but when I was in college in upstate NY we could steam up the showers, whip all the windows open and get it to snow indoors. A bit extreme, but you get the point.

-- - The mightiest oak in the forest is just a little nut that held its ground.

It looks to me like you are getting condensation drips on the saw. I would remove the rust then paste wax and then cover it with something until you get the condensation problem fixed. Steel buildings are notorious for condensation.

-- Bondo Gaposis

The entire building is sheet metal, 28 gauge I think, with aluminum studs. 25’ x 40’ I thought condensation may be the issue, but it would have to be heated for condensation to be a problem. Wouldn’t it? Like when a warm room has and glass of ice water. The temperature difference causes condensation. I have not seen any moisture on anything else. Over the past week it has been raining and unseasonable cold. I guess I need to get a process in place to cover all of the cast iron surfaces when I am not in the shop.

It does not require heat in contact with cold. The condensation is a consequence of the dew point, which factors in temperature, relative humidity, and air pressure. If you have rain and/or warm humid air, when that air cools later on in the day, or overnight, the dew point drops and the moistures starts accumulating on things. In other words, it’s not about having something cold in contact with something hot, it’s the result of the humid air and the daily temperature fluctuations. Same reason when you go camping, things are damp in the morning (well, unless you wet the sleeping bag).

Edit : The sheet metal doesn’t help either, as it stays cooler longer than the air. So, in the morning when the air heats up, it meets the cooler sheet metal and can cause more condensation, as Bondo pointed out.

-- - The mightiest oak in the forest is just a little nut that held its ground.

Thanks for the info BinghamtonEd. I plan to insulate it, but having spent a substantial amount of money building it over the past month I can’t afford the insulation just yet, which would be expensive. Until then I guess I will just have to cover.

I get rust off with liquid wrench and 220 grit sand paper. The liquid wrench will lift the rust out of the pores if it sits for 20 – 30 minutes. The sand paper completes the job.

Clean up the rust, give it a good wax and then cover it with a breathable cover such as a cotton sheet, packing blanket, etc.. And an FYI for those using T-9.. it’s basically just paraffin in mineral spirits along with a little mineral oil added for good measure.

Cheers,
Brad

-- Brad in FL - To be old and wise, you must first be young and stupid