# Evapo rust - how I ruined my Tablesaw.



## david_larch (Feb 5, 2012)

Having seen the great reviews on here for Evapo Rust I thought I'd give it a try. First time I followed the manufacturers instructions and had a complete green and black mess. Second try I used old tee shirt material and covered it, checking in on the progress. Much like the first try my saw is almost completely black. Im so mad I could throw my saw in the street.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Evapo-rust is fantastic stuff.. I use it on everything rusty and have gone through gallons of the stuff with 110% complete satisfaction. Maybe if you could give a little more information other than "green and black mess" myself and others could get an idea of what exactly you are talking about!

Cheers,
Brad


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

Got some pics? Maybe there is a simple solution.


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## ArlinEastman (May 22, 2011)

You have to have the object completly under the solution.

Arlin


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## Deycart (Mar 21, 2012)

You normally submerge what your working on. If you cant do that you could build a damn with some tape around the top.. I assume you want the top done and just flood it. As far as the black "stuff" that is the oxide that you can just scrape off. Don't sand just use a plastic putty knife to take it off. Then build the damn and use what you got left.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Don't fret….. It will come off….. As already said, it has to soak.

I put each wing one at a time in a jumbo storage tub filled about two inches deep. The were soaked upside down, blocked up from the bottom on small dice so only th to surface was submerged.

The Maine section of the top I did the same way in a kiddie pool.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

You can also just keep spreading the Evapo-Rust with a brush. You will eventually be done. I did my old cast iron table saw that way. It's a waste of the solution, as I have learned. Submersion is the best. Difficult, at best, with a cast iron table saw.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Evaporust is great stuff if you use it right…


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Hmmm… if you are talking about the darker colored carbon film that is left on the surface with some metals, it's easily removed. Even the evapo-rust FAQ has a blurb about it:

*Q) I get a black film on some parts after using EVAPO-RUST™. What is it and how do I remove it?*
A) The black is carbon from the steel. Generally high carbon steel is used in making items that are flexible (e.g. springs, saw blades) High carbon steel and tool alloy steel items when de-rusted will have a darker appearance. Much of the carbon can be removed simply by wiping with a cloth.

As for full submersion.. they used to say that was the only way to effectively get it to work, but after several people pointed out alternative ways, they also added the 'moist cloth' method. Continuous brushing also has been known to work, but nothing is as good as fully submersing it into the solution. For large flat surfaces, making a 'dam' like Deycart suggested works, or you can turn the part upside down and use a shallow container, like this:










Cheers,
Brad


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## MedicKen (Dec 2, 2008)

Use a scothbright pad with a little WD40 as a lubricant and the black coating will come off. As the rust is converted it will turn black. The same thing happens with electrolysis. I use a knotted wire wheel onan angle grinder to clean the surfaces after rust removal. Dont fret it. It's OK


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## usnret (Jul 14, 2011)

The black stuff is magnetite. It is actually good rust that protects from the bad red rust. Just use a scotch brite pad or sand paper and WD-40 to remove it.


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## MonteCristo (May 29, 2012)

I think I would focus more on how good a saw top you actually have than how pretty it looks . . . ie how flat is it, how slick is it . . . As for rust, keep the humidity level down with a dehumifier or some other method and rust won't be an issue. If you have enough humidity for rust, it's also going at your motor's innards and other stuff that you don't want trashed.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

Sounds like a heck of a lot of work. How often do you have to repeat the process? I keep my machines rust free just with a good carnuba wax, applied once a month. The tops don't shine like a mirror (who needs). It's a tool to be used, not stared at loveingly. I remember my first new car (many years ago). I spent my weekends washing, waxing and polishing it and keeping it safe from the elements. A few months after I got it, I got into my first crash. I was sickened and I never worried about a car's appearance ever again. A scuffy pad and WD-40 removes rust spots quickly and easily before waxing. Life is too short to worry about such trivial matters. Make sawdust and enjoy.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

*Sounds like a heck of a lot of work. How often do you have to repeat the process? I keep my machines rust free just with a good carnuba wax, applied once a month. *

LOL - yup, it can be a bit of work, but you only need to do it once.. a scotch brite pad and WD-40 is going to be a LOT more work when you are starting out with something like this:










And want it to wind up looking something like this:










After that, you can maintain it with proper care and waxing.. but you gotta start with something solid, and evapo-rust makes getting rid of the years of rust and abuse fairly painless and much safer than many alternative methods.

Cheers,
Brad


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