Zack Snowy Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 I just bought a used table saw. I was sitting in a storage container for around 8 months or so. The cast iron top shows signs of rust and looks pretty dirty. What products could I use to get looking like new, if thats even possible. https://www.dropbox.com/sc/6ne9fnbqailz9jm/7MResc5lwp https://www.dropbox.com/sc/s3dgtics2b202dk/pEUEI-gGNH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 That top actually looks fairly good to me. If there is rust you can use vinegar as a cheap acid. I use paper towel over the whole top and then drench the paper with vinegar in a spray bottle. It will evaporate so you need to monitor so it does not dry out on you. Scotch Bright or 350 wet paper will take off the softened debris. You always can put 220 on a random orbit just buy discs without holes so you don't suck the metal filings through your sander. There are a dozen ways to skin that cat:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southwood Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Marc did a video on this awhile back. It may be in the guild section or maybe not. Some searching and you should be able to locate it. Congrats on finding a used SawStop. The top doesn't look that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikem Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 If I would do anything, maybe some steel wool to get the rust remove. What I clean my cast iron tops with is a citrus cleaner. Then coat it with a paste wax. Other then that, tune it up, and make some sawdust with it. Congrats on the purchase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 ==> What products could I use to get looking like new, if thats even possible. You can certainly get it cleaner, but set your expectations appropriately... The top doesn't look too bad. You can almost never get it 'like-new' without lots of work (and it really ins't worth it). There are products&processes that can really 'clean-up' the cast iron, but will do more harm than good in the long run... First thing I'd do is get rid of the surface dirt/rust/etc with some steel wool/Scotch-Brite/etc and something like WD40... There are better products than WD40, but everyone has a can handy and it's as good a place as any to start... Don't go wild with the stuff, just a light spray and some elbow grease to see where you stand... Now if you happen to have a Random Orbit Sander, you can get a Scotch-Brite pad and really speed things up... That's pretty much what I do... I've got 280g and 800g 6" RoS pads -- with a little WD-40 and about 5 minutes, I manage to clean-up about 80% of the grime on cast iron tables... Then wipe some mineral spirits over the top to remove residual grime and coat it with wax/T-9/whatever... That's the important part... Look at the owners manual -- they probably have a lube/maint/etc plan for the saw... Since there are electrics in the cabinet, I wouldn't do too much beyond what the manual recommends... Go easy with the cleaning products/T-9s/WD-40s/etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Snowy Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Marc did a video on this awhile back. It may be in the guild section or maybe not. Some searching and you should be able to locate it. Congrats on finding a used SawStop. The top doesn't look that bad. Ya I seem to recall that video. Ya bought the saw for 850 bucks and its the professional with a 5hp motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Snowy Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 ==> What products could I use to get looking like new, if thats even possible. You can certainly get it cleaner, but set your expectations appropriately... The top doesn't look too bad. You can almost never get it 'like-new' without lots of work (and it really ins't worth it). There are products&processes that can really 'clean-up' the cast iron, but will do more harm than good in the long run... First thing I'd do is get rid of the surface dirt/rust/etc with some steel wool/Scotch-Brite/etc and something like WD40... There are better products than WD40, but everyone has a can handy and it's as good a place as any to start... Don't go wild with the stuff, just a light spray and some elbow grease to see where you stand... Now if you happen to have a Random Orbit Sander, you can get a Scotch-Brite pad and really speed things up... That's pretty much what I do... I've got 280g and 800g 6" RoS pads -- with a little WD-40 and about 5 minutes, I manage to clean-up about 80% of the grime on cast iron tables... Then wipe some mineral spirits over the top to remove residual grime and coat it with wax/T-9/whatever... That's the important part... Look at the owners manual -- they probably have a lube/maint/etc plan for the saw... Since there are electrics in the cabinet, I wouldn't do too much beyond what the manual recommends... Go easy with the cleaning products/T-9s/WD-40s/etc... Thanks for the reply, I have a 1/4 sheet palm sander, that'll be ok right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 ==> Ya bought the saw for 850 bucks and its the professional with a 5hp motor. You got a 5HP-SS for $850? Unless I'm missing something (like it was in a flooded basement after Hurricane Sandy), that's quite some deal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Zack, that cabinet looks like its the industrial model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 ==> I have a 1/4 sheet palm sander, that'll be ok right? It'll help, but the orbitals are not as efficient as random-orbitals this type of process... You'd be just fine with elbow grease... The palm sander will same you some time/effort -- that's all... The result will be the same... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Snowy Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 Zack, that cabinet looks like its the industrial model. The badge on the back says its a professional, but I can't find anything on the internet of a 5hp professional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 The contour of the front of the cabinet tells me its industrial, which means the table top is 30 inches deep instead of 27 inches, which also means you got a heavier saw and an awesome deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Snowy Posted October 6, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 ya a researched it some more, turnes out it was bought when they only sold one model, the professional, then later the renamed the industrial and made a new saw smaller then this one and called it the professional. I feel kind of bad now because I bought it from the owner of the company that I have my co-op at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estesbubba Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 I use a cheapo HF 1/4 sheet sander and start with step 4 every fall for all my cast iron tables http://www.arbolloco.com/tools/DirtyDozen.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted October 6, 2013 Report Share Posted October 6, 2013 The quarter sheet sander won't be worth the trouble. It's not bad at all. Scotchbrite pads will probably be all you need. I've used wet-or-dry sandpaper, starting with the finest grit like 400 to see how it cuts, and then go backwards if you need to. I think 400 would clean that one up. The wet-or-dry needs to be stuck to something flat. I use a small surface plate like a 9x12. If you need to use wet-or-dry, I'd take the top off, and outside where you can use a water hose. As soon as possible after the wet flattening, I dry them with a propane torch so no new rust forms. I don't like any kind of chemical rust stripper, because it will leave a pattern on the surface. A RO sander will do it, but it will leave little curlicue circles all over, and the sandpaper won't last long. As soon as it's finished and dry, spray the top with CRC 3.36-the highest rated rust preventative, and it leaves nothing to the touch, or to rub off on wood. I don't know about now, but when they used to be made in America, you could find a big pile of castings left outside in the back for the metal to equalize. When they brought the castings inside to mill them a year later, they were complete rusty messes to start with. Even the most perfect new Delta or Powermatic started out that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.