Waxing table saws - Why?

[kenlipfromoz]

I live about a mile east of the Chesapeake and about 5 miles west of the Atlantic, where we get heavy, heavy dew (your boots will get completely soaked just walking across the lawn) pretty much every morning from ~ March to November, and the only thing I've found that protects the cast iron tables in my shop from rusting overnight is a coating of 50-50 drain oil and kerosene, squirted on and then leveled with a rag. 

Each night I put it on, and the next day I use the machine, I wipe it off with rags or wood chips/sawdust. 

I've tried paste wax and various sprays, pastes and goos, and this is the only thing that works reliably. 

Sometimes after squirting the oil/kero on, I shake some baby powder talc on top before wiping. This supposedly fills the pits in the CI and helps reduce surface area (fewer places for water vapor to condense) and rusting.

It would be interesting to see how lanolin fared under those conditions.

[handi]

Ralph,
The humidity in my shop last Wed. was 72% (could be higher if I checked it earlier in the day), 28% in my house!!! I am pretty sure wax wouldn't work for me as a rust preventative. Not only machines, but hand tools get rust spots if I am not diligent. Unfortunately, my shop has no room for a dehumidifier.

Simon

Simon, 

I have had shops in New Hampshire, Tennessee, St. Croix in the Caribbean, and now SW Florida. NONE of these shops have been climate controlled. 

I actually found that my unheated shop in New Hampshire had more rust issues in the spring/fall when the nights were cold and the days warmed up a lot. The shop was coated in condensation. Wax kept things from turning brown overnight.

[MichaelMouse]

I actually found that my unheated shop in New Hampshire had more rust issues in the spring/fall when the nights were cold and the days warmed up a lot. The shop was coated in condensation. Wax kept things from turning brown overnight.

This surprised you?  It's about the dewpoint, after all. 

My rust problems are mainly in the dry season when I'm heating, and the mice find their way into the heated space and produce piddle spots on the cast iron.  No wax in the world could survive that.

[Reverb]

It would be interesting to see how lanolin fared under those conditions.

I'm sure Fluid Film, which contains lanolin, would work ... but drain oil is cheaper!

[Handplanesandmore]

This surprised you?  It's about the dewpoint, after all. 

My rust problems are mainly in the dry season when I'm heating, and the mice find their way into the heated space and produce piddle spots on the cast iron.  No wax in the world could survive that.

After reviewing all available studies on the subject of rust prevention (on guns and woodworking machines), and trying out countless rust prevention products (CRC, fluid film from my neighbor, WD40, wax, various oil products, and you name it), I now use T9 for short-term duration (CRC works very well but is harder to get here) and FL for seasonal storage (when I am away on holiday for a month or two). The FL leaves a coat that stays instead of evaporating. Wax would work only if the tool is kept indoors; useless for tools in my shop.

I found out the best precaution for long term storage is to flood and wipe clean the surface with WD40 to remove any moisture or saw dust first, before applying the FL. No one single failure even when the shop hits over 70% in humidity for weeks.

But for hand tools kept in drawers, i also use the anti-corrosion liners (good for 5 years before they are replaced).

Wax may work in some places or for other purposes. It offers no benefits to my shop and applying it takes time too.

Simon

[Stwood_]

WD40 is not a rust preventative, removing moisture only.

Simon, how about you buying a new can and reading the manufacturers statement as to what WD-40 does and is used for.




I don't use was per say on my machine tools. I melt and mix paraffin and beeswax together and apply that with a rag.

[tablesawtom]

I bought a Shop Smith in 76 and was told to use floor wax on the tubes, the head and things would slide easier. And believe me I could tell a big difference when the tubes were waxed. I can tell when my saw tables and jointer need waxing. I started with a can of Tree wax and when I couldn't find it locally I switch to johnson floor wax. I recently found a supplier that handles Tree wax so I have switched back. I think it has more carnauba wax in it.

I think waxt helps on a jointer and table saw and I plan on continuing using it on both. On my planner, the platten is also cast iron but because of the pressure rollers I noticed the waxed bed left a waxed residue on the wood when freshly waxed so I do not wax the bed on the planner. 

On a simpler note if you are not using a feeder, then you are feeding on a saw or jointer by hand. And it reality makes no difference if you are using your hand, a push stick, or grippers it is still feeding by hand. And if you think it moves with less effort when the table is waxed then it moves more freely when the table is waxed.  And if you think it moves with less effort when the table is waxed then it also becomes a safety issue. I like to think we are adults here on the forum, so if you haven't tried waxing your table, try it you might like it. If you tried it and don't think it is necessary then by all means do not wax your tables.

But for me, what Fine Woodworking has to say still doesn't change the fact that still takes 90 cents to get a senior coffee at McDonalds. 

[Handplanesandmore]

Simon, how about you buying a new can and reading the manufacturers statement as to what WD-40 does and is used for.




I don't use was per say on my machine tools. I melt and mix paraffin and beeswax together and apply that with a rag.

Steve,

If you trust what the manufacturer says, you would use camellia oil to protect your hand tools. Numerous users have been disappointed with paying so much for something that does not do the job under demanding shop conditions. Some woodworkers, including Lie Nielsen, are the culprits for promoting the camellia oil as an effective oil preventative; its performance is marginal at best. The FW test put wax as a poor rust protection agent, which was the case in my shop (unless the tools are kept indoors).

I buy WD40 by the container, not by the spray can, though I do have a few cans in the shop for a quick spritz or two. The label says "Protects against rust and corrosion." But in field tests, it failed miserably. WD40 is much cheaper than T9 or the Fluid Film I use, and if it had worked for me, I would have used it exclusively. Remember, we are talking about tough conditions in very humid conditions, almost continuously. Perhaps you've mixed up WD40 with WD 40 Long Term Corrosion Inhibitor.

If WD40 works for you, it means the shop conditions are not too bad. You don't have to go out and buy anything else. But as I said, I tried almost everything under the sun, and know what does not work, including WD40 or jojoba oil (similar to camellia oil), wax (of almost all kinds and mixtures), and others. How do I know what I am using works? After a long holiday, I work in the shop and unlike before, the first task to do is not to remove rust.

Simon

[Stwood_]

*WD40 is not a rust preventative, removing moisture only*


This is your statement, which I do not agree with, and...apparently the WD-40 Company.


You've veered off track...Lie-Nielson....Camellia oil......yea, I've been through that, 20 years ago.

I've got a gallon of WD-40 sitting here also...$63.00 shipping on that one (long story)

[WilliamHodge]

It's great to read the passionate and well informed responses about waxing table saw tables. The ideas I like the best are the ones that involve surface preparation, table coating preparation, preparation application and removal, then buffing, final coating application, and final buffing.


Has anyone ever tried chrome plating a table saw table?