rust on cast iron table

[Donald]

I have maybe a 30-40 year old Delta table saw that my Dad bought when I was a kid. Its got the skirt to the floor and a 220V motor with a rip fence that moves parallel to the blade. I would assume it would be very expensive to purchase these days. Anyway I have not used it in a year or two and the cast iron table has noticeable rust. At Home Depot they sell Naval Jelly and Krud Cutter. I do not want/need to end up with a paint-able surface when done thus Krud Cutter may not be right. So what to use? I have hand held grinders with a wire brush if that would help.

Suggestions?

 

[simple_gifts]

lapping stone with some kerosene.

edit: I don't mean lapping stone, but the terminology is now escaping me.

 

[XS650]

Pictures? So we can see how bad the rust is.

Krud Cutter would be worthless for rust. Naval Jelly is OK but slow and don't get it into any of the saw adjustment mechanisms. You will get different advice depending on how bad the rust is.

 

[jcwit]

I always used Johnsons Paste Floor wax on my cast saw tables in my wood shop.

 

[Pablo]

I agree with the others.

If there are pits, it sucks.

If just surface rust, you'll be golden. Just start with oil/solvent based stuff.

 

[expat]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
I always used Johnsons Paste Floor wax on my cast saw tables in my wood shop.



+1 After it's clean.

 

[Eddie]

Still using my dads old Craftsman 10 inch table saw with a cast iron top. Saw is about 70 years old. I also have the Craftsman 1/2 inch drill press that was purchased at the same time as the saw. Both in good usable condition and used almost weekly by my son-a carpenter. Steel wool and light oil usually will clean up surface rust.

 

[scurvy]

Know any friends what work at a machine shop? Have them just kiss grind the face of the table in their ample spare time. Should just cost you a case of beer.

 

[chad8]

A product of extensive research, EVAPO-RUST rust remover is an environmentally-safe water-based product that removes rust in minutes, without scrubbing. It's so easy to use, anyone can restore their rusted tools, auto parts, even firearms to like-new condition. One gallon de-rusts up to 300 lbs. of steel.

* Removes even heavy rust completely
* Non-toxic, non-corrosive, safe on skin
* No fumes or bad odors, non-flammable, no VOC's
* Biodegradable, water soluble
* Easy to use - Soak part in room temperature solution
* Requires no special equipment
* No acids, bases, solvents or other toxic ingredients
* Will not harm unrusted steel, safe on other metals
* Can be disposed of safely into sewer
* One gallon derusts up to 300 pounds of heavily rusted steel
* Will not affect plastic, PVC, Viton and most paints

I use it a lot. I have an antique metal hook dis-gorger in some right now. Yesterday it was an old adjust-a-wrench.I restore old pocket knives in it.Usually needs soaking overnight.
Available at auto zone.

 

[Rick in PA]

That sounds like a nice piece of machinery, take care of it. If I get a little surface rust on cast iron (my Delta table saw, B&D drill press table, etc.) I usually clean & preserve it with a Scotchbrite pad and a combination of Johnsons past wax & WD-40. Don't know how bad your table is, but I find the above combo keeps 'em from rusting for quite some time. Plus it leaves the surface with a smooth finish, just right to work on.

 

[UncleS2]

For smooth surface cast iron, steel wool(00,000, or even 0000) or some ScotchBrite, along with a little kerosene, diesel fuel, Liquid Wrench, or even WD 40 should clean it up well & let you see just how smooth or pitted it's going to be. I wouldn't go to power tools at first- if you find that there's some really deep & tough rust on it after working by hand, then OK, put on the wire brush- in your case I'd prefer bronze over steel- and go to it. For rust prevention, the paste wax mentioned above is hard to heat.

 

[Donald]

i will take the advice given.

One of the problems I find now is the miter gauge does not smoothly run on its track.

Not good when you have a 10" blade looking at you. This saw was made before all the protection gizmos were starting to be used.

My Dad just use to say keep your pinky on the far end of the rip fence when pushing through wood.

I would suspect my Dad and I pushed through thousands of feet of wood cutting wood for his nursery and shade supports. I got to be a pretty good "receiver" of wood as one had to pull through 20' pieces pretty straight so as not to cause problems.

 

[Tempest]

Do NOT use Naval jelly on your top for lite rust. I did on my saw and it left it blotchy and looked like crud. Eats paint instantly as well.

I eventually used Top Saver that I got at a show a while back and it worked ok with a scotch pad and helped with the blotchy look. The chemicals have a really strong smell though.

The water based thing above sounds good.

 

[Newtonville]

You can use a piece of glass and some loose abrasives about 400-600 grit, make into a paste with water. It will make sort of a matt surface, but not spoil your flatness as glass is soft compared to cast iron. A little grinding paste on the miter gauge bar and one two strokes should clean that up. Cast iron is naturally porous so the small pits hurt nothing, they're good, less friction, it's hills and valleys that are bad.

 

[Oldwolf]

Originally Posted By: chad8
A product of extensive research, EVAPO-RUST rust remover is an environmentally-safe water-based product that removes rust in minutes, without scrubbing. It's so easy to use, anyone can restore their rusted tools, auto parts, even firearms to like-new condition. One gallon de-rusts up to 300 lbs. of steel.

* Removes even heavy rust completely
* Non-toxic, non-corrosive, safe on skin
* No fumes or bad odors, non-flammable, no VOC's
* Biodegradable, water soluble
* Easy to use - Soak part in room temperature solution
* Requires no special equipment
* No acids, bases, solvents or other toxic ingredients
* Will not harm unrusted steel, safe on other metals
* Can be disposed of safely into sewer
* One gallon derusts up to 300 pounds of heavily rusted steel
* Will not affect plastic, PVC, Viton and most paints

I use it a lot. I have an antique metal hook dis-gorger in some right now. Yesterday it was an old adjust-a-wrench.I restore old pocket knives in it.Usually needs soaking overnight.
Available at auto zone.



This sounds like some good stuff. I'm going to try some on my granddad's old tools.

 

[Ken2]

Yes, just kerosene, steel wool, and elbow grease. To keep it good, use paste wax or one of the specialty aerosol products for tables. Cast iron will clean up easily. Steel corrodes much more and pits.

 

[Donald]

I have yet to find EVAPO-RUST, have looked at NAPA, Home Depot, Lowes and a couple of local hardware stores. They only have Naval Jelly.

 

[The_Jeff]

If you use naval jelly clean up real good right afterwards to neutralize it; the rust can come back 2x as bad especially if there are little pits.

Your approach to preserving may be different if you want to mothball it or use it. I like the wax like the others as it sounds like it won't smear on your wood.

 

[Donald]

I have given up finding it at a store. Ordered a QT from Amazon for just under $7.00 + shipping. (Evapo-Rust).

The saw is a real nice piece of machinery. I would guess my Dad bought it in late 1950's or early 1960's. Its a Delta with the skirt all the way to the floor. He made a cart for it where the 2 casters on each side can be connected via a short piece of pipe and it will roll. Slide the pipe out of the way, the casters flip up and the saw sits on the floor, with the weight of the saw holding it. We wired the motor for 220V a few years ago and you get slightly more HP out of it when it runs on 220V. Its one of the few saws I have seen where when you move the rip fence, it stays parallel to the blade and does not cock uneven.

 

[dirtymudder]

A wire wheel on the end of a right angle grinder did the trick for me. Afterwards I soaked a couple of pieces of newspaper with WD 40 and set it on the table, it keeps it rust free.