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Thread: New Sawstop and somebody's sweaty hands

  1. #1

    New Sawstop and somebody's sweaty hands

    I just finished a very long process of putting together a brand new saw to find that someone plant their sweat hands down right on the clean, pristine cast iron. I unfortunately didn't see this until days later and In this humidity (NC) started to form a bit of rust. I've tried Rust Free on a small section and see that I'd only be exchanging one set of stains for another. I tried wd40 and some 4/0 steel wool. This lightened them slightly. Will it be possible to maintain the consistency of the factory finish and the remove hand print stains?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
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    Sacramento, CA
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    Same thing happened to me. I didnt notice it until after I had T-9'd and furniture waxed it. There were several fingerprint rust spots that started to form days later. Had to strip off the work Id done, buff out the rust spots and redo all the protection. Now the spots have small scuff/scratch/wear marks from the scotchbrite pad I used to remove the rust spots. Annoying, but the table top will definitely get more beat up from running wood on it in time anyway.
    If at first you don't succeed, redefine success!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Pottstown PA
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    972
    Quote Originally Posted by scott shane View Post
    I just finished a very long process of putting together a brand new saw to find that someone plant their sweat hands down right on the clean, pristine cast iron. I unfortunately didn't see this until days later and In this humidity (NC) started to form a bit of rust. I've tried Rust Free on a small section and see that I'd only be exchanging one set of stains for another. I tried wd40 and some 4/0 steel wool. This lightened them slightly. Will it be possible to maintain the consistency of the factory finish and the remove hand print stains?
    A couple things to try. Vasoline, on a cottonball will remove rust. It's probably tarnish, but if it is rust, a schotchbrite fine lightly going in the same direction works.

    I've had may ICS for several years, and I take care of my tools and have to say that after a few of those you just don't sweat it Kinda like that first ding in the new truck, once its over you just move on. I had a few hand prints from my nephews that put a tad bit of discoloration and and ended up using the scotchbrite adn some bit-n-blade and worked the whole top (not circular patterns), and got it back good, but i've got a few discolorations in location, but not as worried about it now, its a TS.

    Cuts damn fine .

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    It will be difficult to make the stain completely vanish but with some elbow grease you can come close using grey Scotch-Brite pads and WD40. For the best results use the fence or some other straight edge as a guide to work with the "grain" of the table grind.
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  5. #5
    Chrome polish and some steel wool. Heavy cut paint polish and a buffer works miracles too.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Upstate NY
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    3,789
    Unless it is actual rust, don't worry about it. It will look much worse in a couple years.
    I hope you have learned your lesson about waxing it.

    (oh, and keep PT wood off it. DAMHIKT)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    Great Pacific Northwest
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    Try Kroil in place of the WD-40. It's a great penetrating oil.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    NW Indiana
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    It is like having a new car and the first ding in it. It is tough getting the first stain on it. I struggled with the same thing. My advice is to clean it the best you can and then make sawdust to cover it. I have had my Sawstop for sever years and it has a few spots and small scratches and I hate them . But it sure cuts well.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Thurmont, MD
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    213
    I recently got a table saw second hand that had a rust ring from a quart sized paint can. I used WD40, random orbit sander, and 180 grit sandpaper. I didn't press hard or sand more than two or 3 passes, but you can barely see the ring now. I used two new abrasive disks and was surprised how quickly it worked. Green scotchbrite pads are too fine in my opinion.

    Robby

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
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    Spring Hill FL.
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    I live in Florida where rust from sweat is a concern year round. I have found that if there is not some form of rust forming on my tools it means they are coated in cosmoline.

    Best I have found for cleaning off fingerprints and the like are the Klingspor sandflex rust erasers. Follow the erasers with some Boeshield T9. I do try to keep my cast iron clean but sometimes I forget to wipe everything down at the end of the day. In Florida even if you do, the the rust may be already forming.
    Andrew Gibson
    Program Manger and Resident Instructor
    Florida School Of Woodwork

  11. #11
    A little saw dust will cover they right up.

  12. #12
    Hi Shane. Welcome!

    Personally, I'd polish it out as best as I could, cuss a few times, and get back to using my wonderful new saw. I'm not trying to be a wise guy when I say that. I get that it's a BRAND NEW TOOL. But in reality, in 6 mos that cast iron top is going to have more than one spot of rust on it.

    Fred

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
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    6,529
    I'd try a gray scotch brite pad. Hopefully by now it's not an issue though.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Pleasant Grove, UT
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    Just think of it as the first bit of patina.
    It came to pass...
    "Curiosity is the ultimate power tool." - Roy Underhill
    The road IS the destination.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
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    3,970
    I have developed rust on the cast iron surface of my table saw several times but I generally don't do much about it. I use it often enough that the discoloration wears off.

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