Taking care of table saw surface

[Brent Harding]

Is the top supposed to be waxed? I just bought my first professional saw and want to keep it nice. What are other ways to maintain the top?

Thanks.

[Eric Haycraft]

Paste wax is the usual treatment and works great for most people. If you think that you may run into condensation, t9 is your best friend.

[Travis Gauger]

I use sc johnson hard floor paste way. Orange /yellow can. Works great. I religiously wax all my bare or exposed metal once a week. Every few months I strip competly down with kerosene and a ROS with a scotchbrite pad attached. Kerosene doesn't leave any residue after it dries, I was told. Has worked good for me so far. There is also several number of products that I have seen that are basically a parafin wax in an spray can. I haven't tried any of these though. Something that I can tell you from experience is that you shouldn't use a car wax. I did once, and kept having problems with my finishing. I guess that there is some level of silicone in car wax, which ends up on your wood, and blocks stain and finish from soaking into your wood.

[glenn bradley]

There is a lot of opinion on this but Johnson's Paste Wax has worked for me. If you are negligent and pick up some shadows or outright rust, then turn to the specific products. I've got a kit of stain remover, cleaner, lubricant that I'll open as soon as I pick up a problem. So far JPW every few weeks has kept the demons at bay.

[Brent Harding]

What about something like Windex or other household cleaner?

[Travis Gauger]

I don't think that I would use any household cleaners. The cost of some pastewax is far less than the cost of equipment relacement. I have heard of guys using WD-40 and another that swears by silverware polish, but it's about the same cost as JPW. Working for a grey and ductile iron foundry, I hear of all sorts of home brewed remedies for rust and rust prevention, I haven't been bold enough to gamble with my equipment though. I just think of a saying I heard once, the tart taste of poor quality far outlasts the sweet smell of a good deal. My $.02

[glenn bradley]

What about something like Windex or other household cleaner?

I think if you check you will find water as one of the ingredients. I would not want to spray water on my cast iron. In the right environment you can almost watch rust grow on cast iron.

I also stay away from waxes with too much carnuba. It is a very protective wax but is quite hard and requires more muscle than you need to expend if you are going to wax regularly.

If you are really anal (like I am), you could use a mild soap on a damp rag for the painted surfaces(?). Mine are generally covered in dust so I don't bother.

[bob hart]

I recently became reaquainted with my shop equipment after a few years of neglectful storage in the basement. The surface of my jointed had mildly rusted. After a few minutes with WD40 and a rag, I put 150 grit on my random orbit sander and kept the surface wet with wd40. I cleaned it beautifully. I wiped it off very well with a rag and then used paste wax. Looks like new.

Bob Hart

[jason lambert]

There are lots of discussions on this Bioshield or corrosion x is wonderful followed by paste wax. The Bioshield basically prevents the rust and the wax seals the top and makes it slicker. That is what I do and I didn't realise but my snower blower through up snow on my tools this weekend and the water sat on them and I simply wiped it up a day later wtih no rust without it I am sure I would of been cleanong rust all day.

[Chris Padilla]

Boeshield T-9 and Slip It on top of that...works for me out here on the Left Coast.

[Erech Myers]

Just curious if this is just as good as the paste wax or if there is any advantage to it.

I've actually been using Empire TopSaver underneath some paste wax. Since the consensus here seems to be the T9, I'll have to give it a try.