Wire wheels?

[Louie Ballis]

Two words

"BarKeepers Friend"

Great for taking off rust and follow with a generous application of "Glide" a sealer and fricton reducer. EZer than wax, no need to buff it off.

[Greg Portland]

Once you get it clean, get some cardboard boxes and make table covers. As long as the cardboard sits flat on the cast iron the condensation will form on -top- of the cardboard and prevent your top from rusting.

This is the one thing that 100% worked for me in my garage shop (in Oregon, where we have moisture issues).

[Callan Campbell]

A fine wire wheel won't hurt the cast iron at all, but as others have said, your rust would have to be pretty bad to need this extreme of a measure. Plus 1 on the Scotchbrite type pad method. You can also get small pad versions of these at Autoparts stores that you can attach with a special small mandrel/holder and use your common 3/8" drill with. The pads ARE small, so the surface area covered isn't alot, but if you're not wanting to use hand power for the rust removal, these pads WILL remove rust, gaskets, crud, just like the larger versions. They are also sold in various grits, just like their big brothers.
Once you're cleaned off, paste wax or BoeShield applied regularly should keep your rust at bay.

[Brendan Plavis]

How would one go about using the fibre pads, like they have at HF....

They say they are twistlock? Does this require a special adapter? Those look closest to emery cloth and the only ones available in Fine grit....

-Brendan

[Callan Campbell]

How would one go about using the fibre pads, like they have at HF....

They say they are twistlock? Does this require a special adapter? Those look closest to emery cloth and the only ones available in Fine grit....

-Brendan

Brendan, scroll down to my previous post, these are the type of disc holders I was taking about. There are two main types out there, simple Velcro style[hook and loop] and the Twistlock style. Both adapters for each style are pretty cheap. The mandrels/adapters have usually a 1/4" diameter rod on the end so that either a simple hand drill will turn them in a chuck, or you can use a die grinder with its 1/4" collet chuck. Both styles are often sold as a complete kit for someone starting out.
Again, if we're on the same page, the discs are smaller than the half sheets of the 3M/Scotchbrite , but they allow power to be applied. Since you mentioned you DON'T have a Random Orbit Sander, you're out of luck using the also common 5/6" 3M type discs that a normal ROS can run.
Unless you want to spend some money for setting up with a power tool, just get some of the dead common Scotchbrite type sheets/pads and use hand power.
It WILL take longer, but if the rust is only surface deep, and it's a small Band Saw table we're talking about, it shouldn't be that bad. Yes, No?

[Kyle Iwamoto]

My $0.02 in this is to NOT use any powered sanding device. Even a ROS can take off metal pretty fast. Depending on your saw, the manufacturer went through great lengths to make your table as flat as possible. ROS with a Scotch brite + Barkeepers friend would be enough. If the rust is to the point of being pitted, then resurfacing is the best way. Of course, if you don't care about flatness, then power sanding is the way to go.
I'd second the opinion of a grinder and wire wheel is not what you want to do. They actually remove metal pretty good too. You just can't see it being done, since it happens so fast.

[Brendan Plavis]

Brendan, scroll down to my previous post, these are the type of disc holders I was taking about. There are two main types out there, simple Velcro style[hook and loop] and the Twistlock style. Both adapters for each style are pretty cheap. The mandrels/adapters have usually a 1/4" diameter rod on the end so that either a simple hand drill will turn them in a chuck, or you can use a die grinder with its 1/4" collet chuck. Both styles are often sold as a complete kit for someone starting out.
Again, if we're on the same page, the discs are smaller than the half sheets of the 3M/Scotchbrite , but they allow power to be applied. Since you mentioned you DON'T have a Random Orbit Sander, you're out of luck using the also common 5/6" 3M type discs that a normal ROS can run.
Unless you want to spend some money for setting up with a power tool, just get some of the dead common Scotchbrite type sheets/pads and use hand power.
It WILL take longer, but if the rust is only surface deep, and it's a small Band Saw table we're talking about, it shouldn't be that bad. Yes, No?

I am inpatient... I dislike handpower... I would like to get back to woodworking(without the rust dust on my work..)

I figure It will cost about $10 for an angle grinder at HF(coupon) and maybe another $5 for a set of grinding disks...(this thing a ma-bob, says its a .25 collet, arent most grinders 5/8ths...)

I would use a drill, but it wouldnt fit under the wheel housing of my BS, and I really want to avoid taking the table off(heavy as... crud....)

$20 for the ease of that... I sure as heck dont mind.....

[Joe Shinall]

I have to say I bought a Craftsman Mouse sander a long time ago and never used the damn thing. Then when it came around to cleaning off the rust on my tables I put a sheet of scotchbrite on the Mouse and it works great. You can get a Mouse like sander from HF for about 15 bucks I think. (last time I saw one from there it was that price). Or just spend the 30 bucks for a Mouse or a cheap ROS just for this.

[Glen Butler]

The cast iron on most tools is really quite soft. You would wreak havoc using a wire wheel. I agree with others about using scotch bright, an ROS, or even scotch bright under the ROS. You could also use some sandpaper on a sanding bar. This will help maintain a very flat surface.

[Jim Terrill]

I am inpatient... I dislike handpower... I would like to get back to woodworking(without the rust dust on my work..)

I figure It will cost about $10 for an angle grinder at HF(coupon) and maybe another $5 for a set of grinding disks...(this thing a ma-bob, says its a .25 collet, arent most grinders 5/8ths...)

I would use a drill, but it wouldnt fit under the wheel housing of my BS, and I really want to avoid taking the table off(heavy as... crud....)

$20 for the ease of that... I sure as heck dont mind.....

An angle grinder does just that...grinds...on an angle. Trying to evenly grind the table and keep it flat will be next to impossible, especially if you have never used one before. If you can buy a cheap angle grinder, you can buy a cheap ROS and do it more accurately.

[Brendan Plavis]

An angle grinder does just that...grinds...on an angle. Trying to evenly grind the table and keep it flat will be next to impossible, especially if you have never used one before. If you can buy a cheap angle grinder, you can buy a cheap ROS and do it more accurately.

I am sorry about the phrasing on that: I meant thse things: http://www.harborfreight.com/pack-of...scs-65716.html

I didnt mean the iron oxide ones.... From the looks, it looks like a emery cloth...

Or should I just get the porcupine type cup brushes....?

I would get an ROS, but its like $20 for a HF one compared to $10, then add the paper/wheel, etc...

[Scott Donley]

In your case I suggest soap and water then air dry. You can then start four more threads on the same subject and maybe try one of the suggestions you have been given in the first four.

[Jeff Monson]

The only power tool I would recemmond is a ROS, you have to be very careful with the scotchbrite pads on a disc, they remove metal quickly when used on a highspeed tool, on a drill at lower speeds would be ok. I'd be careful either way, you can end up with a uneven cast top in a hurry.

[Brendan Plavis]

In your case I suggest soap and water then air dry. You can then start four more threads on the same subject and maybe try one of the suggestions you have been given in the first four.

Please keep the smart remarks to yourself..... thanks

-Brendan

[Scott Donley]

Please keep the smart remarks to yourself..... thanks

-Brendan

You seem to use that a lot since joining. There is not always an EASY way to do something,sometimes you have to put in a little effort and try one of the suggestions that have been given in this and past threads.