Storing a Woodshop

[Paul Snowden]

We sold our house and will spending the few months (or less hopefully) in an apartment as we look. Most of my shop will have to be stored in a storage unit. On top of all the stuff I haven't realized I don't know yet, my main question is about the table saw (Sawstop). Should I remove the wings (52 inch rails) and if I do I just cover them with a moving blanket? If I have the room can i just keep the saw whole and cover with a thick coat of Topcoat and store as is?


On top of the table saw question let me know what things you have learned moving your shop.

[Matt Logana]

The decisive part of this is: Is the storage unit climate controlled?

If it is, then if you can fit it whole, that should work.

If not... you can either take the entire top off and store it in your appartment.... lol... or wax it with about a 1/2 layer of wax, unbuffed, and cover it with a movers blanket. Alternatively, you can cover it with machine grease... I hear it works wonders for people who have went in the service, only to leave behind a wonderful shop.

[Thomas S Stockton]

I would spray the exposed cast iron with nice coat of boeshield and adjust the motor so there is little pressure on the belts and you should be good to go. If doing the belts is a big hassle a few months isn't going to hurt anything after all it spent a few months in a crate on the way here with no problems.
As for taking the top off and storing it in your apartment, I'm real hesitant to take tools apart for moving the potential for problems is far greater than the benifits and besides it is a table saw it is not the family china (although it is probably as expensive) over the years you will probably put worse stains on it than it will get in a storage unit.
Tom

[Darin Higginbotham]

+ one for the Boesheild great stuff.

[David Hawxhurst]

grease with waxed paper would be my preferred method but bosheild should work (spray on but don't wipe off).

[Tom Welch]

Denzile past is what I would use if I was going to store it long term. You should be able to get it from an industrial suppler. It is what we use offshore to combat rust on sensitive compontants. It is a waxy greasy mess. But if you have access to the saw, why not just wax it and buff it off, and every month clean and wax it, just like you would do in your shop? I might take the wings off to make it easy to move, defently the ext table to prevent damage while moving. I don't see any benifit in adjusting the motor to relieve strain on the belts, I mean in the shop the same tension is on the belts, there is no more strain on the belts in storage.
Plus one for a climate controled storage unit. That is the route I would take. Might give you some piece of mind. Just my .02 cents.

[Matt Logana]

grease with waxed paper would be my preferred method but bosheild should work (spray on but don't wipe off).

Isnt Boeshield caustic? I would be afraid of it eating a hole right through the table...

[David Hawxhurst]

boesheild was developed by boeing to protect various aircraft parts (mostly aluminum). its fine for use on bare metal as that is what is was designed for.

[Philip Johnson]

I am just curious about boesheild for anyone that has used it. I work on aircraft and the boeing maintenance manuals list boeshield and lps 3 as having the same mil spec and being interchangeable for use on aircraft. Is boeshield anything like lps 3 or are they different? I just thought maybe lps 3 may be a less expensive alternative to boeshield. We don't use boeshield on aircraft but use a lot of lps 3 for corrosion protection.

Phil

[Myk Rian]

Isnt Boeshield caustic? I would be afraid of it eating a hole right through the table...
Where did you get that idea?
It would take a LONG time for anything to eat through a CI top, unless, of course, you had an acid drip setup over it.

[Greg Bender]

Everybodies idea's are very good except I would avoid covering it with a moving pad.If there is any chance of moisture to be present it will accumulate in the pad and end up being like a damp towel laying right on the saw.Get one of those absorb it buckets from the borg and just put in a refill once a month till you get settled back in.I did that years ago when I moved to Florida and never had any rust problems with any of my CI tools.
Greg

[Dave Lehnert]

MY shop tools are just waxed with floor wax. No climate control at all.
No rust at all on any cast iron tools. It's about as humid as it can get right now in Cincinnati.

[David Hawxhurst]

I am just curious about boesheild for anyone that has used it. I work on aircraft and the boeing maintenance manuals list boeshield and lps 3 as having the same mil spec and being interchangeable for use on aircraft. Is boeshield anything like lps 3 or are they different? I just thought maybe lps 3 may be a less expensive alternative to boeshield. We don't use boeshield on aircraft but use a lot of lps 3 for corrosion protection.

Phil

same mil spec will get the same end result for corrosion protection. not being familiar with lps 3 i can't comment on the cost and would think they are very similar. would be interested in trying some lps 3 where can i get some? boesheild is in a rattle can and sprayed on, how is lps 3 applied?