Treating a table saw top for periods of non-use?

[Butch Butler]

My table saw gets used, at best, about once a month and I live in SC where humidity and high Summer temps are a problem. No A/C in the shop, so its really unbearable to work out there in the Summer. I usually keep a good coat of wax on the saw, but with this heatwave we've had this Summer, its not doing the job of protecting it. Any suggestions as to what I could put on it until about late October? Thanks.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Boeshield T-9. Spray it on, make sure it's fully covered the entire CI surface. Turn the lights off and close the door. Use degreaser in October to get it off. Costs about $20 for a twin pack including rust remover from Sears.

[Larry Edgerton]

A light coat of gun oil would work just fine as well and is easy to wipe off when you are ready to use it. I have several tools in storage until I get my new shop in order and that is what I did. Looked at them this past weekend and all is well.

Larry

[ken gibbs]

Use Johnson's Paste Wax. Put it on thick and do not polishit off. It will stay there until you use the tool and you really do not have to polish it off.

[Myk Rian]

I've been putting a HTC cover on my saw, then a sheet of particle board on top of that.
Michigan has been miserable this summer, but the saw is doing fine.

[Alan Lightstone]

I seem to be getting better success with Top Cote instead of Boeshield down here in South Florida.

[Randy Bonella]

+1 on Johnson's Past Wax. Works great here in Oregon.


Use Johnson's Paste Wax. Put it on thick and do not polishit off. It will stay there until you use the tool and you really do not have to polish it off.

[Peter Aeschliman]

i've noticed that new woodworking machines are often shipped with some kind of grease on the table top underneath a sheet of a wax paper-like material. The grease is a PITA to remove, but maybe you could do a generous coat of johnson's paste was as Ken suggested, with some wax paper over that to keep it from getting rubbed off.

I think that's a great recommendation because paste wax is often what guys use to lubricate their cast iron tops anyway. So when you're ready, you just buff the wax down and you have a perfectly slick, ready-to-use table top. And also like Ken said, if you're especially lazy you don't even have to buff the excess wax off. Although I'd recommend it since you'll be able to feed the wood through your saw much easier if it's buffed out.

I've used Top Cote and Boeshield and they really didn't work as well as I expected for the money. It seems like i've had to re-apply much more often than I do with paste wax, as I still got some rust with those products. The benefit of paste wax is that it has at least two uses in the shop: to protect your cast iron surfaces and to shine up your finished projects. Plus it's pretty cheap and lasts a really long time.

[Von Bickley]

I'm right here in SC and my saw gets Johnsons paste wax.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Lowes sells a roll of material that prevents rust in tool boxes. It's called vapor emmiting. Lay a piece of it on TS top, and cover with a tarp.

[Bob Wingard]

I buy a product called LPS1 in gallon or 5 gallon cans ... put some in any kind of sprayer & mist it on when I leave the shop. Wipe it down when I want to use to saw again, and it looks like new, and is slicker than owl $hit.

[Darius Ferlas]

For the 2 to 4 cold Winter months I apply wax and cover the table with an old blanket.
Seems to work just fine.

[John McClanahan]

I'm another fan of Johnson's past wax for cast iron surfaces.

[Lee Schierer]

Boeshield T-9. Spray it on, make sure it's fully covered the entire CI surface. Turn the lights off and close the door. Use degreaser in October to get it off. Costs about $20 for a twin pack including rust remover from Sears.

I agree. Spray on a heavy wet layer of T-9 and walk away. We used to treat cast iron machine bases this way for shipment and had few problems with rust in transit. You can also just spray on more T-9 when you want to clean off the goo and it will soften the existing layer and leave your saw protected. We found that the T-9 was superior if left on heavy to paste wax in terms of rust prevention. Once you remove the goo, I would then apply a coating of paste wax.

[Dan Place]

I'm also in SC and I'll add my name to the list of Johnson's Paste Wax users. I put it on the TS, BS, Jointer beds, and my hand planes. Works great.

[Randy Dutkiewicz]

Here's another for the Johnson's Paste Wax. I'm here in Savannah, GA, so I completely understand what you mean about the "heat wave". Been using it for years and like you, I only get to use the saw about once a month (due to heat in garage also). Put on a liberal coat! I always buff mine out right afterwards, but as you said, you don't intend to use your TS until OCT, so maybe leaving it on until then and buffing off might work well in your situation:)

[John Lifer]

My newest saw is in MS and to take care of it, T9 works, paste wax does also. But probably best advise, especially as we get closer to winter is to put on a blanket after treatment.
Keeps moisture from condensing on the metal as temps rise and fall in the shop. I've an old bedspread that is quilted. gives the saw a good cover to prevent rust.
I didn't believe it at first, but it made a huge difference last winter when I didn't use saw for months on end.

[Butch Butler]

Ok guys, I'm sold........Johnson's Wax it is!.....Thanks!!

[Myk Rian]

When I put the wax on, I clean the top first, slather the wax on, and melt it in with a heat gun. Then I buff it up, and cover it.

[Ray Turney]

I live in central Kentucky, Johnson's paste wax has been my choice for yrs.

[Peter Aeschliman]

When I put the wax on, I clean the top first, slather the wax on, and melt it in with a heat gun. Then I buff it up, and cover it.

Myk, I've read a number of your posts where you say this. I'm intrigued. How often do you have to re-apply?

[Trent Shirley]

Remember, what you are trying to avoid is moisture contacting the surface. Anything that covers the surface a prevents the moisture getting through will work with T9 and Johnson's Paste Wax being the top two contenders.
Placing a blanket over it will help prevent moisture in the air from condensing on the surface but remember if you have really high sustained humidity a blanket will absorbe the moisture also and help trap it near the table surface so you are better off having something that will not let the moisture through like plastic and keeping that plastic pressed close to the surface to keep air from getting in under it as the air is carrying the moisture.

I would check out what the effect of T9 is on any form of plastic before pressing the plastic snugly against the T9 covered surface just in case the plastic degrades and maybe sticks. I am not suggesting it will, I just do not know what it is made from and what impact it may have. Oil based products tend to break down plastics.