My tablesaw is squeaking....

[Brian Hale]

I've had my Bridgewood TS for 12 years and it's just now started making noise during height/tilt adjustments and is slightly stiffer. Is there a good lube that won't attract dust? I was considering bike chain lube, the kind designed for dusty environments.

Brian :)

[Charlie Hinton]

The original lubricant is most likely something very similar to wheel bearing grease.
If it is a 12 year maintenance schedule doesn't sound too bad to me.

[Martin Wasner]

Use grease. It attracts dust. That's a good thing

[Frank Pratt]

Grease. Some swear by dry lube, which does make things move smooth (but not as smooth as grease), but the parts will wear out faster.

[Brian Hale]

So having the screws packed with dusty grease is a good thing? Doesn't bind up the works?

[Lee Schierer]

So having the screws packed with dusty grease is a good thing? Doesn't bind up the works?

A little bit goes a long way. You can also use Johnson paste wax on the elevate and tilt screws.

[Mike Cutler]

A little bit goes a long way. You can also use Johnson paste wax on the elevate and tilt screws.

This.;)
Clean the mechanism of all the gunk and wax the threads.

"Grease, dust, and age, make a good glue"
Unknown Navy XO

[Martin Wasner]

So having the screws packed with dusty grease is a good thing? Doesn't bind up the works?

It doesn't bind in my experience. The dust creates a barrier it seems that just falls off when it builds up.

I've tried everything. Grease, wax, oil, spray lube, Teflon spray, chain wax. Just about anything I had on hand that was slippery that I could shoot or wipe on. Grease is the only thing that works and has any lasting affect. The saw near the benches goes through many adjustments through out the day. Grease lasts a few months, everything else lasts a few weeks or less.

[Jacob Reverb]

I clean the living daylights out of everything, then recoat with spray-on graphite.

Dust/sap doesn't stick to it, and it keeps things freed up.

[Charles Lent]

I use Johnson's Paste Wax for the gears and trunnion ways, applied with an old tooth brush, and a dry moly lube for where shafts go through that need to rotate. The paste wax surface dries, making it not collect saw dust, but it stays in place and lubricates well. I also use it on the table surface and any exposed cast iron, to keep rust away and to make the work slide across the table easily. I've been lubricating my table saws this way for over 60 years and never have had any problems caused by it.

Charley