table saw scratches

[jeff oldham]

i know this might seem crazy but i have noticed that the top of my table saw has recently gotten some scratches that run parallel to the blade,,,im assuming it came from using a sled,,now i know it just a saw and you will get battle scars on it as you use it but it is kinda annoying to me,,,does anyone know of a remedy to filling it in and maybe sanding over it or would that be a good idea,,,any help would be appreciated,,thank you

[Edward Weber]

When you say scratches, what are we talking about? Is there metal hardware in your sled? What is putting the scratches in your top?
Typically, you might get a polished area where the is some rubbing but scratches, no.

[Greg Funk]

No problem sanding a tablesaw top. I've done it when some moisture got on the top causing rust spots. I'd figure out what caused the scratches before doing too much on the top.

[Lee Schierer]

Yes saw tables get dings and scratches. If you use the saw table for other work, scratches and dings will accumulate over time. Lightly sanding by hand is unlikely to cause a problem unless you concentrate heavy sanding on one area or power sand. If your sleds and fixtures are leaving mark you can apply UHMW tape to the underside of the jig or sled to increase clearance and reduce friction making scratches less likely. Waxing the table top with paste wax will significantly reduce sliding friction on the table which will lessen the abrasion from wood, jigs and sleds. Wax will also protect to a degree from rust.

[Richard Coers]

You will have a less flat top if you sand out the scratches. Just use the machine, it's not a beauty contest.

[Rick Potter]

I feel your pain. I made literally thousands of cuts on my fairly new Unisaw, using the factory miter gage, while making about 18 large sets of Lincoln Logs for my grandkids and the kids of all the nephews and nieces. Enough sets that I filled a Brute trash can with just the little singles that connect the longer pieces together.

The scratches match the little plastic wear buttons on the bottom of the gage. Deep enough to feel with your finger. They are still there.

This ranks with the first time I dripped sweat on the table, and waited a couple minutes to wipe it up, only to find it was stained forever. Yes, I tried everything. Next comes the soda can mark on the jointer bed, and I don't even know who did that one. The family knows that it is sudden death to set a drink on any metal in my kingdom.

[Bryan Hall]

Bummer.

I’ve fixed a few but have come to peace with my cast iron getting scratched and stained. Sanding is fine but I don’t think I’ll fix anything again until it’s time to sell.

[Charles Lent]

I noticed scratches in my saw table and found the cause. It was sharp burrs on the bottom of my Delta Tenon jig. I ended up making a piece of high pressure laminate (Formica type material) the size and shape of the bottom of my tenon jig, temporarily removed the guide bar, and attached this piece of laminate to the bottom of my tenon jig. Then replaced the guide bar. No more new scratches since, but if any new appear, I'll be on the hunt for the cause and fix it. I chose to leave the scratches. The saw is half as old as I am, and I have many scratches, dings, and replacement parts too. They are battle scars, won from successful wins over time. Any mighty warrior has them, and can probably tell you where each one came from. My saw can't say, but I can remember for it.

Charley

[johnny means]

CI is soft and will wear. Ignore it and get to work. It's not a classic car.

[John Lanciani]

This is just one of the many reasons that I like vintage machinery. Every ding, dent, scratch, and blemish tells a story. My 1946 Unisaw that came out of a piano shop speaks to me every time I use it.

Embrace the marks, they are proof that your saw was used as it was intended to be.

[John Kananis]

Haha, my uni's table looks like it's been through both world wars. Late 90's model.

[Bill Dufour]

I have used sandpaper to clean up old rusted tabletops. Up to 400 grit each step up makes a difference. I see no real difference in look after 400 up to 2000 grit. This includes some micrifine optical polishing liquid from 3M.
To be honest 200 grit is about all that is needed. There is no way to remove deep scratches without a regrind or a full scrapping job using three surfaces or certified straight edges etc.
Bill D

[Frank Pratt]

You need to have the top reground to a pristine, factory perfect finish, then do an epoxy pour on it and finally, never, ever let anything touch the saw again. It'll stay beautiful for years that way :)

[Jim Becker]

Cast iron is a relatively "soft" material so constant motion and abrasion even from something as simple as hardwoods can cause some scratching/marking/polishing. You'll see it from what you do the most with your tool operationally for the kinds of projects and kinds of fixtures you tend to do/use a lot.

[Rod Wolfy]

I have scratches. No biggie. But I just saw a video on Bent's Woodworking. He used WD40 and a fine nylon scotchbright pad under a ROS to get them out (might depend on how deep the scratches are...).

[Mel Fulks]

Well, I just read all …to make sure I was not going to be “redumbdunt “ ! A bad scratch from something like a sneaky rock in a board
can be made harmless to wood by just removing the burr with a old piece of tool steel . It’s fast and I find it shows less than sand paper
scratches. If there is no burr just cuss quickly and proceed with work. After finding and removing embedded object.

[Tom Bender]

'Someone' spread a damp rag on my saw to dry. Crocus cloth didn't get it so I applied my ROS with 320 paper then a coat of wax. Seems perfect.

[Steve Demuth]

I feel your pain. I made literally thousands of cuts on my fairly new Unisaw, using the factory miter gage, while making about 18 large sets of Lincoln Logs for my grandkids and the kids of all the nephews and nieces. Enough sets that I filled a Brute trash can with just the little singles that connect the longer pieces together.

The scratches match the little plastic wear buttons on the bottom of the gage. Deep enough to feel with your finger. They are still there.

This ranks with the first time I dripped sweat on the table, and waited a couple minutes to wipe it up, only to find it was stained forever. Yes, I tried everything. Next comes the soda can mark on the jointer bed, and I don't even know who did that one. The family knows that it is sudden death to set a drink on any metal in my kingdom.

My table saw and the cast iron router table that is bolted to it get used as a workbench all the time, and in particular is where I most glue-ups for anything that requires long clamps, or lots of clamps. I also do a lot finishing there. And, about once a year my not-climate-controlled shop experiences a flash condensation and rusting event, despite my best efforts to prevent. Heck, sometimes I even use it as a saw.

So the cast iron top has stains, scratches and gouges all over. The scratches and gouges I level down to the nominal surface plane (if scratch or gouge cast iron, you almost always also raise some cast iron) with a diamond sharpening block, and periodically I go over the whole thing with a coarse scotch brite bad on a random orbital sander with a little wd-40 for lubricant, then wipe down with BoShield T-9, and wax. The scratches and gouges are still there, of course - badges of use - but the top is smooth as silk for work.

[Cameron Wood]

Haha, my uni's table looks like it's been through both world wars. Late 90's model.



Mine did go through part of WW2- by year anyway. Overall, it's in better condition than when I got it 40+ years ago.

Hand sanding with a largish block (& 220 wet/dry) will help things move in the direction of more flat.