Lubing My Table Saw

[Vince Shriver]

I have the table off of my old Delta 10" cabinet saw and thought it a good time to give it a lube job. I have a can of WD-40 Quick Drying Silicone, but thought there might be a better choice. Any thoughts/suggestions most appreciated. TIA, Vince

[Michael Burnside]

Why not use grease? It will last a lot longer, stays put and is generally preferred if you're not in a high-temp, high-speed application. At least that's my opinion.

[John Kananis]

I took mine apart a few years ago. I used graphite, dry lubricant.

[Aaron Inami]

WD-40 can be used as a cleaner. I would advise taking a tooth brush and clean out all the gearing. Then re-apply white lithium grease for lube.

[Bill Dufour]

I like Dupont chain saver lube. Goes on wet and dries to wax. Does not attract dust.
BilLD

[John Lanciani]

Paraffin is my first choice in this application, white lithium grease is a distant second. The only thing I'd do with the can you have is get it far, far away from my woodshop. Silicone doesn't have any place there.

[Mike Cutler]

I took mine apart a few years ago. I used graphite, dry lubricant.


+1. NeoLube is your friend here.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I use dry graphite lube.

[Ken Platt]

I use paste wax applied with an old toothbrush.

Ken

[Curt Harms]

You want something that doesn't hold sawdust. Paste wax has been a longtime favorite lube for low speed applications that doesn't attract and hold saw dust. The last time I lubed my table saw I used Tri Flow Teflon Lube. It goes on as a spray and dries so doesn't attract sawdust. At the time it was a DuPont product and was considerably less $ than what's on Amazon today.

[Eugene Dixon]

I have the table off of my old Delta 10" cabinet saw and thought it a good time to give it a lube job. I have a can of WD-40 Quick Drying Silicone, but thought there might be a better choice. Any thoughts/suggestions most appreciated. TIA, Vince

Moly, dry powder. And, wear gloves.

[Tom Bender]

Paraffin has more staying power than Wd40 or paste wax.

[glenn bradley]

Lots of good answers. WD-40 is rarely one of them if the need is long term lubrication under pressure:). I switched to marine grease years ago. I just did a maintenance run on my Saw Stop and everything was still well lubed. I cleaned everything out and re-lubed since that was why I was there :). An approximately 12oz can of Sta-Lube (https://www.amazon.com/Sta-Lube-SL3121-Marine-Trailer-Bearing/dp/B000CPJMY8?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=ATRQ56T3H9TM5)

507364

has lasted me for years and will probably outlast me. I slip on latex gloves, add a dab with a Popsicle stick and rub it along the threads or ways to be lubed. Operate the mechanism once or twice, wipe off the excess, and you're good.

507365

This picture is before running the mechanism and wiping off the excess. Do not leave this much grease on your machine :D:D:D.

[Mike Cutler]

Do not leave this much grease on your machine :D:D:D.


Glenn
the XO on my submarine used to say, "grease, dust, and time, make a very good glue."
About an hour later we would cleaning and polishing Zerk fittings and actuator sleeves.

[Bill Dufour]

Note for Non Americans, Paraffin means solid petroleum wax not liquid kerosene.
Bill D

[Rob Sack]

WD-40 is not a lubricant, it's a water displacement product. As a matter of fact the "WD" stands for water displacement and the 40 comes from the fact that the formula that was used was the 40th version.

[John TenEyck]

WD-40 is not a lubricant, it's a water displacement product. As a matter of fact the "WD" stands for water displacement and the 40 comes from the fact that the formula that was used was the 40th version.

I've read this many times, but the WD-40 Company seems to think otherwise.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc_5nKJVJeejJU_YZl95s4hQy2vzvSAmz-p5adlTqYTCELuQiikBlZJR8y5_h4ZPeqa3SwVlNts7PK3ZYnXp WqdH34CkmyhhDpZJqELEpaOp8TSQn2_JI5dT8z3pkrwJrDeNHD EFTFO5sD0BmKYIqU8xKA=w498-h885-s-no?authuser=0

It's in my sawmill tools bag all the time.

John

[Jim Becker]

I find that WD-40 is fine for incidental lubrication...such as the garage door hinges to keep them quiet...but I surely wouldn't use it for more serious lubrication needs. It's not all that long lasting for that purpose and more of an "I need it now" product.

[Larry Frank]

I see quite a few comments about not using WD40 and I agree. The OP asked about using WD40 quick drying silicone. I see no issue using it on the gear teeth. I would not use on the top of the saw.

[Bill Dufour]

I understand wd40 is kerosene/diesel fuel in a solvent carrier. So not really a lube. More of a degreaser.
Bill D

[Larry Frank]

I agree that regular WD40 may not be a lube. But, the OP referenced a different product that was a silicone dry spray and is a lubricant.

[Dave Sabo]

WD-40 is not a lubricant, it's a water displacement product. As a matter of fact the "WD" stands for water displacement and the 40 comes from the fact that the formula that was used was the 40th version.

I think what you (and everyone else) missed is that Vince is using this:

507495507496


which is not reg. ol wd40 - and as Jim says is an incidental (temporary) lubricant. Water is a lubricant too ! Doesn’t mean it’s good or long lasting or fit for this purpose ; but it is a lubricant.

[George Yetka]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BO8A6P6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I used this on my father saw, mine is do soon.

[Jason Parker]

How does the grease not become a magnet for sawdust and end up caked on the threads?

[Bill Dufour]

NGLI #2 grease seems thick for non powered moving parts. My Powermatic planer is NGLI #1 for all but high speed ball bearings.
Bill D.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/automotive-rv-and-marine/fluids-and-lubrication/lubricants/8069217?store=17393&gclid=Cj0KCQjw9fqnBhDSARIsAHlcQYROknNK6zBF3wiyRAQ4 YZ_elxCW8B4nZWm_elkTRUpCxOxFFLF0qaEaAlFzEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Michael Burnside]

How does the grease not become a magnet for sawdust and end up caked on the threads?

The bigger question is why people think a little sawdust is a big deal. Any lube, even dry lube, you'll get sawdust on the threads just by the fact that threads act like a shelf and sawdust floats around. The reason grease is a good lubricant is that it lasts a very long time and stays put. Just because a thread is squeaky clean doesn't mean that's a good thing. It could mean lube is gone and now you're getting metal on metal which is a million times worse than a little wood dust contact. As Dave pointed out above, lots of things are lubricants but they don't last long.

[John TenEyck]

I think what you (and everyone else) missed is that Vince is using this:

507495507496


which is not reg. ol wd40 - and as Jim says is an incidental (temporary) lubricant. Water is a lubricant too ! Doesn’t mean it’s good or long lasting or fit for this purpose ; but it is a lubricant.

I wouldn't have it in my shop, but it's a lubricant, much better on plastic, rubber, etc where hydrocarbon lubricants would breakdown the material over time.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AIL4fc_QSVLjt3ps6DDA2jTVER3BynN9_2w8zrrTKJe-J9jsTkFIo-s3wTxGE5ywvPqixbqK6C89MayiL1HxnxKX2VW8xdH5EW3isqsn 4bxZoJjps46kLZM3q063o18szpOh4SPJpEuTNdV9Ffmx48VeRi PMOQ=w1574-h885-s-no?authuser=0


John

[Dave Sabo]

While we’re on the subject of dust………..isn’t talcum powder a kind of lubricant ?


It’s definitely dust.

[Jim Becker]

I'm with John T in that I would not use a produce that contains silicone in my shop due to the potential for contaminating the finishing process.

[Rod Sheridan]

How does the grease not become a magnet for sawdust and end up caked on the threads?

It doesn’t, and it doesn’t matter.

I use a light coat of grease on shaper spindle mechanisms, table saws etc.

It’s often what the equipment manufacturers specify to use….


Regards, Rod