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Scrubbing rust off your table saw is something that you have to do from time to time.
But who has the patience or the inclination? The answer, it turns out, is no one.
And as you might have guessed, there are plenty of ways to get rid of rust with a little elbow grease and some household items!
Let’s get started!
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Don’t worry, the best table saw blades in the market are all rust resistant with a premium coated polish.
How to Remove Rust From Table Saw
Materials Needed:
- Paste Wax (Preferably Johnson’s Paste Wax or Paraffin Wax)
- Mineral Spirits
- Steel Wool or Wire Brush or Scotch Brite Pad
- Rust Remover (Preferably Boeshield T9)
- Vinegar (Preferably White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Clean Cloth or Clean Rag or Paper Towel
Duration: 30 Minutes
Budget: $50-$100 (USD)
Steps:
Step 1:
Scrub Down the Table Saw
You should scrub any rusty areas of your table saw on a regular basis. This means not just in between cuts, but also the rails, the blade guard and around all of the wheels. Just take your time and try to get into the toughest spots first so that they don’t cause rust to spread from one spot to another. It’s worth noting that you shouldn’t use steel wool on this job because you will wear it out pretty quickly and you’ll have to clean it more between jobs than with an abrasive pad like a Scotch Brite pad or any other abrasive material.
Step 2:
Clean Up the Table Saw Again
Once you’ve scrubbed your table saw down you’ll probably find a few spots that still look rusty. Clean these areas down with the steel wool and just a little bit of elbow grease. You’ll probably have to clean your table saw after each cut, but if you clean up any loose rust during your next job at least that should keep it to a minimum. It’s worth noting that rubbing some paraffin wax onto the rails of your table saw might help prevent rust from forming in the first place!
Step 3:
Give it a Good Washing!
There are two ways to do this. First, you can clean your table saw off with soap and water. Just be sure not to get any areas of your table saw that aren’t rusty wet! The second way to clean off the rust is to use a cleaner like Boeshield T9 on your table saw. Just spray a little bit onto a clean rag or paper towel and wipe down the rails of your table saw and around all of the wheels. Just be sure to clean the rails first and let it dry for about 10 minutes. Otherwise you’ll clean the rails with water and that could create rust!
Step 4: Polish it!
If you can, give your table saw a good waxing once it dries to get rid of any leftover rust or to prevent any further rust from forming. If you don’t want to wax your table saw then at least wipe it down with a little bit of mineral spirits to help keep the rust from forming in the first place.
Step 5: Repeat!
Doing this once or twice should be enough to get rid of all of the rust and prevent it from coming back. Be sure to repeat this process every couple of weeks or at least after every few cuts.
And that’s how you can get a squeaky spotless tablesaw!
How to Remove Rust From Table Saw Video
How to Clean a Table Saw Top
Materials Needed:
- Paste Wax (Preferably Johnson’s Paste Wax or Paraffin Wax)
- Mineral Spirits
- Steel Wool or Wire Brush or Scotch Brite Pad
- Rust Remover (Preferably Boeshield T9)
- Vinegar (Preferably White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Clean Cloth or Clean Rag or Paper Towel
Duration: 30 Minutes
Budget: $50-$100 (USD)
Steps:
- Start off by spraying your table saw with a light coat of white vinegar to remove any rust on the surface of your saw.
- Spray again with water to remove any remaining rust from the wood. Next, apply paste wax to your saw. Use just enough to get a good coating on the top and sides of your saw, and wipe off with a clean cloth.
- Clean up everything properly, then give your table saw a day or two of drying out time (you can do this by covering it in plastic wrap).
- Then, spray all over with Rust Preventer (preferably Boeshield T-9), let dry 15 minutes then wipe off excess.
- Allow to dry for 24 hours.
- Protect your table saw by using a good wax on a regular basis (like every 3-6 weeks). Use Johnson’s Paste Wax (or paraffin wax) for this. If you’re not familiar with the process of waxing, spray on a little bit of water, then apply paste wax and rub in with small circular motions.
- Then wipe off excess with clean rag or paper towel. Do not let your table saw get wet through use or rain, rather wipe it down with a clean cloth after each use.
How to Clean a Table Saw Top Video
How to Lubricate a Table Saw
Materials Needed:
- Paste Wax (Preferably Johnson’s Paste Wax or Paraffin Wax)
- Mineral Spirits
- Mechanic Oil
- Lubricant (Preferably WD-40)
Duration: 30 Minutes
Budget: $50-$100 (USD)
Steps:
- Start by removing the table saw from its enclosure.
- Make sure your table saw is unplugged, and then under no circumstances should your remove debris from the blade. This debris can cause issues in the future with your saw and possibly other items in your workshop.
- Once you have taken care of this step, clean off any dust from the table saw’s housing.
- Spray a thin layer of paste wax on top of your table saw.
- Spray it on with a light mist sprayer to allow for easier clean up later on.
- Scrape off a thick layer of paste wax with a small spatula (an inverted bottle cap works well for this). If you have any open cracks, etc. in your housing, apply several more coats of paste wax to these areas. Be sure not to make the paste wax too thick or it will start to crack, and you will no longer be able to remove it easily.
- Spray the table saw top off with a light mist spray of Mineral Spirits. Let dry for about 5-10 minutes (approx), then wipe with clean cloth. Be careful here, as Mineral Spirits can be harsh on your skin if not used properly; avoid spraying it directly into your eyes and mouth!
- The Mineral Spirits will help protect the wood from water, which can cause damage over time, so keep this in mind when applying the solvent.
- Spray a light mist of lubricant on your table saw blade. Using a clean rag, wipe the blade down until it becomes shiny and is covered in oil. Do this about once every 2 months.
- Once you have taken care of the steps above, you will want to apply some lubricant to your motor and bearings. Do this once every other month or so, depending on the level of use your table saw sees. This will keep these parts running smoothly for you while also protecting the parts from any outside elements that can cause damage over time.
Done all these? Sit back and relax as your Table Saw is well lubricated!
How to Lubricate a Table Saw Video
How to Clean Cast Iron Table Saw
Materials Needed:
- Paste Wax (Preferably Johnson’s Paste Wax or Paraffin Wax)
- Mineral Spirits
- Steel Wool or Wire Brush or Scotch Brite Pad
- Rust Remover (Preferably Boeshield T9)
- Vinegar (Preferably White Vinegar)
- Baking Soda
- Clean Cloth or Clean Rag or Paper Towel
Duration: 30 Minutes
Budget: $50-$100 (USD)
Steps:
Step 1:
Remove all excess sawdust and debris from your blade and the table. Remove any excess sawdust/debris with a Shop Vac or compressed air. Doing this first helps prevent splintering when you clean the blade.
Step 2:
Next, we need to clean the blade. We need to give it a good cleaning in order to get rid of any remaining dust and debris that could be present on our steel blade and give it a deep clean. We will do this by using paste wax (Johnson’s paste wax make for nice smooth surface finish). You can use a Stain Remover as well, although I don’t personally recommend it because of its corrosive nature.
Step 3:
Next, we need to clean the cast iron table saw’s surface. We will do this first by using a wire brush to get rid of any debris or sawdust that is left on the surface. Then we will use a mineral spirits to safely clean it.
Step 4:
Next, we will use steel wool and a Scotch Brite pad to get off any rust. You can also use steel wool on your cast iron table saw blade as well but only if you’d like smooth finish instead of sharpened edges. We’ll discuss this later on in the article.
Step 5:
We can now make the saw dust and debris safe for us to use on our table saw. First, we’ll use a few drops of white vinegar to neutralize any remaining iron that is left on the surface. Then we can use a clear coat of paste wax and wipe it off with a clean cloth or paper towel. I find it best to let it dry so that you don’t risk damaging your cast iron table saw while cleaning it.
After you finish this process, try running some fine grit sandpaper on the blade again right after.
How to Clean Cast Iron Table Saw Video
How to Remove Rust from a Table Saw
Final Thoughts
This ends our How To Guide of How to Remove Rust From Table Saw.
Now that you’ve learned how to remove rust from the table saw, you may want to learn the proper way of knowing how to change the blade on a table saw then learning how to clean the table saw blade.
We hope the knowledge you gained here will help you in the future with your DIY or Professional Woodworking projects. We want you to be sure of that what you get from us are 100% facts, so please don’t hesitate to ask for advice or to advise us in return with accurate facts.
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