Recommendations: Cleaning machine tops

[Douglas Robinson]

How do you clean your machine tops so that they look as good as new? That includes getting rid of disolorations. What products do you use? Do you use rust and stain remover, scouring pads, 0000 steel wool? Let me know what works and what doesn't.

Doug

 

[jaustin]

I used [FONT=arial,san-serif]Boeshield T-9 Rust Prevention Rust Protection Metal Penetrating Lubrication Anti Corrosives Multi Purpose Metal Protection BOESHIELD T-9 to clean my table saw when it started getting rust on it.

cleaned it up and so far it hasn't came back.
[/FONT]

 

[Toddler]

I picked up two of those rubber blocks with abrasive in them from klingspore's, medium and fine, and cleaned the top of the 30yr old jointer I bought. Worked great, almost no effort.

I haven't bothered to use the "top saver" kit I have yet but I will use it eventually.

Boeshield is great stuff, and not having opened the topsaver box yet, I can't say how it will compare. The blocks though, are great.

Todd

 

[Douglas Robinson]

I have the Boeshield stuff and TopCoat. There are still some discolorations I want to remove that T9 does not seem to eliminate.

Doug

 

[Travis Porter]

I have used Empire coatings with scrubbing pads with pretty good success. Takes a lot of elbow work, but it does work.

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Travis:

Where do you get "Empire coatings?" and What did you scrub with?

Doug

 

[SteveColes]

Let's see how many people disagree with me.

Almost all, if not all, chemical means of removing rust will leave a dark grey stain. The reason for this, is that the chemical process that removes the rust, changes it from one form of iron oxide (red and crumbly) to another (grey and stable) This second form will actually serve as a "rust preventative", but it is a "stain"

So the last time, I did this, I used an abrasive like steel wool with a ROS and WD-40 as a lubricant. Just like with wood I went through the grits until I had the surface I wanted. Then I carefully cleaned the top with WD-40. When that was dry I cleaned again with acetone to get any residue of WD-40 off and then waxed and buffed the surface.

This is overkill and I doubt I would do it again that way:BangHead:

 

[Travis Porter]

I got it at Woodcraft. Personally, I would start with WD-40 and one of those plastic sanding pads that are similar to a pot scrubber.

 

[MikeH]

I picked up two of those rubber blocks with abrasive in them from klingspore's, medium and fine, and cleaned the top of the 30yr old jointer I bought. Worked great, almost no effort.

I haven't bothered to use the "top saver" kit I have yet but I will use it eventually.

Boeshield is great stuff, and not having opened the topsaver box yet, I can't say how it will compare. The blocks though, are great.

Todd

Todd are these what you are talking about?

 

[Douglas Robinson]

WD-40...hmmm...Why didn't I think to try that. About 30 years ago I was a bicycle mechanic. I was given a bike to refurbish that hand rolls and rolls of handle bar tape on it. After I got all the tape off I found the bars were still covered in adhesive. An hour of scrubing with steal wool only cleared a 1.5 inch patch. With nothing to lose I sprayed on WD-40 and eureka! The stuff just wiped away.

It may or may not work here, but it worth a try. Now why can't I remember to learn from my own experiences?:-D

Doug

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

It depends on the condition of the top. I usually let it go too long, but then do what Steve does. I use my random orbit sander with some WD 40 and various grits of wet and dry sand paper and/or 3M abrasive pads. (I block the dust chute to reduce pulling WD40 up into the sander.) Once all the crud is gone and it meets my desired level of appearance I clean it with Acetone then seal it with Top Saver or a good paste wax or both. I think stuff slides better with the wax than with Top Saver.

With this method, if you want to take the time, you can make your machine tops look almost like shiny stainless steel or chrome!

 

[NCPete]

sounds like a lot of work Steve, but I may soon be doing the same thing... boards don't slide across the outfeed of my jointer like I would like...

 

[NCPete]

Once all the crud is gone and it meets my desired level of appearance I clean it with Acetone then seal it with Top Saver or a good paste wax or both. I think stuff slides better with the wax than with Top Saver.

With this method, if you want to take the time, you can make your machine tops look almost like shiny stainless steel or chrome!

I was thinking that paste wax would slide easier... has anyone buffed out the Top Saver and received better results???

 

[Travis Porter]

I have buffed out the top saver, it makes it slide good, but I don't think it lasts any better than paste wax. IMO, it is a good cleaner (better than WD-40), but I am just as satisifed with paste wax for protection.

 

[Douglas Robinson]

Thanks for the input.

Steve: the "stain" you describe is exactly what I meant.

I will try your method using Alan's idea of blocking the ROS dust ports. I need to buy some acetone to make this work.

Doug

 

[JimThomasson]

Has anyone tried "Bar Keepers Friend" ? Last night I cleaned my wife's stainless steel pots and pans and it eliminated 100% of the stains and discoloration! Tonight, I'm gonna try it on the table surface of my tablesaw and also the jointer. Will follow up with a paste wax .. hmmmm.

 

[Gofor]

Jim:
I have and still use Barkeeper's friend. Basically it is pumice with oxalic acid in it (as opposed to chlorine like comet). It cleans rust fine, but will flash rust in a heart-beat. I use it, wipe with a damp rag of clean water, and immediately (before the water dries) hit it with johnson's wax. I do a relatively small area (1 square foot) at a time because the acid causes it to flash-rust so fast. After i finish going over the whole table (or at least all the stained spots) I then hit the entire top with the wax. Due to the flash-rust problem, I usually use WD40 first, and then hit it with the other for what the WD leaves.

If you use steel wool to apply it (barkeep's friend) put it in water (a ziploc bag works but submurging it is better) until you dispose of it. The acid on all the exposed surface of fine steel wool makes it extremely flammable.

*While on the subject, if anyone uses a strong acid based remover such as naval gel, etc, and steel wool, realize that the steel wool can self-ignite due to the heat of the oxidation of the acid against all the surface area of the steel wool. It is not urban myth. I have seen it happen.

*Just some tidbits from my days working corrosion removal on aircraft

Go

 

[Ken Massingale]

Just curious, Steve. What grit did you start with?
Thanks
ken

 

[SteveColes]

Just curious, Steve. What grit did you start with?
Thanks
ken

I really don't remember. I fooled around until I found one that was taking off the rust and stains with min pressure.

 

[Toddler]

That link didn't work for me and I couldn't find the blocks on a search. What was the name?
Todd