Looking for advice on dewaxing & re coating a table saw top.  

 

I recently just dewaxed my table top. Why?  It was getting gummy.

Used (in order) mineral spirits, straight household ammonia, Rust Free. I think/feel that it is now 99% wax free.

Does anyone have a suggestion of another chemical that would have made it easier?

 

Now I want to treat the table top to make it relatively slippery. I ordered a can of Slipit for woodworking--no silicone. But as I await the delivery, I went through my chemical stash & found the following:

 

Super Dry Lube, Dixon's Lubricates & Penetrates.

According to CS for Super Dry Lube it does NOT contain silicone but does have PTFE (teflon) that dries to a whiteish coating. Reading the Dixon can doesn't contain any info as to its contents. And AFAIK Dixon's chemical business is no longer.

 

So any thoughts on the above chemicals or procedures?

 

Nothing fancy but Johnson's paste wax has worked for me for maybe 70 something years...and might be the cheapest thing you can get. The scroll saw gets it real often also.

2 minutes ago, Smallpatch said:

Nothing fancy but Johnson's paste wax has worked for me for maybe 70 something years...and might be the cheapest thing you can get. The scroll saw gets it real often also.

Same here, I clean it down with PB blaster and scotch brite pad, wipe off and then treat with the wax.  Buff it out and done. 

Just took Johnson off the top. I wasn't really impressed with the slipperyness of it. It was OK at first but became sticky/gummy with time & with little use.

 

Buffed it with an auto polisher and still wasn't impressed.

 

 

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by smitty10101

Just now, smitty10101 said:

Just took Johnson off the top. I wasn't really impressed with the slipperyness of it. It was OK at first but became sticky/gummy with time & with little use.

 

Out of curiosity did you try buffing it a bit with a clean cloth?  

used a bonnet---lambs wool(?)

58 minutes ago, smitty10101 said:

used a bonnet---lambs wool(?)

I use a cheap one from HF, and MARK IT for that use only.  

Have never experienced gumminess with J&J wax. In this arid climate, I wipe it on and, almost immediately, buff it with an old T shirt. 

Alcohol should take the wax off easily , it dissolves it. I use Briwax.

Boeshield

Great stuff!!!

I think I have read on here where some nut tried boiled linseed oil on their table saw. I wonder who that was but too lazy to try to find his name!

As some others mentioned, I've also used Johnson's Paste Wax for a good number of years on all the cast iron in the shop and have never had that problem. Your results are puzzling.

9 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

I think I have read on here where some nut tried boiled linseed oil on their table saw. I wonder who that was but too lazy to try to find his name!

That might have been me! Not on the saw tables but on a few small measuring tools. Some were plain steel straight edged and some were mechanical. What a mess. Caused me hours of clean up.

23 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

That might have been me! Not on the saw tables but on a few small measuring tools. Some were plain steel straight edged and some were mechanical. What a mess. Caused me hours of clean up.

Not laughing at you Gene, laughing with you. 

Learned my lesson when I used the wrong wax   ...on machine tables....

Wasn't Abe Lincoln's last words to his wife, you and your dam theater tickets?

This is what came up on my little brain when I read your confession Gene!!?

1 hour ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Not laughing at you Gene, laughing with you. 

Learned my lesson when I used the wrong wax   ...on machine tables....

Yeah, Pledge don't work worth a crap.

Pledge contains silicone oil that I say is like herpes.   Once you have it, you never get rid of it.   It will cause finishes to fish-eye and creates problems.

 

Did you buff the wax before or after it became "sticky?"    My method of waxing is to put it on, let it dry for a bit and then buff off as much as you possibly can.   Then buff off a little more.

2 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Yeah, Pledge don't work worth a crap.

It wasn't Pledge......

...It was Meguiars boat wax.  

3 minutes ago, kmealy said:

Pledge contains silicone oil that I say is like herpes.   Once you have it, you never get rid of it.   It will cause finishes to fish-eye and creates problems.

 

Did you buff the wax before or after it became "sticky?"    My method of waxing is to put it on, let it dry for a bit and then buff off as much as you possibly can.   Then buff off a little more.

Chlorinated Brake Cleaner. 

Might mess with paint. DAMHIKT 

3 hours ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Not laughing at you Gene, laughing with you. 

Learned my lesson when I used the wrong wax   ...on machine tables....

I get the impression that Gene wasn't laughing.

 

9 minutes ago, kmealy said:

Pledge contains silicone oil that I say is like herpes.   Once you have it, you never get rid of it.   It will cause finishes to fish-eye and creates problems.

 

Did you buff the wax before or after it became "sticky?"    My method of waxing is to put it on, let it dry for a bit and then buff off as much as you possibly can.   Then buff off a little more.

I have seen entire manufacturing operations torn down and relocated due to silicone over usage. This is especially a problem when it gets on a floor. It can get as slick as ice and it is practically impossible to clean. I did a project for a medical products manufacturer. They had to remove the flooring and replace it. It cost the big money. It is now on their list of banned substances.