I’m hoping you can help me. My saw sits in an unheated shop without much ventilation, and the cast iron table and wings are getting RUSTY. It’s just a light coat but I know every time I wipe the saw off there is some iron coming with it. So what I want to find out is what’s the best way of keeping it from rusting up? This maybe a tempest in a teacup so to speak but this is bugging the [heck] out of me. Thanks much and keep up the great work. – Gene Kelly
Rob Johnstone: Cast iron is a great material, but it will pick up moisture out of the air (as the humidity and the temperature rise and fall). When it does that, it will rust. There are many products on the market that will help you solve this problem. The link for Boeshield® T-9 I’m providing here is good for table saws, because it fights rust and makes the surface slippery. One more point to make. If the table and wings are getting rusty, then so are the untreated cast-iron “guts” of the saw as well. Use a rust treatment on that iron, too. Hope this is helpful.
Chris Marshall: Gene, you also may want to consider running a dehumidifier in the shop if you don’t do that already. That will help lower the relative humidity and curb some of the oxidation that’s occurring. I can feel your pain – rust is a common enemy.
