I've recently acquired a TS with lots of cast iron that had been neglected. The tops cleaned up nicely, but the slots have been difficult. Any tips for getting the rust out of the nooks and crannies?
Thanks, H
Why don't you wrap the runner of your miter gauge with some 150 grit sandpaper, then advance on up to about 400 grit? I've also had good luck removing superficial rust with Bartender's Friend.
If the table saw is worth anything at all the miter bar will not fit in the slot with sand paper wrapped around it. I spray the slots with penetrating oil and scrub with a brush. I then let the oil dry and use a brass brush to wipe off the surface rust. max
Spray the slots with WD40 or penetrating oil and use a wire wheel on a drill motor to clean out the slots. 3M also makes a wheel that goes on a drill motor that works very well for this type of thing. They cost about $7 and are available at most automotive stores like Advance Auto or NAPA. I think I'd use a wire wheel though since it will probably get into the corners a little better. The 3M wheel will wear down and contour so that it will eventually get in there, but the wire wheel will probably do so quicker.
You can use wet pad electrolysis. The same old bucket process, but you do it on the top of a rusty metal item that's too awkward to submerge.
Turn the slot into a trough by sealing the ends with gaffer tape etc. Pour electrolyte into the slot (washing soda in water) and then lay a steel (or stainless steel) rod down the length of the slot, raised on little plastic spacers (polystyrene foam pizza base is handy and tears to shape) Power up, negative on the thing you want to keep.
There's no way to clear the rust out, so this process is awkward for really rusty parts. But it's great for details and unlike abrasives is non-damaging.
For rust spots on the surface, use a pad of paper towel or kitchen tea towel, soaked in electrolyte. Use a steel plate anode on top and weight it down, enough to make good contact, not enough to wring the pad dry. Make sure the pad stays wet, by annointing it every few hours. A big hole in the middle of the anode is handy for this.
Naval Jelly??
Use a stick or the edge of a thin enough board that you can wrap sandpaper around. Or use some valve grinding paste from the auto parts store instead of paper.
I have naval lint, but not jelly. max
You have to leave it in there longer. Just after the smelly stage the jelly stage begins.
that's a GOOD thing, I think...
I think I'll try the electrolysis first (thanks Andy), since I've never tried it on anything but a submersible piece, then clean up the remains with a dremel and wire brush, or even try the sanding pads or rubber pads (Wonderblocks?).
Good suggestions all. Happy holidays, H
The time-honored way to remove rust without doing much damage to the metal is to brush on Coke, which is mildly acidic. You still need to clean it up afterward.
Steve
Didn't Myth Busters do this one a couple/few shows back?
Grounded PVC is the only way to remove rust.
UA100
Yes they did test Coke as a rust removed and (IIRC) it worked well, at least on a chrome bumper.
-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)
Unisaw A100 wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
So how do I clamp the PVC to my new/old Stanley #7?
Patriarch, who remembers reading Michael Baglio's informative link on grounding PVC in a dust collection system...
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