Hello,
I bought a new dewalt table saw and the instructions say to clean table surface with mineral spirits and then apply paste wax. I went to home depot and lowes but no one knew what i was talking about. Is it like surfboard wax (bar) or is it in a tube? Where can I get some?
Thanks for your help....mitch
I have two products which prevent cast iron from rusting.
a) Boeshield 9. This is a spray. Available at real woodoworking/tool stores. I bought some recently from
Both work well.
Dave Paine.
First, you need to find a clerk with a clue... sometimes that's hard at Lowe's or HD.
Next, you need to find a paste wax that does *not* contain silicone (which does baaad things to wood finishes). Three brands that are known to be silicone-free are Johnson's, Minwax, and Butchers.
Then, you need to find a place that actually sells one of those brands.
Forget Wal-Mart. You'd think they'd have it, but they don't. Don't even bother trying.
Johnson's Paste Wax is sold at *some* Lowe's stores, but not all. It'll be in the paint department, near the stains and varnishes, if they have it. Do a Google Groups search on this newsgroup -- someone (Sylvan?) posted the Lowe's stock number for it a few months back, so if your local Lowe's doesn't stock it, they should be able to order it for you.
Every Ace Hardware store that I've ever been in sells Johnson's, on the aisle with the cleaning supplies -- when you find Mop'n'Glo, you're near the JPW.
Independent grocery stores often have Johnson's, with the cleaning supplies.
Minwax Paste Finishing Wax will be in the paint department at Lowe's or Home Depot, and probably at Ace too. It's fairly common.
Butchers? Can't help you there. Never seen it. Other people here swear by it, and I'm sure they can tell you where to find it. Or you can Google this ng.
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.
"Mitch" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@uni-berlin.de:
Now go to a real hardware store. One that says 'Ace', or 'True Value', or 'Do it Best' on the front of the building. Or look for someone behind the counter who experienced the Eisenhower administration personally.
What you're looking for comes in a can, with a pry-off lid. Johnson's Paste Wax. Butcher's. Minwax. Briwax. Liberon. Something your grandmother would have used to polish a floor. Usually a mixture of carnuba & beeswax, with a solvent of some kind used to make it smearable.
Rub on a very thin coat, with a clean rag, as though you were polishing a pair of good leather shoes. Let it dry to a slight haze, then, with another clean rag, buff it off, rubbing hard to generate a little heat. What you're trying to end up with is a thin, slippery coat on the unpainted portions of the table. The idea is to reduce friction, and keep moisture from gathering, which invites rust.
Do this once a week or so, whether you think it needs it or not. The thickness of the wax will not build beyond what is required. Takes maybe 5 minutes. While it dries, check your blade for crud build up, your splitter for function, and make certain offcuts, chips and sawdust aren't where they shouldn't be.
Now, having thumped on the BORG, I give you permission to go back, if you must. They sometimes have what you need, but you will have to look. It's not a high volume item for anyone, anymore. Even busy woodworkers are unlikely to purchase very many cans in a hobbyist career.
Welcome to the fraternity of tablesaw owners. Enjoy your purchase safely.
Patriarch
ps: Get a copy of Kelly Mehler's 'The Tablesaw Book'. Trust his wise guidance.
nice saw....enjoy!
Not surprised about that! Did they not know what mineral spirits is? :-) You can use any good automotive paste wax -works well for me. I'm sure there is a dedicated "table saw wax", but probably just automotive stuff at a higher price.
Never waxed a surfbard. ???????
Any good auto parts store should have an endless selection.
YW
I use Minwax paste wax. Works great. Don't use anything with silicone in it. It'll wreak havok on finishing your wood.
Johnson's Paste Wax (for floors), or something similiar
Car Wax is not appropriate
Or, you can use something like TopCoat or BoeShield T9
John
Newshound
DO NOT use automotive wax, they contain silcones that can rub off on the wood and cause finishing problems
Floor waxes like Johnsons/BriWax/etc are what should be used on on woodworking tools/tables
John
Yep, I agree, don't use an automotive wax with silicone. May have to look around (avoid the "easy" stuff), but there are plenty of automotive waxes that do not have silicone in them.
Just an FYI
During the great Johnson's paste wax scare I got curious and gave the Min Wax 800 number a call.
Straight from the horse's mouth
Min Wax paste wax does contain anti slip agents and would NOT be appropriate for use on a table saw top or other such item where resistant free movement would be desired.
I see you got plenty of answers or where to find was. I have another suggestion.
Lee Valley (and others) sells Top Cote. It works better for me. Sprays on and you just wipe it after it dries. Boeshield is another good product.
With wax I got rust a couple of times. With Top Cote, nothing. YM will V depending on temperature, humidity, heated or unheated shop, etc. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net
i use pledge or johnson paste wax
You can order SLIPIT from Grizzly at around $10 a can (which will last a long, long time). It is also a good surface lubricant. Slipit is actually a silicon free product so it does not put a silicon residue on your wood. You just brush it on, let it set for a few moments and wipe the surface dry (kinda gooey but it cleans off quite well).
It also comes in spray but the grizzly rep said the past has better staying power.
RonB
It comes in a can, similar to car wax. There are several brands. Johnson's Paste Wax is the "classic". Butcher's Wax is also well established and is normally in stock at Home Depot--wander around the paint aisle and you should find it--if you go to you'll find pictures of the can so you'll know what to look for--ask the guy for "bowling alley wax" and he's more likely to know what you're talking about than if you ask for "paste wax". Briwax is another good brand. Any kind of car wax that doesn't contain silicone should also do.
Mitch asks:
Grocery store. Paste floor wax, usually on the bottom shelf with all the liquid easy-apply junk surrounding it. Or brew your own, just for kicks.
Charlie Self "Inanimate objects are classified scientifically into three major categories - those that don't work, those that break down and those that get lost." Russell Baker
Newshound responds:
Not a good ide aunless you're absolutely sure the auto wax is free of silicones.
Charlie Self "Inanimate objects are classified scientifically into three major categories - those that don't work, those that break down and those that get lost." Russell Baker
Johnson's Paste Wax. I use this on all my cast iron tables. And, it's great for furniture, window sills, etc. I found some at Lowes, WalMart, most hardware stores. Sometimes it is in the cleaning supplies. In a yellow can.
Note that SLIP IT company makes to lines of lubricants - one WITH silicone and one WITHOUT silicone - something to be aware of if its purchased from a general supplier.
Bob
Even the BORGs here in CT carry those brands, in the paint dept.
I have Trewax from a local paint store and it works well.
Barry
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