I was using some vinegar to remove some rust off the used table saw I just picked up, and it was going great for the first coat. Well, I had to watch my daughter for a bit and forgot that I had left it on the table. It dried while I was gone and has left considerably more rust and a yellow hue to the table top. Any advice on how to proceed from here? Do I use more vinegar and steel wool until it’s back to a steel shine? Anything that will work better?
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Replies
I'd use any proprietary rust remover or just steel wool, a little oil and plenty of elbow grease. Unless there are deep pits it should be easy enough.
You can go back to the vinegar and steel wool or use the commercial stuff. Either will work. However, I wouldn't worry about getting it back to the original consistent metal shine. A smooth slick surface is what is important. Some discoloration is not. That is just me. Be sure to finish up with a coat of paste wax or a commercial sealer/lubricant.
Good God no! Never use vinegar to restore surfaces...primary reason being is that vinegar is acidic which is the last thing you want to put on any metal surface.
If you must...steel wool is fine. But for a more aggressive approach spend a bit and get an assortment of emery cloth. 180 grit for the start and finish it off with 220 or higher.
If you can attach the abrasive cloth to a sanding block all the better.
When you think the results are satisfactory or to your liking. Vacuum it off or blow it off with compressed air followed by a dry wipe with a cloth.
For the coup de gras...spray a light film of oil (WD-40 is fine) on the surface followed by another wipe with a clean cloth.
Fini.
Of course it is an acid. What do you think commercial rust removers are? Vinegar is used as an alternative rust remover all the time by many. It is effective, safe to use, and cheap. If you know something about it that no one else knows, you need to be more specific.
Furthermore, you don't put oil on a saw table top.
It was the water in the vinegar, not the acetic acid that accelerated rust formation. As bilyo indicated, you can go back to the vinegar just don't leave the job until you've thoroughly dried the surfaces. If you don't want to use vinegar again, use Naval Jelly. Rust removal is what it was made for. (It phosphoric acid.) And by all means, avoid putting oil of any sort on the cast iron. Protect the cast iron with a paste wax that does not contain silicone. I use Minwax for that.
There's lots of options out there. WD40 will also remove rust and is readily available and cheap. There's also some good more dedicated rust removal options out there. I have had great success with krud kutter i think it's called when restoring the cast iron top on my table saw.
And I'll second what Dave said about adding some paste wax as long as it doesn't contain any silicone.
@Eideann
"long as it doesn't contain any silicone." Why no silicone? I thought silicone was a great lubricant, which works better then WD40, since that is just a light Water Displacement oil solution, and most lubrication that is coming from WD40 is the propellant and/or solution that makes it soluble.
Another option (which is what I use) is citric acid in granulated form, Add a teaspoon to about a half gallon of water and use as you would vinegar or any commercial rust remover.
Silicone is a great lubricant but not one you want on a table top that your raw wood will come into contact with. The wood will pick up the silicone and that can create problems when you get to finishing. Best not to use silicone-bearing lubricants on anything that wood will come into contact with.
Exactly as Dave said!
Silicone has a nasty habit of hanging around and getting on your materials. You may never even realize it until you get to finishing stages and start having problems. Is it likely to cause huge problems? Probably not. But why risk it when there are so many easy and effective alternatives
Get some Evaporust. There's a video on this site showing how to deal with this issue using the product. When you're done, apply a coat of paste wax to protect the top.
I get rust on my cast iron tables as I have an unheated shop with holes in the walls. WD 40 and fine steel wool fixes it.
That yellow color is from the acetic acid acting on the oxidization. There are products specifically for cast iron tool beds but are expensive. I've used that spray developed by Boeing for airplane wings to keep the ice off, Boeshield, or something like that. But very $$$. Preventing rust needs some attention as not all parts can be coated with a preventive fluid or wax. I throw a plastic tarp over everything. Hot humid days followed by cool nights are the worst.
RJT, You are correct, hot days and cool nights are the worst. I remember walking into the shop one morning to find every metal thing in the shop dripping with condensation. The tarp is a good idea. I learned some time ago that if I keep the air circulating, just a little bit, it will prevent the condensation. In my small 20x16 shop, all it takes is a small desk fan running through the night.
Again, don't put oil or anything with silicone on your saw top. When you finish cleaning it, apply a coat of Johnson's paste wax and all will be right with the world.
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