Scroll Saw table top finishes and care questions

[Ken Kimbrell]

Picked up a Delta 40-601 a week or so back off of a CL listing, paid a little less than they wanted for it and all of the functions work as expected so I guess it was a good deal.

So far my skills are rather sad, but I'm trying so that's a good thing.

Anyways, my question is about the finish on the top... the top appears to be cast iron, but it has some kind of rubberized(?) finish on the top surface and so far my cleaning efforts don't seem to make much of an impression. I've tried milder cleaners like Windex and worked my way up to 409 with little to no change in the 'feel' of the work as you push it across the table. After the cleanings some Minwax was tried and it too seem to have no real impact on the way it feels when you slide the work piece across the table. It's not that it feels tacky or sticky, but just slightly like that. (for like of a better way to describe the sensation of pushing the work)

Doing a Google on table top finishes in general and this specific model saw didn't give me much help, so I'm hoping that some answer's can be found here on NCWW. :mrgreen:

Thanks... Ken

 

[MrAudio815]

Try Boesheild from Amazon... You can get a three pack with Rust remover, Gum & resin cleaner remover, and a Slick potection finish. Or you can try good old WD-40 as that gets cosmoline off new tools.

Good luck~!

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

Try Boesheild from Amazon... You can get a three pack with Rust remover, Gum & resin cleaner remover, and a Slick potection finish. Or you can try good old WD-40 as that gets cosmoline off new tools.

Good luck~!

Thanks for the tip Matthew.
Not sure if that will work in this case because the Boesheild seems to be more for bare metal applications but this top have some kind of finish on it.
Don't know what the finish is but it kind of looks like the Teflon that you sometimes see on pots and pans.

 

[ScottM]

On my Dewalts I apply paste wax a few times a year to the cast table. Just make sure to buff it well as excess wax will impeded the wood taking a finish. I have never seen a rubberized coating. When you move your wood across the table does it move smoothly and easily?

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

Moving smoothly and easily is the whole problem Scott... it kind of drags, something like pushing it across a fine sandpaper in the 300-400 range.
Another point is that there are some rough or damaged spots in the coating.

As mentioned, the coating looks like the Teflon coatings found on some kitchen pots and pans. I'm thinking that it needs to be ground/sanded off to get down to the bare cast iron and then the tips that you and Matthew posted would work well, but I'm in no big rush because once that finish is removed there's no going back... don't want to hurry up and do something that I might regret later.

 

[ScottM]

Ken I would apply some MEK or Paint thinner to a tiny spot to see if it removes that coating. The cast surface should be drag free. Right or wrong when I do wax my table I apply it with 0000 steel wool.

 

[cskipper]

Call the Advanced Machinery folks at 1-800-727-6553 )website-http://www.advmachinery.com/ ) on the chance they know. If they don't, I think there is some product that LOML uses on his table saw table, but I'll have to ask him what it is.

If all that fails I will find the name of a product that I use on my scroll saw table. It is a heavy, self-adhesive kind of contact paper. hat doesn't explain it very well, but it works great. Originally they made it in a silver finish which was blinding under magnified light. Then they changed it to a flat gold-colored finish. It's self-adhesive and easy to install. I've had it on my saw for several years, and except for occasionally cleaning off adhesive from tape that got loose, it's been maintenance free. It also helps cover the place where the blade changing thing sits on the Hegner. I can't remember the name, but will look it up in a couple of days when I get home.

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

Thanks Scott, I'll try that.

Thanks Cathy, just sent them a note to see if they have any advice... meanwhile Scott's tip gets a try.

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

@Scott... tried your paint thinner tip, but it had no effect. So I'm looking at my ROS lying there on the workbench with a 220 grit disk attached and thinking, "What's the worse that could happen?" :rolf:

Used the ROS to do a tiny 'nickle' sized spot at the rear edge of the table and after about 10 seconds it was down to the bare casting. That spot turns out to be at least a slick as my tablesaw top and it's pretty good. Then after doing a quick wipe with some Minwax paste it was even better.

Looks like this sanding the coating off may be my best option.

 

[Howard Acheson]

The treatment on the top is likely a paste wax. If so, mineral spirits will remove the treatment. Wipe on using 4/0 steel wool and wipe clean and dry with lots of paper towels.

I wouldn't use Boeshield T9 on the tabletop. Boeshield is somewhat sticky and scrollers generally want a very slippery surface. (I like T9 for table saw tabletops but don't like it on my band saw).

The best treatment is just a coat furniture paste wax buffed out completely. A new coat ever few months should keep it in good shape.

 

[Gotcha6]

Another option is to find some self stick UHMW plastic. It can be purchased in sheets and cut to fit the top. Just be sure the existing surface is clean.

 

[ehpoole]

Actually, I'm wondering if the top might not have been lacquered to inhibit rusting (typically a toluene or xylene solvent -- test outdoors only). If the lacquer has become damaged it can become very tacky and create your rubbery feeling.

As others have suggested, either real steel wool or its synthetic alternatives are your friend. I would start with 000 steel wool and then progress to 0000. If the 000 is not aggressive enough, then back off to 00 until you get it mostly clean, then progress through 000 and 0000. To control dust and improve the scratch pattern, use a light oil with the steel wool (either real or synthetic). The oil will keep dust under control, make wiping up the swarf/filings easier. The coating on your scrollsaw does not belong there so you need to get down to bare cast iron any how.

If you want to use your ROS, you can go that route but you will want to invest in grits well above 220 -- the smoother the cast iron the better your control, so you want it as polished as possible and 220 is too aggressive for a final scratch pattern IMHO. I would probably go to atleast 1000+ grit with wet sandpaper (which will likely require using a 1/4-sheet orbital palm sander). Personally, unless steel wool can't get the job done (unlikely) I would strongly lean towards using the steel/synthetic wool over a powered sanding.

If you go the powered sanding approach, as opposed to wet (or more likely oiled) hand scrubbing with steel/synthetic wool pads, you will almost certainly want to remove the table to prevent the cast-iron dust (and unwanted contaminant coating) from getting into the rest of the saw's works. Don't forget to wear disposable gloves while manually scrubbing the cast iron, and if you go the powered route, don't forget the dust mask -- you don't want to inhale cast iron filings.

When you are finished and have a perfectly smooth cast iron top, clean it thoroughly to remove remaining dust and swarf/filings and strip away any oil left behind from hand scrubbing with steel/synthetic wool. Afterwards, finish it off by protecting it with either paste wax or an aftermarket rust inhibitor (e.g. TopShield and the like).

HTH

 

[ScottM]

Another option is to find some self stick UHMW plastic. It can be purchased in sheets and cut to fit the top. Just be sure the existing surface is clean.

Dennis the UHMW does work well for a zero tolerance insert (for cutting very small parts) but I would not use it all the time.

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

Thanks for all of the tips and input, it has been very helpful.

I went ahead and stripped off the finish using 60 grit on my ROS and have started working my way up through finer grits... I have some 1500 grit that will likely be the final finish before waxing. It's up to 220 presently and is starting to look good. I'm almost positive that the old finish was some kind of Teflon coating that someone sprayed on at some point. In any case, it's gone now.

Once all the sanding and waxing is done I'll post the results.

EDIT: Ps @Ethan
Just reread your post Ethan and agree with your points and am trying to do all of those steps for the power sanding process. Back in my younger days I worked as a welder in a Naval shipyard where we had to deal with that kind of environment... I'm paying a price for that work health wise now of course.

 

[PeteM]

If all that fails I will find the name of a product that I use on my scroll saw table. It is a heavy, self-adhesive kind of contact paper.

It's probably SlickSaw:

http://www.slicksaw.com/aboutus.htm

pete

 

[cskipper]

It's probably SlickSaw:

http://www.slicksaw.com/aboutus.htm

pete

Thank you, that is it.

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

Update:
Got the table finished and it works good.

Grinding off the Teflon finish was a chore, but after that it went fast. Took it up to 1500 grit with my ROS and then finished it off with some Minwax paste.

It works much better now and I'm able to concentrate on the workpiece and the blade, instead of fighting the table as the wood slides across it.

Not quite a mirror finish, but if you look carefully you can see the arm reflected.

 

[ScottM]

What a difference :eusa_clap. Enjoy the new baby.

Update:
Got the table finished and it works good.

Grinding off the Teflon finish was a chore, but after that it went fast. Took it up to 1500 grit with my ROS and then finished it off with some Minwax paste.

It works much better now and I'm able to concentrate on the workpiece and the blade, instead of fighting the table as the wood slides across it.

Not quite a mirror finish, but if you look carefully you can see the arm reflected.

 

[Ken Kimbrell]

Thanks Scott.