table top coatings

[dgill]

As this is my first post I'm not sure if this was discussed before, but is there any product I can use on the saw top to keep it from marking up the bottom of my wood during a cut? The aluminum top leaves nasty, dark marks that only can be removed by sanding. I tried waxing the top, but that's a waste of time. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Dan

[LCHIEN]

As this is my first post I'm not sure if this was discussed before, but is there any product I can use on the saw top to keep it from marking up the bottom of my wood during a cut? The aluminum top leaves nasty, dark marks that only can be removed by sanding. I tried waxing the top, but that's a waste of time. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Dan

do you have the BT3000 with anodized alum top or the BT3100 with powder coated aluminum top?

I think the BT3000 left dark streaks but the BT3100 was better about that.
The BT3000 I find if you keep waxing it it'll be much better.

[Black wallnut]

I agree with Loring! I've had my BT3000 for years and by keeping a godd coat of paste wax either Minwax finishing wax or Johnsons paste wax I have no transfer to my wood of the dark al oxide.

By the way welcome to the forum!

[dgill]

table top coatings

Thanks for the responses, guys. I'll give that a try again or I might resort to spraying some clear lacquer on the top. Wouldn't it be nice if they came out with a teflon coating for the tops. Mmm, I could be hallucinating, but I think I remember a company who came out with a spray to repair or recoat teflon frying pans. Maybe that's wishful thinking. Anything can happen at my age. Thanks, again.
Dan

[footprintsinconc]

my bt3100 also leaves gray streaks and it is annoying. i havent as of yet waxed the top, i mean to go buy the johnson paste wax as suggested to me last year, but i end up looking at other things in the borg instead and forgot!

will post a reply after i do use the wax this weekend hopefully.

[broschultz]

wax

I seem to recall some warnings on this site about wax products with silicone in them.

[Uncle Cracker]

I seem to recall some warnings on this site about wax products with silicone in them.

Silicone can prevent the workpiece from taking a stain properly.

[Sawatzky]

If you use Johnson's paste wax you should have not problems. I keep my tables waxed, and in the 2 years I have been using my BT3100 I have never seen a streak on my wood.

[siliconbauhaus]

While we're on this subject, what's the best stuff to use to clean the top down before waxing?

[LCHIEN]

that would depend an awful lot of what you got it dirty with.
For just general cleaning I would use a slightly damp cloth after blowing the sawdust away.
Maybe a general purpose cleaner like Fantastic or Simple Green if you have some grime or oils that water won't take off.
Mineral spirits if you need solvents to remove previous wax, any residue from stickers, adhesives, etc.

[crokett]

I use mineral spirits for most everything. It doesn't rust things and evaporates fairly quickly. It also doesn't raise grain on wood as water does when I am wiping off sanding dust.