Refurbushing a iron TS top

[BigguyZ]

I'm completely rebuilding my old Craftsman TS. It has a good quality top, but there's a little rust staining on it. I've used steel wool and WD-40 on it, but it's not completely free of discoloration.

What more can I do to make sure that the top is in as good of condition as possible? Is sanding it a good option? I've seen posts/ websites that mention hand sanding, wet sanding with WD-40, and using a ROS. Or will this cause more harm than good?

[Ken Weaver]

I'm not sure the discoloration is a big deal. I refurbed a Ridgid joiner that was essentially brand new but had been sitting around for a while and had a fair amount of rust. I cleaned it up with WD40 and steel wool, but still had some discoloration, but felt smooth. Some paste wax and its like new even if slightly colored in a couple of places.

[LarryG]

I've used both an ROS (up to 120 grit) and a belt sander (40 to 80 grit) on my arn tools. The former works fine for a light touch-up, the latter is the hot setup for more severe rusting. Through a combination of inattention and sloth, I allowed the table on my mortising machine to end up looking like something a junkyard wouldn't have. After 20 minutes with the belt sander it literally looks better than new.

[Ken Massingale]

Haven't had any rust stains, but have had some stains from woods. I used an ROS with 220 and WD40, then Topcote

[LCHIEN]

after you clean it up, use Boeshield T-9 to coat the top and keep it rust-free.

[BigguyZ]

Haven't had any rust stains, but have had some stains from woods. I used an ROS with 220 and WD40, then Topcote

Topcote- is that a product, or are you just stating you use something to seal the top? I have Johnson's Paste wax for the top, I assume that's suitable.

[Tom Hintz]

See the link below for the procedure/materials I use on my tables. It works great for removing rust and stains (nothings perfect...) and I have little problem with rust afterwards.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/clncstirn.html

[cgallery]

Get Rust-free from the same guys that make Boeshield. Sears was selling a combination kit which included a bottle of each. I should note that, while I like the Rust-free stuff, I'm not as big a fan of the Boeshield.

[Ken Massingale]

Topcote- is that a product, or are you just stating you use something to seal the top? I have Johnson's Paste wax for the top, I assume that's suitable.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=7336

Good stuff.

[RickT]

Here are some ideas for removing and preventing rust. RustFree and T-9 by Boeshield are great. Empire TopSaver is supposed to work really well for removing rust.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?Offerings_ID=11497
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00183.asp
http://www.boeshield.com/

[kwgeorge]

Just out of curiously, why do you care about the stains? Rust is one thing but stained cast iron performs just as well as new cast iron. I have placed wood on my table saw that has left stains behind. I personally really don’t see a big issue with this as my thoughts is if I wanted the tool to look brand new forever I would have placed it in the living room and turned it into a coffee table. Cast iron tools are going to get scratched and stained and that is pretty much the nature of working with them. I am not saying that you should not take care of your tools but rather be aware that it is a tool and will get used. I once read a message on a hand tool section of a forum where a member had used his brand new Lie Nielsen plane on a sappy wood and it stained the cast iron a bit. He was traumatized by this and thought he needed to immediately return it to Woodcraft. I also have to ask, are you guys really sanding you saw tables with sand paper? I guess it is just the old machinist in me but no, I think I will pass on that.

Just my thoughts, Ken

[cgallery]

I also have to ask, are you guys really sanding you saw tables with sand paper? I guess it is just the old machinist in me but no, I think I will pass on that.

Just my thoughts, Ken

I agree, the thought of sanding CI tables to remove rust seems drastic to me. I'd rather have a stained top than an uneven one.

[BigguyZ]

Just out of curiously, why do you care about the stains? Rust is one thing but stained cast iron performs just as well as new cast iron. I have placed wood on my table saw that has left stains behind. I personally really don’t see a big issue with this as my thoughts is if I wanted the tool to look brand new forever I would have placed it in the living room and turned it into a coffee table. Cast iron tools are going to get scratched and stained and that is pretty much the nature of working with them. I am not saying that you should not take care of your tools but rather be aware that it is a tool and will get used. I once read a message on a hand tool section of a forum where a member had used his brand new Lie Nielsen plane on a sappy wood and it stained the cast iron a bit. He was traumatized by this and thought he needed to immediately return it to Woodcraft. I also have to ask, are you guys really sanding you saw tables with sand paper? I guess it is just the old machinist in me but no, I think I will pass on that.

Just my thoughts, Ken

My concern is the "stain" is just stubborn rust that I haven't been able to get off. It feels smooth, but I'd rather be sure.

Obviously, the sanding is off. I think I'll try the corner cat abrasive pad + WD-40 mentioned in the link before.

[LCHIEN]

I think there's two kinds of rust, that are differentiated by the number of oxygen molecules attached to the iron. Chemically FeO3 and Fe2O6 (don't hold me to the formulas, I'm not a chem major) In practice one is the bright red rust you see and the other is a dark black rust. I think the red rust is surface rust but the black rust goes deeper. you can clean off the red rust but the black rust will leave discoloration thats hard to sand off - you kind of have to live with it. The time, temperature and oxygen sources and humidity (a source of oxygen) determine how much of each you get.

But in the end the red rust is the one that rubs off worst - that's the one you want to clean off.

[Ken Massingale]

Just out of curiously, why do you care about the stains? Rust is one thing but stained cast iron performs just as well as new cast iron. I have placed wood on my table saw that has left stains behind. I personally really don’t see a big issue with this as my thoughts is if I wanted the tool to look brand new forever I would have placed it in the living room and turned it into a coffee table. Cast iron tools are going to get scratched and stained and that is pretty much the nature of working with them. I am not saying that you should not take care of your tools but rather be aware that it is a tool and will get used. I once read a message on a hand tool section of a forum where a member had used his brand new Lie Nielsen plane on a sappy wood and it stained the cast iron a bit. He was traumatized by this and thought he needed to immediately return it to Woodcraft. I also have to ask, are you guys really sanding you saw tables with sand paper? I guess it is just the old machinist in me but no, I think I will pass on that.

Just my thoughts, Ken

Ken,
Yes, I have used 220 on the ROS on the tabletop. Like anytime I use an ROS I don't apply pressure, I let the sander do the work. I get the stains off because those places seem to be prone to further rusting/tarnishing, and for me the TS3650 was not a small investment and I want to maintain it as well as I can. As I said, I haven't had any rust, but have had some nasty sap stains, some of which won't come completely out.
Yes, a stained cast iron surface does it's job as well as a spotless one, I guess it's a matter of personal preference, like most of life.
ken