Cleaning cast-iron tables

[Carrara]

Hey!

Im about to clean the castiron table of my Felder jointer/planer but I have a question.

Can I:

1st: Rub the table hard with mineral spirits until it shines.
2nd: Spray the surface with Boeshield T9 and massage it in, then let it be over night.
3rd: Remove the tackiness with a clean rag.
4th: ?

Should I then put some wax on it or can I spray some Felder SuperGleit on the surface? Im worried I can get some strange chemical reaction since there is three different products Im about to use.

 

[Stone Message]

I have cleaned up a few cast iron tops and also a lot of very rusty sash clamps.

I started with white spirit to get the worst of the old gunge and then finished off with meths before using wax polish. For the odd time when I was doing up a piece of metal working gear I used WD40 on a wire brush instead of the meths and wax.

When I did the very rusty sash clamps I used a brass wire brush in an angle grinder followed by meths and wax.

In the UK you can buy a very expensive liquid wax product for planer beds etc. I have some from years ago and still use it but just ordinary wax is just as good.

Peter

 

[tommyr]

I've used that exact same process for cast iron surfaces on my planer, jointer and table saw tables.  I've used T-9 and wax on planes and chisels too as a protector.  Process is exactly what you're planning; clean the surface, hit it with a reasonably generous coat of T-9, wait a day and buff it out with a clean rag and then wax on top.  I use Renaissance Wax, it's a bit expensive but it's great stuff.  Hope it goes well for you.

 

[Cheese]

For light rust on machine tools/beds, I usually start with a 3M Scotch-brite pad in light grey (800 grit) or green (600 grit). If there are some really nasty, tough deposits, then I'll start with the maroon pad (320 grit). I try to rub in the same direction as the machining/grinding marks.

Wipe with denatured alcohol, let dry and then spray with Boeshield. Rub it in good and let it set up. Just a quick, light, final buff the next day with a clean cotton cloth.

 

[Hud]

When I bought my Delta table saw (1950,s) vintage the top was a mess, I wet sanded with several grit of wet/dry sandpaper with kerosene wiping to inspect progress.  Finished with coat of wax

 

[Carrara]

I've used that exact same process for cast iron surfaces on my planer, jointer and table saw tables.  I've used T-9 and wax on planes and chisels too as a protector.  Process is exactly what you're planning; clean the surface, hit it with a reasonably generous coat of T-9, wait a day and buff it out with a clean rag and then wax on top.  I use Renaissance Wax, it's a bit expensive but it's great stuff.  Hope it goes well for you.

What Im worried about is if the T9 and Felders SuperGleit can react strangely on my castiron tables. Guess they shouldnt.. Im anyways buying Renaissance Wax before I start jointing/planing with more frequency..

 

[junk731]

I use the Felder Universal Cleaner with a scotch brite pad for cleaning, then apply Felder Metal Glanz protector on my AD951. When needed I use Super Gleit instead of wax. Waxing is a major waste of time when you have Super Gleit spray and works better.

John

 

[Holmz]

I blued one before the finish.