Powermatic 66 table clean and shine

[Jerry]

Hello everyone,

I've been a lurker on this group for a while and I need some advice (I've
got plenty from you already). I have just become the proud owner of a
Powermatic 66 - I bought it used (although it was only 6 months old) and I'm
extremely happy with it. However, I would really like to get that
"showroom" shine back on the table. It's not in bad shape, it just doesn't
have that mirror-like finish like the ones I've seen in the stores. It's
also got a few water spots and discolorations on it. Now, I've tried the
Johnson's wax, the talc rubbed in with an eraser, and TopKote(sp) and it
still is the same. The guy at Woodcraft suggested I use a random orbit
sander with fine sandpaper but I'm a little afraid I'd really mess it up.

Any suggestions? Again, thanks for all the info I've picked up by reading
your replies to other people.

Jerry

[Lyn J. Mangiameli]

Jerry,
I'm no expert on power-tool restoration, but here's what I'd do. It get the
white Scotchbright pads as I understand they have no abrasive, but are just the
pure plastic. I'd cut the pad to fit my ROS (it will stick just fine to the
velcro base), liberally coat the pad and top with WD 40 and have at it. Change
pads until they remain reasonably clean. Then wipe the top with mineral
spirits until the paper towels come clean. Let dry enough for the mineral
spirits to evaporate and then apply two very thin coats of Renaissance Wax
(available from Highland Hardware), maintain by applying a very fine coat of
Renaissance Wax after each major use or every couple of months if unused. The
Renaissance Wax has a very very mild abrasive, fills the casting poors and
leaves a very hard slick surface after several coats have built up and fully
filled the pores.

I've been doing this for several years and people who come over regularly
remark on the surface on my PM66.

Hope this helps,

Lyn

[Bob]

Jerry:
Lyn's advice is pretty good... and I would try it...
I sometime have to use wet/dry sandpaper on my table surface in the wet
mode.. using a sanding block...
Then I go to steel wool or a scotch pad...then wax...(I use Butchers but
have used many different waxes over the years including plenty of
Automotive waxes (which contain silicone which is NOT recommended
because it makes finishing the wood a royal pain..BUT I have never in 40+ years
really had that problem...

Oh.... Did I say...Nice Saw... ! I'm very happy with my 10 year old
Jet Cabinet Saw...BUT am willing to take the 66 off your hands if
you can't get the table to look "Good"...I'm not that much into mirror
like surfaces..(vbg)

Bob Griffiths

[Kevin Wade]

please never 'sand' a table saw top.

take a look at the tool cleaning blocks that bridge city tool sells.
These come in several 'grits' and the finer grits will polish brass
and cast iron without abrasion that is harmful to the saw and without
depositing abrasives in the pores of the casting that may be there
forever.

I get violent in the cabinet shop when some of the monkeys try to
"restore" one of the old saws with sand paper and a DA.

Kevin Wade

[Ross]

I've used sandpaper for years without any problems. Grit is grit and any of
it will remove some metal. That rust or stain coming off of cast iron has
to come from somewhere. As long as you don't use a really coarse grit and
sit on one spot for an excessive amount of time, you won't dish the top.

--
Ross Canant
http://www.myoldtools.com

"Kevin Wade" <k_t_...@bellsouth.net.net> wrote in message
news:ikprqt8vtouf7re2g...@4ax.com...

[Lyn J. Mangiameli]

Much of it ("rust or stain") actually comes out of the pores and not from the
surface. The ROS/white Scotchbright/WD40 acts much like an agitator on a
washing machine driving the WD40 both down and out of the pores, thus
dissolving and removing the material lodged there. That is why I think it is
important to do a final flushing with mineral spirits and effectively fill
those pores with a hard wax such as Renaissance. True surface rust and stains
are easy to eliminate for the very reason they are on the surface, the pores
are what drive us crazy.

BTW, on my server Kevin's post does not exist.

Lyn

Ross wrote:

> That rust or stain coming off of cast iron has
> to come from somewhere.
>

[Jerry]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried the Scotchbright pads with the WD40 but
it didn't remove any of the spots. They must be a little deeper. The pad
never even got dirty at all. Any other ideas?

Thanks,

Jerry

"Lyn J. Mangiameli" <kuma...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3BACF035...@earthlink.net...

[Duke of URLs]

Jerry wrote:
>Any other ideas?

Unpucker and live with it?

It is after all only a table saw.

Keith Bohn, who's yet to remove the ring left behind when
his Unca Jim came for a visit...

[Steve Wilson]

Jerry,

Here's what I do if my top gets a bit rusty due to climate changes (i.e. too
humid for a week or so). Pour some kerosene on the top. Take a Klingspor
Sandlfex Hand Block (coarse) and rub for a while, then wipe. Do the same
again with the medium block. And yet again with the fine block. Now, clean
off the mess very well. The top will be clean, if not shiny. Now I start
with 240 or 260 grit wet/dry paper with a rubber 3M sanding block and WD40
and work my way to 400 grit. Now I chuck a grey scotch brite pad onto the
ROS with no solvent and go for it. Then I may follow with steel wool.
Finally, if you want to go with the shine then start at 600 grit and go up.
You can use the ROS or a hand block, with or without a bit of solvent.
Just remember you tailed ROS likes to spark and you're working around a
petroleum distillate - can be a problem if you use a solvent that likes to
ignite easily (like WD40, naptha, etc - I like a bit of kerosene).

Then follow up with paste wax. A buffer works well for this.

Jerry <winp...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:faQr7.54845$aZ6.13...@news1.rdc1.az.home.com...

[Bruce Bates]

Have it chromed.

http://community.webtv.net/boatyardbruce/BrucesPage
Web Page Under Construction.

[eric ryder]

What an excellent answer for all these questions! Perhaps David can put it
in the FAQ.

Bruce Bates <boatya...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:13315-3BB...@storefull-287.iap.bryant.webtv.net...

[Rob Stokes]

hey.......now there's a thought........

Rob

--

Remove CC for email and please visit our web site:
http://www.robswoodworking.com

"Bruce Bates" <boatya...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:13315-3BB...@storefull-287.iap.bryant.webtv.net...

[woodtoolhun...@woodworking.com]

Jerry.. From time to time I find myself knocking off a
skosh bit of surface rust and always use my porter cable 5"
random orbit sander w/ 220 grit. Light passes will take
everything right up and leave the grinding marks from the
factory. It works great.

To protect the top, I use Top Cote which works great. It
protects and slicks up the surface. I would never have to
sand exept I have shop visitors... kids and adults, who
always put stuff on the saw and often will leave stains.

Tks
Joe

Posted at http://www.woodworking.com
The Internet's most complete woodworking resource.

[Larry Jaques]

On 25 Sep 2001 10:54:43 -0500, woodtoolhun...@woodworking.com
inked this:

>Jerry.. From time to time I find myself knocking off a
>skosh bit of surface rust and always use my porter cable 5"
>random orbit sander w/ 220 grit. Light passes will take
>everything right up and leave the grinding marks from the
>factory. It works great.

Salty vinegar works wonders. I couldn't believe the crust
it took off a TOTC toothing iron. It missed the chips of
tar, but took off 1/32" of thick rust.

>To protect the top, I use Top Cote which works great. It
>protects and slicks up the surface. I would never have to
>sand exept I have shop visitors... kids and adults, who
>always put stuff on the saw and often will leave stains.

Ebay is your answer. I just got some leatherworking tools
from this guy via *b*y and found these =:O on his website.
http://www.thevikingtrader.net/flogger.htm Use it to prompt
your friends and kids when they come around. After feeling
its sting once, then seeing it on your belt in the shop,
they won't do it a second time.

P.S: You don't really want grit stuck in your open-pored
cast arn tops.

-
Yea, though I walk through the valley of Minwax, I shall stain no Cherry.
http://diversify.com

[nospam...@nospam-erols.com]

I bought my first jointer about 6 or 7 years back It was extremely
used and left outside. It was a small delta 6", with stand, cast iron
top, aluminum fence and internal motor.
The top was completely rusted, though not pitted. I took it home and
initially hand sanded it with wd-40 and wet/dry 240 or 320 grit SC
sandpaper. Then I took a sharpenening stone and worked the surface
with wd-40. I really didn't expect it to come out as good as it did.
No trace of the rust was left, and the original mill marking was
clearly visible. The top was dead flat, and so was the sharpening
stone after the process. I cleaned the top with mineral spirits and
waxed it up with some automotive paste wax. Boy was that thing
smooth. I could have spent more time to get a higher polish, but I
didn't see the point. It looked great compared to what I started
with, and worked out fine.
I sold it awhile back before selling the house. Can't wait for the
new house so I can get my new jointer, a PM54A probably.

Bill Lewis
lew...@erols.com
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