This woodworker gets rust on his table saw constantly. He has a concrete floor and high humidity in his shop. Is there any quick fix, besides completely renovating the ventilation, floor and heating in his shop, to prevent this rust? He currently uses steel wool and Turtle Wax on the top.
Ellis Walentine: On WoodCentral, we’ve had numerous discussions about surface rust over the past couple years; and the answers generally boil down to frequent waxing. Personally, I’ve had decent results with a spray on protectant called Slipit, available through major mail-order catalogs. One other interesting suggestion that came up recently was to put a bedsheet over the saw when you aren’t using it, and position a 30-watt light bulb somewhere under the sheet. The idea is to keep moisture from condensing. Depending on your location and the amount of humidity you’re dealing with, a draconian measure like this may be the only way out.
Michael Dresdner: I can relate. I live in Puyallup (just outside of Seattle) and my shop is also in my garage. There is no lack of moisture here. In spite of its name, Turtle Wax is a polish, and what you want is a wax. You’d be a lot better off with paste wax than Turtle Wax, and even better still with a waxy material called Slipit, designed specifically for chasing rust on woodworking tools. I’ve been using it for a couple of years now and like it better than the paste wax I used for the previous 25 years. Other alternatives include Boeshield and other sprays that do the same thing. All of them, including paste wax (which is the cheapest), work. Some require more frequent renewal than others. I find the Slipit lasts longest.
