Table saw maintenance

I’ve always thought of WD-40 as a solvent instead of a lubricant. I don’t even own any. Used to use it to clean rust from tops but found out that the wet PB Blaster is even better for that so I don’t have a use anymore for WD-40, although I once heard it was an awesome ingredient in catfish bait. Never tried it.

As for my table saw I’m going to get a dry lubricant. Definitely. Probably get some paste wax for my bandsaw table and table saw top too. My table saw top has a coating on it and I think it’s aluminum underneath that but I have noticed that wood doesn’t slide on it as smoothly as I think it should. It’s a Ridgid R4513 model. But wouldn’t the wax leave a residue on wood that would need sanded off to finish? Not all of my projects get sanded. If the wood doesn’t need it I don’t bother.

Duane Bledsoe said:

But wouldn’t the wax leave a residue on wood that would need sanded off to finish?

Click to expand...

buff it out...
put a bonnet on your ROS and buff away...
or go find a mega cheap car polisher..
the more you polish/buff the harder and slicker it gets...

Johnson's paste wax for your tables and tools...
You can add Briwax, Black Bison, Behlen, Trewax and Mohawk to the list of acceptable waxes...
If they contain Carnauba wax they will finish harder and be longer wearing/lasting...
You can even add more Carnauba if you want...

http://www.parkbeekeeping.com/products/detail/carnauba-wax

Wax applied to a warm surface is a big plus...
Mechanical polishing over hand buffing is way better.. (elcheapo car buffer or a wool bonnet on your ROS)...
Polishing is what makes the wax work to it's fullest...
More polishing.. Better results...

above all.. make sure it DOES NOT contain silicone...

Wax clean up/removal/thinning is done w/ mineral spirits...
A pound of wax should last way more than a decade maybe even well into the second...
Put it on any tool table surface you have...
Great for plane soles too...
To melt/soften the wax put the container of wax in hot water but not submerged...

Carnauba wax, sometimes also referred to as palm wax or Brazil wax, is a kind of wax that is made from the extracts of palm leaves. These leaves are found on the plant ‘Copernicia prunifera’, a short plant that is usually found in Brazil, especially in the states of Ceara, Rio Grande do Norte and Piaui. Also known as the ‘Queen of waxes’, it is found in yellowish or brownish flakes.

Stick w/ your silicone-less furniture paste wax and avoid possible contamination of your project...

If you are considering candle wax... not all candles are created equal...
You also have to contend w/ dyes in the wax...
Best to steer clear of using candle wax...

Candle making colorants come in a vegetable based block so there is no paraffin in these color blocks.

Candle Wax | Candlewic
Candle Dye, Colors & Pigments | Candlewic

PARAFFIN CANDLES
Paraffin development began in 1830, but manufactured paraffin was not introduced until 1850. It provided an alternative to tallow which gave off an unpleasant odor when burned. In 1854 paraffin and stearin (the solid form of fat) were combined to create stronger candles, very similar to those we use today.

BEESWAX CANDLES
Candles have a wide variety of ingredients, but there are only a few main ingredients that are used throughout most of the world. We will talk about the main types, and the advantages and differences of each.
Most honey and bees wax is collected from July to September. It can come from the pollination of canola, sweet clover or sunflowers. Generally these plants result in a lighter scent and lighter colored beeswax.
There are two types, solid beeswax and honeycomb wax. The solid bees wax candle is created by pouring liquid wax into a candle mold. The result is a smooth, dense candle which burns for an extremely long time. Honeycomb beeswax candles are created by rolling honeycomb textured sheets. The honeycomb candle is less dense and burns faster.
Beeswax candles produce a bright flame, do not drip, do not smoke or sputter, and produce a fragrant honey odor while being burned.

CRYSTAL WAX CANDLES
These are also called wax tarts or wax potpourri. They are made with an all-natural candle wax that holds twice as much fragrance as paraffin wax candles, making them suitable for highly scented candles. They are used with a potpourri warmer (without any water). The fragrance emerges when the candle starts to melt.

GEL CANDLES
Gel candles have a new and unique look. They give off a beautiful illumination and a wonderful aroma. And they burn three times as long as wax candles.
But be careful. Gel candles produce a higher burning flame and they burn much hotter. Too much heat can shatter a glass candle-holder or container which can ignite nearby combustibles, resulting in a room fire. To be safe, never burn a gel candle more than four hours.

SOY CANDLES
Soy wax candles are made from soy beans. They are non-toxic, non-carcinogenic and bio-degradable. They burn up to 40% longer than paraffin candles and burn evenly which means there is no tunneling effect. However, it is not recommended to burn more than four hours at a time. Soy candles are very sensitive to temperature and light. They should be stored away from sunlight, fluorescent lighting and other sources of heat.

Well, I spent 5 hours cleaning my shop today and I’m still not done. Part of that was spent on my table saw. I spent a solid hour removing caked on sawdust from the blade raising gears and threaded shaft. I wish I’d taken a pic when I started. You couldn’t even see the shaft threads. I don’t know how the blade could even go up and down. Also there are two guide slots, one on each side of the motor, that a T shaped part slides in as the blade travels up and down. The parts and the tracks both were not only caked with sawdust but there is a sticky residue all over it. I believe this is part of the resistance I feel.

I brushed and vacuumed until almost all of that was gone. Tomorrow I’m going to use mean green cleaner on it and take it back to factory new clean condition. Then I’ll get some dry lube and coat everything well.

Gotcha on the brake parts cleaner. I figured the carb cleaner would damage any non metal parts anyway, which I just discovered hat there is a plastic bushing under one of the gears. Shown in the pic, the green arrow points to its location. Why do I wish this was a brass bushing? Maybe metal would provide too much resistance whereas plastic allows for smooth rotation of the threaded shaft. Do you see any problem with swapping this out to metal? Even a stack of washers? I just feel that plastic will wear out and I’ll be needing to replace it anyway. While it’s apart and the bushing is still good I can use it as a size reference.

Also, the blue arrow indicates the metal “tab” that was bent out of the rather thick sheet metal yoke that the motor assembly rides against. This was not square to the rest of the set up and had that plastic bushing riding on just one edge as the shaft rotated. I took the liberty to square this up so the bushing sits flat. I reassembled things and did a dry run and it actually seems that the motor moves up and down easier now.

Lastly, the red arrow points to the gear on the crank shaft of the motor lift. This gear is attached with a screw tray passes through the shaft and back into the gear on the other side. Sadly, the gear wobbles as the shaft is turned. This explains the shimmy from side to side I’ve watched my blade do as I raised and lowered it over the last theee years. Has never caused any serious problem to me or my projects, but depending on where you stop the blade height it is out of square to the table ever so slightly. 1/32” maybe. It’s been a looooong time since I’ve even checked it. I just recall during setup that no matter what I did the shimmy was still there and the blade passed in and out of square as I raised and lowered it. It’s alwas bugged me, and the way this is made there is no tweak for it. I loosened the screw and skewed the gear in the direction it needed to go in as I retightened it. This seemed to slightly lessen the wobble I could observe as I turned the wheel but I know once things are back together and the gear is under load to lift the motor it may not stay. I’m also aware I’m knit picking a $500 saw ($400 now, it has come down since I bought it, grrrrrrrrr) to specs of greater than 1/32 accuracy, but hey I shoot for the stars even if all I have is a slingshot. When I start refining things you can bet even my slingshots will end up being made from surgical steel with tactical rubber grips, a super elastic polymer band with a ratchet lock to hold it at half draw, and a suede leather cup to shoot high polished chrome steelies from. It’s liable to even have a laser sight mounted between the forks, and a pop off cap to store extra ammo in the handle. That’s how I roll. 😁

what brand of saw is this???
a bronze bushing or a sleeve bearing is a great idea...
skip the staked washer idea.. things could very well go south on ya in a hurry..
2nd choice wold be UHMW...

a WAG says that the tab bent from a lot of extra torquing during the need to move things while your mechanism was loaded up w/ so much crud...

so what wallowed out on/with the red arrow gear??? something did...
oh for the want of some periodic maintenance...

when will you have my full optioned out slingshot ready...