Two of my bandsaws have the iron tables. Not certain if all bandsaw tables rust as quickly as mine, but JPW doesn’t really seem to last very long. I’ve thoroughly cleaned each, but it seems as if I turn around and rust comes back. One of the saws, I’ve started using a large thin sheet of HDPE and had previously tried attaching UHMW to thin MDF as a stable base, but I’d really prefer the iron table mainly because I have jigs that use the miter slot. Maybe it’s the materials I cut, but I’ve tried JPW and then eventually TopCote. Neither seems to last. The other night I saw a couple videos by someone who was talking about two products. One is called FluidFilm. It’s lanolin based so no concerns about a petroleum base screwing up the wood surface. I bought a spray can and will try it, however, he also had a video on Collinite 476s. It’s supposedly a very hard paste wax which hardened quickly and once hardened, was difficult to remove. At $20 a tin, I’m not certain I want to try it, and if a tin lasts as long as JPW, my nephew’s great grandchildren will still have some to use, but as in previous paths to find a good product, I bought the cheaper stuff only to finally end up paying the cost for something good, but wasting three times the money trying to save a buck😖🤬.
Does anyone here have any knowledge (first hand, second hand, or even wild ass speculation) about this Collinite product? I did find that they have a variety of waxes, but not much except the YouTube video has any productive info.
Thanks for any help.

Be well,
Ben

About 30 years ago when I got my Shopsmith, I bought a can of Trewax. It is about half used up, and I don't have any rust on any parts of my Shopsmith yet. I probably can't attribute that solely to the wax because I'm not too dilligent about waxing.
It is probably more due to where I live. I don't live near an ocean or any other rust causing body of water. I keep my Shopsmith indoors all the time.
If you live where people rust, you have to expect your Shopsmith to rust too.

Sounds like you have a much worse humidity problem then I do.

I would try heating the table so that the wax melts into, and seals, the pores in the cast iron. Maybe try paraffin for the seal coat. Buff off when it cools.

You could also try Boshield T-9 which was developed by Boeing for rust/corrosion protection.

Hi Gary.
Lots of hot air here in Helena (politician’s and lobbyists) 😱🤪😄 , but no lakes near by. I can’t say that I’m diligent keeping tables waxed, though between TopCote on the saw top and JPW on the aux tables, they stay relatively rust speckles free. Even the belt sander table stays rust free. It’s just the iron bandsaw tables that seem to attract rust. Once a year I deep clean with mineral spirits followed by denatured alcohol and then the wax. They’re fine until I use them. One is strictly for metal (with a carbide toothed blade for metal) and I can understand it getting rusty quickly, but the other is strictly for wood and it seems to rust nearly as quickly. The one I use for wood is most often tight radius cuts in oily hardwoods , 1/16 or 1/8 blades, maybe it’s the tight grain constantly going all over the surface rubbing off the wax?🤔. It’s been suggested that I sand down the tables to remove the pores in the metal top and then they will have less for rust to hide in.
I do (maybe did??) have a can of Trewax that I used as a rub on finish on cherry wood projects. Fantastic stuff!
Of all the woodworking toys I have, none seem to rust so quickly as those two bandsaw tables.
My garage hasn’t been heated in the winter ( though I’m in the process of finishing insulation so I can use it in the winter), but we’re probably close to the same humidity as you. You may win the battle of the snow piles, though.😁

Be well,
Ben

Thanks for the info Ron. I do have some Boeshield and can try it. I’m just so puzzled that nothing else seems to rust as significantly as the bandsaw tables. Your thought about the pores seems to be a consistent and maybe the solution is to reduce their impact or try and eliminate as much of the pores as I can. I do sand down my chop saws beds to get the wings and other surfaces as close to completely flat as “I” can, so sanding the bandsaw tables should be a similar process. I might try a finer grit (I usually stop at 800) with an idea of getting the pores as small as possible.
Thanks again.

Be well,
Ben

Deep clean tables.

Soak with penetrol.

Wipe off excess.

Allow to 'dry'.

Add JPW and eventually buff.

The penetrol will get deep into the pores.

The JPW will act as a top coat.



Yeah it IS a paint additive, but it does work!

Thanks JPG!!! I just ordered some from Lowe's for pickup tomorrow. I've used the stuff to thin paint but had no clue it would work to for this. Until you posted this, I had resigned myself to sanding down the tables to reduce pore size.
Thanks again!!

Be well,
Ben

Sanding is still an option if penetrol does not do it's magic.
Not sure that will be a magic bullet.

In one of the Sawdust Sessions, Nick Engler recommends using Camphor to keep iron tables rust free. Ever since i saw this suggestion, i buy square Camphor tablets on Amazon. I put these tablets into a plastic bottle cap (Listerine) and place them on each tool with an iron table. If i remember correctly, from what Nick said, the Camphor evaporates leaving a film on the iron tables. The only reason I use a plastic bottle cap for the Camphor is that I don't know what Camphor would do if it is placed directly on the metal table. Please note that I also keep the Shopsmith tool covers on each tool when I am not using it. Anyhow, something that seems to work for me. Thanks for taking the time to read my suggestion.

Camphor blocks are what machinists use in their tool cabinet for the same purpose.