Hi, Folks:
Hope all are having some well-earned holiday time off! I finally tore my big 10″ table saw to pieces and cleaned it up. Before putting it back together and aligning it, I thought I’d ask for opinions about what grease to use on gears, trunions, ways, etc., under the table. Guys I know say use whatever I have hanging around (white lithium & automotive). Any other ideas?
Thanks.
Charlie
Replies
The obvious would be to stay away from greases that will come in contact with your work surface. Use a dry silicone spray for work surface slides and guides.
If at first you don't succeed... read the instructions!
Don't use a silicone spray. Silicone will mess up a lot of paints and finishes - of course if it's just for ripping PT...
I wouldn't use a heavy grease that will hold onto dust and chips to brew jumbo. Maybe lithium spray.
I use Boeshield B-9 spray for all moving parts and for the top too. It's a fine wax that is from Boeings aircraft maintainance dept. I also have Slipit which goes on just like a cross between pastewax and vaseline. It's supposed to be non-waxy, non-silicone but has a secret ingredient that doesn't interfere with paints and other finishes. All I can say is it works pretty good. You can use it on sticky drawers too.
No, I don't mean your under-drawers, Ron.
;>)
Excellence is its own reward!
I agree with Piffin, no grease, the sawdust will jamb everything up over time. No silicone either the stuff creates a whole host of finishing problems. I use WD40, its thin enough to coat the gears without attracting alot of dust and the spray cans with the little red extension hose will rinse out any sawdust that does collect over time. about every 3 months or so I remove the blade and recoat everything again.
I agree about the silicon. I use Topcoat, a spray on dry finish for work surfaces, even on a circ saw if I'm cutting something where I need really good control with no resistance. On the gears and trunnions I use the same dry lube I used to use on motorcyle chains, but it's black so I'm careful about where it ends up.
I also use a Boeing product, although mine is BMS-xyz Moly-graphite dry powder mix that I got in a gallon can at the surplus store.
Edited 7/5/2002 9:41:55 PM ET by JUNKHOUND
I bet your wife loves you when you get THAT in the laundry! Moly can be nasty, greasy, dust unless this product is stabilized somehow.
But I promise, I won't tell her, tee hee.
;>)
Armin, I think I learned about the silicone problem from you a couple years back here.
Excellence is its own reward!
Edited 7/5/2002 10:04:07 PM ET by piffin
Long ago a shop teacher of mine used bowling alley wax, commonly used on wood floors. He would wipe it on, let it dry and buff it off. The table developed a pleasant patina and never rusted. This was so long ago that I think he may have been a real innovator as everyone else was still using mastodon blubber.
That mastadon blubber never did work very well. Too salty. It made rust pits in the surface.
Excellence is its own reward!
The only souce I can find for Mastodon blubber has only fossilized blubber.
This will put deep gouges in your table!
Not a good choice!
TDo not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
I think the russian Mofia has some flash frozen Siberian stuff but they want an arm and a leg for it - in American dollars, of course.
Excellence is its own reward!
Yeah but nuthin beats using the proper stuff.
Also I would rather the russian mafia gets my money than the Texas mafia. At least the russians have a code of ethics!
TDo not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!